It's cold season

My father had at least two aids for sore throat due to colds.

No, we didn't gargle salt water. My mom tried that once on me and I promptly threw up. She never tried that again. We did, gargle with Listerene -- not as bad as salt water, but I don't know if it worked as well. This was NOT one of my father's "cures". There was also some homeopathic liquid with which we gargled whenever we got any type of mouth sore or toothache. But I can't recall the name of it. That stuff tasted good, and was lower in alcohol content than listerene.


Dad's favorite remedies for sore throat was hoarhound drops -- this came back to me today as I was grocery shopping at my favorite little store (Country Produce on Beechmont). They had hoarhound drops. I didn't buy any, but I know where to get them should I want them. I don't think I will want them, they really don't taste all that good. But they seemed in past years to do a good job on sore throat, and coughing.

Dad's second favorite remedy was Sucrets. They came in the neatest little tin, and each Sucret was wrapped individually in foil. They tasted really good, and we children really preferred the Sucret remedy over the hoarhound drop remedy. In fact, we would fake coughing in order to get another Sucret because they tasted so good. They sort of numbed your mouth, too.

Ricola doesn't work for Alan, nor does any other brand that we've used. Of course, a hot toddy is always an alternative for sore-throat/coughing. You all know what is in a hot toddy, right? Either lemon juice or orange juice and a shot of whiskey. This is Alan's favorite remedy. Personally, I don't like hot toddies and won't use that remedy.

The little tin box that Sucrets comes in is good for storing straight pins, regular pins, thumb tacks, rubber bands, paper clips; and for little ones, it's a handy bank for those pennies, nickels, and dimes.

After searching on-line I found out that Sucrets are still available -- I haven't seen them in my drug store (Walgreens), but they say they are still around in the little tin box. The ad states:

The Sucrets Brand, the pioneer of the now popular “tin box”, was first introduced in 1931. Since then, Sucrets has remained a household name synonymous with “serious sore throat relief” for over 75 years. Recommended by doctors and trusted by families, Sucrets has outlasted many brands that have come and gone for one simple reason - it works!


Of course, if a cold led to a more horrible ailment, such as flu or toncilitis, dad would put us on some homeopathic pills that were supposed to cure us quickly, reduce our fever, etc. I suppose his cures worked well. All four of us children (now adults) are still alive, and got through many, many cold and flu seasons without the aid of the family doctor. Dad's love probably had something to do with that.