General Chat

Before swarfega there was DIRTYPAWS a pink smelly handwash jelly for Dad to clean up before dinner !

Syrup of Figs was to keep you "regular". Hmm. Loved it. Not so the Cod Liver Oil, though we now know it was probably very good for us.

Couldn't stand Victory Vs. The only throat tablets back then were Bradasol.

And I've still got a tin of Brasso.

No-one has mentioned Syrup of Figs which we used to get dosed up with as children!

I still buy cod liver oil of malt from Boots. Love it!
Loved Victory Vs too, and the smell of Germolene.

Still have a jar of Swarfega under the sink.

Sal Volatile was ammonia salts I think.

Smelling Salts also used to be sold by Boots when I started work there in about 1968.
I think it was called Sal Volatalie, it smelt awful and would soon bring you round. Ladies long ago suffered from "the vapours" and I guess that was used then too.

I was going to add that the hand cleaner was Swarfega, think they still use it in Garages

Linda :o) XxX

Nope, I am wrong. Swarfega and Gunk are both green.

Indian Brandy is wrong, it is Indian Brandee.

I wish somebody could find something about Dr White's Compo. A google search only brings up sanitary products.

Found via Google...from Times online site

For the last century of the British Empire, its rulers’ stomachs were soothed by Dr J. Collis Browne’s special mixture of chlorodyne. The standard chlorodyne mixture, composed of chloroform, a bit of ether, alcohol, a hefty dollop of morphia, treacle, peppermint and syrup, was still in use in the 1950s, and was equally effective whether prescribed to suppress a cough or to soothe and control a gut. Dr Collis Browne’s variant of the British pharmaceutical formula chlorodyne began to contain less and less morphia as government regulations grew tougher.

Gwyn

and how OLD are you then Carol? Its okay, you dont have to say.!!!
Just remembered the name of the green jelly. Swarfego. Not sure of spelling !!

Blimey just realised you must all be as old as me to remember all these remedies. lol

Sharron,
I had to laugh about the orange tic tacs you gave instead of the fibogel.!!
Fibogel is a laxative, and you can get it currently in sachets which you add water to Comes in different flavours.. It is more natural than other laxatives, and does not interfere with other medications.
Also remember my dad using Sloans Linament and some green jelly like stuff for removing grease from hands from cars etc.,

M.I.L used to swear by Dr colllis-Browns liquid medicine for tummy troubles. I think it had opium in it! .

Julia, I was just going to mention Indian Brandy, having suffered a tummy ache for a fortnight now!

We had Zambuck instead of Germolene. Phew!

A 99-year old friend of mine, still physically fit, rubs Dog Oil into her joints every day, and my grandma who would have been 125 used Doctor White's Compo for everything.

hi just wondered if anyone had any good remedys for sleepless nights
thanks
dorothy teresa

hi julie
thanks for the tip on milo ill have a look in sainsburys
does anyone remember taking castor oil oe epsom salts

dorothy teresa

Remember malt with great affection. Parents used golden eye ointment on me with great results. Have germaline in tube and it is still pink, but does not smell like tin. Also remember antibiotics not working but salt did. Some old remedies still work, some modern work better, who knows.
Carol

I think bilious attacks were just another name for indigestion!

Golden Eye Ointment was the one we were told would ease arc-eye but I never needed it. Probably far fewer welders now to buy it.

I liked Victory V lozenges but even better were the black gums they made.Too many of those could make you remarkably billious!

Ann, I used to get those bilious attacks regularly. My Mum used to dose me with 'Indian Brandy'. It was neither Indian or Brandy, but whatever it was, it worked.
Julia in Derbyshire

DizzyL I think what our parents used to call bilious attacks are what the doctors and media now call norovirus (makes it sound much more technical and scary!). Still the same tummy bug our kids used to get.

How about those lovely Victory V cough lozenges.