Remedies change over time

My brother Michael has a cold. Most colds respond to medication that eases the symptoms in about a week. People who forgo these drugs also are usually better in about a week.

I suggested a variety of things that one can find in any drug store or grocery store. After I listed my favorite store-bought remedies, I told him he could always do what our mom did when we were sick. She would smear a gob of Vicks VapoRub from our chest to our chin, then put a scarf around our necks so the goo wouldn’t get all over the place. No pills, nothing but strong-smelling Vicks. He said he already did that.

I forgot to remind him of the other thing that was supposed to help, an onion sandwich on soft white bread, mayonnaise was optional. Additional ingredients were discouraged. These were no wimpy sweet onions. These were onions that had come out of our garden. In today’s language they were pesticide free and organic.

For other ailments there was sassafras tea. This was prepared only when I was under the weather. Mom would take a piece of sassafras root, put it into a small pan of water, and boil it before pouring it into a cup, with lots of milk and sugar. I loved the pinkish concoction. It didn’t really cure anything, but it made me feel better.

It is almost impossible to find real sassafras tea today. Part of that is because large quantities may cause liver cancer  There are oodles of products that are just as effective without the cancer risk.

Root beer and was my mom’s favorite flavor of soft drink. It originally got its flavor from sassafras. The formula has changed today. Artificial flavoring has replaced the sassafras.

There is an Appalachian belief that sassafras can ward off evil. I don’t know about that. It might be worth a try. I am certain that few, if any, of today’s medications can do that.

The versatile sassafras tree also has leaves that can be dried and crumbled. This is called file powder I and is often added to gumbo as a thickener.

If an ailment was serious we were directed to get out Grandpa’s black tackle box. This was filled with gauze, tape, and a variety of salves. There were drawing salves that were supposed to draw out a splinter that couldn’t be removed any other way, I forget what the other salves were for. If it was something really serious the black salve was used. Today salves are believed to be ineffective, if not downright dangerous if one uses the salves instead of going to the doctor for more effective treatment.

Then there was the universal remedy for minor cuts and scrapes. Most people my age remember Mercurochrome. This red concoction was applied to any cut or scrape. It stung worse than the original injury. It is no longer for sale as the mercury it contained is poisonous.

There are lots of choices to ease non-life-threatening ailments. I find it interesting that many of the things we used to use to treat injuries and other problems are considered more harmful than whatever they were supposed to cure.

I wonder if the medicines that are common today will one day be discontinued in favor of ones that are more effective and less lethal that their predecessors. Only time will tell. Meanwhile, I’m staying away from Michael to avoid catching his cold.