Can You Recall?

I know castor oil was given to some kids but I never had to have it.

I can't remember anything about adults other than mom and her remedies were totally unconventional. I do recall reading about an old Native American remedy involving willow bark but I'm not sure how they prepared it.

I think it might have been sassafras or willow bark. Both of them were used as medicine for centuries. Not sure about sassafras but they sell willow bark as a supplment. I guess it would be like a mild aspirin.

Yes, mom gave us castor oil but she gave it to us in a spoon but we got a piece of candy to eat right afterward. I'm not sure one piece of candy was enough of a reward for taking that nasty stuff! I remember mom making cough syrup from cherry tree bark when I was little. it didn't taste good, either.

Willow bark is the one for colds. Never had to take castor oil.

I never had castor oil thank goodness. I don't remember our family using old home remedies.

My mother did that with a tree that I now know is called Noni.

Oh, I totally get what you mean! It's interesting how some of those old home remedies just stick with you, even if you're not exactly sure how or why they worked. The memory of boiling bark for tea—probably something like willow bark for its pain-relieving properties—is one of those things that sticks in people's minds. It seems so old-fashioned, but it was a practical, natural remedy in its time. And castor oil... oh boy. It definitely earned its place on the list of most dreaded remedies. The taste, the texture—it was like trying to swallow a spoonful of slippery, bitter regret no matter how many sweeteners you tried to mix it with. It’s probably one of the most infamous "cures" for anything from constipation to sickness. I can't imagine kids today having to take it—though I suppose with some of the natural wellness trends coming back, maybe it does make a brief reappearance in certain circles!

As I was reading this, I was trying to think of some "home remedies," and none readily came to mind other than the old "hot toddy," which was a mixture of booze, lemon juice, and honey mostly, to knock out a cold.