Pills, pills, pills

Folks, I don’t know about you but I do not remember taking pills when I was a youngster many moons ago.

If I had an earache, Dad would light up a cigar and blow warm smoke into my ear. If I had a cold, mother would rub Vicks salve on my chest, put a dab into boiling water and I would breathe the fumes through my nose. Some of the kids’ mothers hung a poultice of onions, garlic and herbs around their necks but my mother never used that remedy. I was always thankful for that as other kids avoided you, especially the girls. For a toothache, if there was a cavity, a wad of cotton was stuffed into it until we could get to the dentist.

To tell you the truth I do not remember taking a pill for anything. I never even heard of Exlax. Stewed prunes took care of that problem.

What a difference now! Now it seems, at times I take a pill for everything. Time and age changes everything!

Back in the early twenties, doctors were few and far between, especially if you lived on a farm. Consequently home remedies were used if the illness was not too serious. Also there were not all the wonderful medicines that help us now days.

However, I feel sometimes, we rely on miracle drugs to cure everything. Perhaps, just perhaps we should rely on some home remedies today also.

Do not misunderstand me! Without the knowledge, diagnostic and surgical skills of outstanding doctors and modern medicine I would not be writing this column! Be that as it may, I seem to remember reading somewhere that more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.

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