We’ve both got a bit of a cough. I have a bit of a cough most of the time – I’ve had it from being young and I’ve been investigated in all sorts of ways and have been assured it’s just one of those things. Fortunately it’s mostly an er-her or erp-herm sort of a cough, although occasionally its bark-bark, and unfortunately for himself there’s the occasional nocturnal explosion. I sleep through it but he wakes with a start. The bit of a cough he has is accompanied by runny nose, watery eyes, irritating tickly throat, and feeling a bit not quite 100%. Fortunately after several months and many phone calls he’s actually been prescribed something and will be seeing a tickly cough person at the surgery.
I’ve suggested various cough sweets and over-the-counter medicines, but one thing I don’t think I’ll offer is this cough mixture from the little handwritten recipe note book my friend gave me – it’s measured in ‘d’s, which I guess might be drops so not exactly accurate:
Cough mixture – 1 teaspoon 3 times a day
- laudanum 1d
- paregoric 1d (camphorated tincture of opium)
- peppermint 1d
- friars balsam 1d
- glycerine 1d
- aniseed 1d
- a drop of vinegar
- 1 lb black treacle
- mix well
I have no clue of the date of this – I had thought the little book was pre WW2, now I think it’s more likely to be late nineteenth century!! Can you imagine making a recipe including laudanum – which is also opium, plus paregoric (opium) and Friar’s balsam which is made with ethyl alcohol! I guess you wouldn’t notice your cough after that – you’d be on your back!!!
Lois Elsden 