Medicines from my childhood


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My nan used to send me to a chemists in Long Eaton, with a green corked bottle to be filled with '7 rubbing oils' or similar. He used to mix it up from various brightly coloured liquids, Cost 3d and contained camphor and eucalyptus amongst other things, similar to Vick and she would rub it on our chests (which were encased in liberty bodices).

She also used to give us each a Beechams Pill when we visited, they were in a small cardboard tub. Don't know what magic they were supposed to work?

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No matter where it hurt.when i a were a Nipper,,,Mam would Dab it with TCP or Smother it in Butter........the tell me to keep me ''Liberty Bodice'' buttoned up'  lol

Anyone thinking about mixing cannabis with cod liver oil don't .............. that is bad for your joints.

“Andrew’s Liver Salts”. I knew someone who took Andrew’s Liver salts twice a day all of his life. When he passed away they had to beat his liver to death with a stick.

Brimstone and Treacle. Mum used to make up the mixture and it was supposed to cure whatever you had - just a spoonful and it tasted good as well...........

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My granny always had Gee's Linctus available either as a liquid or as pastilles. She was often to be found taking a swig from the bottle or stuffing several of the pastilles into her mouth.

 

It was several years later before I realised that one of the major ingredients of Gee's Linctus was opium, but then, as she was someone of the Victorian era, opium was quite legally available over the counter.

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Our pantry contained cod liver oil, syrup of figs, Beecham's Pills, Indian Brandee and Andrew's Liver Salts. My mum was a great adherent of the latter and kept a tin by her all her life. She was very anti prescription medicine and if she felt off, out came the Andrew's tin.

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No matter where it hurt.when i a were a Nipper,,,Mam would Dab it with TCP or Smother it in Butter........the tell me to keep me ''Liberty Bodice'' buttoned up'  lol

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Years ago, chemists were permitted to make their own medicines. Mr Eric Hobson, MPS, who had the chemist shop in the 'bottom shops' as they were known, on Alfreton Road, made his own cough Linctus. I've swallowed many a bottle of that in my time. My mother was always cautioned not to give me too much for fear of an upset stomach. It tasted lovely.

 

There was a chemist on Radford Road, just opposite Bobbers Mill Road who also made his own medicines and was very well regarded.

 

Wouldn't be permitted today!

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Remember 'er indoors giving the kids Gripe Water, for tummy upsets. Drawback was she used to love it !!

It could be addictive.

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1 hour ago, jonab said:

Germolene was the ointment in our house

Loved the smell of Germolene back then it was good stuff and actually stuck to the wound not like its namesake today.

 

Does anyone remember "drawing ointment" that you put on a splinter and covered with a plaster to draw it out of your finger or anywhere else.

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Probably the alcohol in the Gripe Water which made it so attractive!

 

Drawing ointment - Lion ointment? Used to think it was made from lions (using a similar logic as when thinking that golden syrup was made from lions as there was (is?) a picture of a lion on the label and the phrase "Out of the strong came forth sweetness).

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37 minutes ago, Beekay said:

Are you intimating my wife is an 'alky' Jonab?:Shock:

 

I wouldn't dare but, you implanted the idea yourself:)

 

3 hours ago, Beekay said:

Remember 'er indoors giving the kids Gripe Water, for tummy upsets. Drawback was she used to love it !!

It could be addictive.

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Drawback was she used to love it !!

It could be addictive.

 

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I think Carters Little LIver Pills were similar to Beechams Pills,

 

Beechams had a slot on Radio Luxembourg on Sunday evenings (around when the Ovaltineys and Horace Batchelor's "In for a draw method" was on 208 wavelength). They were laxatives and had the slogan "The Perfect Laxative With a Plus" and a silly song which I have (fortunately) forgotten.

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Someone wrote the following in my autograph book nearly 70 years ago...

Mary had a little watch

She swallowed it one day

And now she's taking Beecham Pills 

to pass the time away.

 

....and thinking about gripwater, I used to get Dinnefords and Woodward  for when our children were in discomfort from wind.  I preferred Dinnefords as Woodward  tasted too gingery.  Yes, it used to be a spoonful for the baby and then one for me!

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One of my friends at Manning told me her mother put a spoonful of whiskey in her bedtime bottle as a baby! My word, you'd be in trouble for that these days but it wasn't an uncommon strategy at the time to ensure a peaceful night's sleep.  She lived in Bulwell and always had rosy cheeks!

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8 hours ago, Oztalgian said:

Does anyone remember "drawing ointment" that you put on a splinter and covered with a plaster to draw it out of your finger or anywhere else.

Just reminded me of Carnation corn pads, in a tiny pink box with a red carnation on the lid. My mother suffered from corns. She liked stiletto heeled shoes with pointed toes in the early 60s. The pads looked like pink polo mints.

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7 hours ago, jonab said:

 

Drawing ointment - Lion ointment? Used to think it was made from lions (using a similar logic as when thinking that golden syrup was made from lions as there was (is?) a picture of a lion on the label and the phrase "Out of the strong came forth sweetness).

 

Magnesium sulphate paste could also be used to bring boils to a head, as well as drawing out splinters.

 

The golden  syrup quote is from the Bible .. it was one of Samson's riddles that we can read in Judges chapter 14 verse 14

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