C is for…

Continuing our collection of reminiscences about ‘vintage’ over the counter and traditional remedies from the project ‘Patience’

C is for..

Carter’s little liver pills
"I can see the advert now…"
I found one and it reads..
“WAKE UP YOUR LIVER BILE Without Calomel- And You’ll Jump Out of Bed in the Morning Rarin’ to Go
The liver should pour out two pounds of liquid bile into your bowels daily. If this bile is not flowing freely, your food doesn’t digest. It just decays in the bowels. Gas bloats up your stomach. You get constipated. Your whole system is poisoned and you feel sour, sunk and the world looks punk….. etc.

Caster Oil
Only occasionally, If you where stuck, constipated, it was revolting.

A tsp in, have a dose of caster oil, horrible to take it, certainly works, running to the toilet, horrible to take. Used to take a lot, most revolting, horrible.

a Camels hair brush
Use it for eye lashes (to remove anything from the eye, use a moistened camel hair brush) very fine, very expensive.

Camphorated oil
Used to rub on your chest, stunk, eyes water, everything about drawing things out of you. Really stunk.

cod liver of malt
Took a spoonful of the malt, very good for you. Not bad, we took it every morning.

Cod liver oil
For rickets, vile, horrible taste.

Comfrey
Used to stew the leaves, then put your feet into it, or put bandages into it, use it as a wet compress.


illustration © Lois Blackburn 2009 www.loisblackburn.co.uk

B is for…

Continuing our collection of reminiscences from ‘Patience’

B is for..

Bicarbonate of soda
for an ulcer, make it into a paste. Very good for indigestion

Boracic ointment
Used it for cleansing, put it on sores and boracic powder, the main staple in our house, for your eyes

Bread poultice
A drawing ointment for boils, spots, drawing for splinters. Soaked it in milk, very hot milk. You held in on with a piece of cloth. Or soak it in water for a sore throat, your mother put the bread in a bandage around your neck, or was it a sock?

Brimstone and sulphur
Regular every Saturday for your bowls, really got you going, mixed with golden syrup on a saucer, every week

Brimstone and treacle like a hot toddy, good for you, shift anything.


illustration © Lois Blackburn 2009 www.loisblackburn.co.uk

A is for…

As part of our pilot of project ‘Patience’, we are gathering together reminiscences about ‘over the counter’ and traditional remedies of the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Please feel free to add your own memories..

Today, A is for….

Great big glass, spoon it in and whoosh, Andrews livers salts- feel a gassy rumble, next thing you got to run.

allensbury’s tablets for throats, like a sweetie, used to say ‘I’ll have another one’. Pastels, cough pastels

tincture of Arnica
absolutely the thing, marvellous for bruises, took all the pain

illustration © Lois Blackburn 2009 www.loisblackburn.co.uk