"Open ye mouth and swaller this!"

Growing up in the 1950's and 60's was quite an experience. Our parents, who had grown up tending livestock and working in fields, were now beginning to earn wages from factories or from trades that they had learned after World War II. Families began to acquire things that made living a little easier, yet, the mentality was still buy what you need to just get by. Frugality ruled and people worked hard trying to live without borrowing money.

In those days, a trip to the doctor or dentist only took place after all the home remedies failed and sufficient time had passed to make sure a body would not heal itself! We didn't like going anyway because in those days you expected to feel pain to get healing. Doctors and dentists can do some terrible things to a body...guess that's why they call their business a "practice"! *rollin eyes*

Houses were not built as tight as they are today and the "frugality" factor always took hold at night, so,
in winter, gas heaters were turned off at night and fire places were raked up and bedded for coals the next morning. We slept under piles of quilts and blankets.....it was cold! The croup was a common occurrence and I still remember what it feels like. Usually within a few hours after waking, your voice would return to normal, but, there would be a little tickle in your chest. The cure?....Vick's salve...on your chest, neck, and face and then a rag poultice of it worn around your neck until the croup was gone.

Sometimes a cold would get in your chest and cause a cough and maybe fever. The cure...A tablespoon of sugar with a little turpentine dropped into it. "Open ye mouth and swaller this." Mama would say. Eating sugar laced with turpentine!...don't know if it cured or not, but, it did seem to sooth the croup and made you quit complaining for sure!

Small cuts were "doctored" with merthiolate or mercurichrome (not sure of the spelling) which were basically rubbing alcohol. Both solutions came in small bottles with application sticks attached to the lids. Parents would swab a cut with it then say "Blow, blow!". The stinging would make you dance for sure!

For more serious cuts or bruises, they would pull out the coal oil. It was a well known fact that coal oil would take out soreness. Many cuts that should have been stitched were wrapped up tightly and then the bandage would be soaked in coal oil. I bear a scar from a vicious cut that was treated in this manner.

The vilest "medicine" we were made to take was castor oil. Parents believed that it did a child good to take it, whether they were sick or not! Grandma used it as a form of punishment. I had rather take a whipping with a switch than swallow castor oil. Mama would say "Open ye mouth!". I wouldn't. She'd say "Open ye mouth or I'll call ye daddy!" That would usually do it. I would take the dose. Horrible, vile, terrible, nasty, disgusting...all rolled up in one..that's the taste of castor oil.

I don't have any statistics, nor do I know of any studies proving that my generation was tougher than this one, but, logic tells me it must be true. So it was with our fathers' generations and I expect the cycle will continue. We just didn't visit the doctor much in those days, we took care of ourselves. "Open ye mouth and take it! It's good for you, it'll make ye grow!" still rings in my ears as I remember those days. It's a wonder that we survived!