New Meaning to, Is There a Doctor in the House.

My Mom, a Doctor of Sorts 

   The 50's and 60's in South Eastern Kentucky were hard times for many farm families.  There wasn't many jobs in the area; so most people survived by farming, bartering, hunting, and fishing.  There were a few local doctors, but little money that could be spent on doctor's visits. 
   My mom, like so many other ladies in that day, became a doctor of sorts.  She kept a good supply of medicines like Bayer Aprin, Syrup of Black Draught, Alcohol, Peroxide, Iodine, Mercurochrome, Rubbing Liniment, Milk of Magnesia, Soltice, and Vicks Salve.  
   She had many home remedies, as well, for our often mishaps.  For bee stings she soaked a brown paper bag in vinegar and wrapped the affected area, if possible.  The vinegar was to pull out the swelling.  When that wasn't possible, she wet snuff or tobacco and placed over the affected area to pull out the poison.  For nosebleeds, she put an unused cigarette paper under our upper lip, and a cold wet washcloth behind our neck.  She made ginger tea for abdominal pain, and burdock tea for cleansing the blood.  She dabbed turpentine around our shirt sleeves and pants legs, when we went berry picking, to keep chiggers away.  She made hot toddies for the flu, but only the adults took that.  She broke off birch twigs to use for tooth brushes, for in between brushings, use.  Seems a little crude to some, I guess, but, just the way of life for the majority of folks in our area.  
   I thank God for watching over us, and Mom and Dad, during those hard times. 
Have a Blessed day, wherever you are.
Trisha