Old remedies from grandma

Bella23 I remember my grandmother telling me that she and her blonde sisters always rinsed their hair in egg beaten into Borax to maintain the shine and colour. After your experience I can’t imagine the mess they were in! The sole sister with dark hair used vinegar to achieve the same results - which would be worse I wonder? They must have had a lot of time on their hands.

I suffered with mouth ulcers when I was young. They were very painful and I would have only had salt poured into them once! I would never of let anyone do it again ..... OUCH!!

Lavender, salt and brown paper, yes I remember them all from childhood. Brown paper was put round the bedroom shade to stop eyes being affected by the childhood illnesses.

Here is one to get rid of headaches when you dont have access to painkillers or a glass of water and cant get away.

Press the thumb of one hand into the fleshy part of the other hand between the thumb and forefinger. Press hard (so that it hurts) for 30 seconds. Then repeat with the other hand. I find it works about 90% of the time but a stress or tension headache will return. I was told it was based upon the same principles as acupuncture.

That green stuff from Boots was soft soap.

I remember mum telling us to spit on bites and stings. Dock leaves were magical! There was always Kaolin & Morphine in the cupboard. “Don’t wash your hair if you have your period” was one of my grandma’s! Oil of Cloves for toothache. A brisk walk got rid of period pain. I took salt baths after both my babies were born, my midwife advised against it with my 2nd saying it would “make the stitches heal too quickly”! I never could understand why that would be a problem. If you knocked your elbow (funny bone) mum would advise “bang the other one”?? For any minor injury we were told to say “Jones Browns” repeatedly to take the pain away - I guess it was a distraction technique - but why Jones Browns,?I have no idea.

We stayed with grandparents one Christmas and I had a hacking cough which had been keeping me awake at night. I was about twelve. My grandad said he knew something to give me a good nights sleep. He warmed some milk with butter in it and added rum. I slept so well.

Fran
My dad also used sliced onion in a chesty-cough syrup - put in a dish and cover with honey.

Also syrup of marshmallow, rum and olive oil. Think this may have also had vinegar in?
Not as unpleasant as it sounds!

When I had my ears pierced, an aunt told me to dab the holes with white iodine, and they wouldn’t go septic. Absolutely right, and if ever they felt the slightest bit sore, that’s what I did.

Don’t think you can get it nowadays though.

Witch hazel is also good for that sort of thing - if you wax or pluck your upper lip or eyebrows, pressing a little cotton wool dipped in witch hazel will prevent reddening and alleviate any soreness.

I didn't have a granny with wise advice - we lived too far away and they were doddery old widows. They were both quite old as my parents didn't have me till late (well after the war) and they were both the youngest of their families so their mothers had been quite old when they had them.

My MiL store by Fosters ointment for everything. My Dad worked for Beechams in St Helens so we had Boxes of gërmolenë , vosene and beechams powder under.the stairs . My grandma said to bend over and drink from the otherside of the glass to cure hiccups which works very well !

We were given milk of magnesia for any stomach problem. Honey for sore throats and one aspirin crushed in milk for aches and pains. Aspirin isn't advised for children now.

My mother made cough syrup from boiled sweets ( called black bullets where I live) dissolved in vinegar.
She had learned it from her grandfather.It seemed to always work.

Arrowroot for stomach problems,, Hot bread poultices for boils
dock leaves for nettle stings.. Vapour rub in boiling water, with head under a towel for congestion, cordial made with elder berries for Vitamin C in the winter... Aloe Vera squeezed on wounds..

If you have a cold sore on your lips a dab of perfume will dry it up . My health visitor mum passed that on and it works .