Before I share this information, I must first post a legal disclaimer:
This is a website/blog. The opinions expressed are my own and are shared as a source of information and entertainment. I am not a medical professional and do not recommend using any of these remedies without first consulting with your physician.
Mountain Remedies
The hardy mountain people relied upon their own resources for many things. Home remedies were included in this resourcefulness. First of all, because of geographical lay of the land, it was not always an easy task to get to town, nor was transportation as modern and convenient as we now have. Herbs and plants were used for many things and frequently with much success.
There were individuals who spent a lifetime searching for the natural treatment and cure for various ailments. These folks were called "Yarb Doctors." The "Yarb Doctors" would search for sheep sorrel, or Indian turnips, ginseng, sassafras and many other plants that had medicinal properties.
Some of these remedies were:
Catnip Tea: Brew a weak catnip tea and five to newborn babies to bring out the hives.
Catnip Poultices: Used on nursing mothers whose breast became caked with milk.
White Oak Bark Tea: Boil the white oak bark, making tea, used as a gargle for tonsillitis.
Other home remedies utilized items that were hardy and that most families had readily available.
Wasp Stings: Treat by daubing the insect bite with a dip of wet snuff.
Fever: Make onion poultices, place on the body, then cover the sick person with many quilts or feather beds. This would cause sweating which would make the fever break.
Bad Cuts: Keep saturated with coal-oil (kerosene).
Toothache: Hold vanilla flavoring in the mouth.
After Giving Birth: The mother was instructed to remain in bed at least nine days, although may people felt that twenty-one days was better.
Bad Cut or Cut Off Finger: Put back in place and tie good with a rag, soak every day in kerosene.
To Prevent Contagious Disease: Put asafetida in rag, tie around neck, chew on it several times a day, wear all winter.
Cough: Use whiskey, honey, and lemon juice.
Nail In Foot Or Puncture Wound: Poultice of scraped potato or salty meat skin.
Chest Cold: Use a poultice of fried onions in a wool rag.
Ear Ache: Blow tobacco smoke in ear or put a few drops of warm urine in the ear.
Bad Sore: Let dog lick it.
Strained Muscle: Use a poultice of red oak ooze.
Croup: Take a mixture of molasses and soda.
Worms: Turpentine and sugar.
That's all for now! I have at least this many more to share next week and I hope that y'all will come back to check them out. Please leave in tried and true remedies that you know of in the comments section below.
Another good remedy for the croup is to render the fat of a fat groundhog and rub on the chest. I can personally attest to the fact that this works amazingly well.
ReplyDeleteSeveral years ago, I interviewed nurses who were born and raised in Western NC about healthcare in Western North Carolina. I asked them what folk remedies they still knew people used. Quite a few of them talked about putting cut fingers in turpentine and using superglue to close up wounds. They said many people would try anything to keep from going to the doctor or hospital. Of course plenty of people are still using moonshine or whiskey for coughs and just about anything that "ails you!" It's always amazed me how many of the natural herbs are what has been used to eventually manufacture synthetic medicines, such as white willow bark > aspiring and foxglove >digitalis. I'd love it if you would visit my website and tell me what you think. apphealthcareconsulting.com
ReplyDeletegreat post thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post, Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete