Southern Remedies

I often get the feeling that my life has been quite different from so many of you just because I grew up in the south. It is fascinating to me that we have as many cultural differences as we do just going from one part of the US to another. I know I grew up surrounded by some interesting home remedies. I'm anxious to know if any of you had similar experiences in other places or if this is just another example of our lovely southern quirkiness.
Most of the remedies inflicted upon me came with a big dose of love from my father. As I have told you, he grew up in a huge family in abject poverty. I'm not sure what influenced the remedies more - their lack of income and inability to see a doctor, or lack of education. Either way, he sure did get lots of opportunities to practice his forms of medicine on me.

As a child, I frequently had colds, sore throats and strep throat. That was back in the era where doctors felt like a child should keep their tonsils, no matter what. It wasn't until I was a married woman in my 20s that I finally found a doctor to remove those pits of disease. If I hadn't already been married, I would have married that miracle worker.So how did my father treat my throat? Let's just say I had my own little bottle of Southern Comfort on my dresser from the time I was old enough to remember. Nothing could eat through a sore throat like that stuff. My dad was a practical man. He certainly wasn't going to pussyfoot around putting lemon and honey in good Southern Comfort. Oh no. I had to take a tablespoon of that liquid fire straight. Let's just say I am not a bourbon or whiskey drinker to this day.
One time I got some skin rash all over me. I can still remember the pain and agony of that. Dad told me to put vinegar on it and it would get better. First and only time I ever jumped into a shower fully clothed. Again with the burning. Seems like a theme.Of course, Dad also practiced on himself. Still does. When he is working in the garden or yard and gets a cut, do you think he runs inside, washes it off and applies antibacterial ointment? No. He picks up a good handful of dirt and rubs it into the cut.There are others I never tried. Lots of cures involve kerosene and that never seemed right to me. Bleach factors heavily too. Dad uses bleach on everything. It's a wonder he has any skin pigmentation left.

When my children were born, Dad was always willing to give me helpful tips on how to get them to sleep, cry less, etc. Fortunately, by that point I was old enough and wise enough to smile, thank him, and tell him I'd sure try that - later. Of course, later never came.

It's a wonder any of us ever survived to climb down out of those mountains. I guess that's just another reason we turn out to be such tough old broads.