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Cure Or Kill

When my mama was but five years old her daddy died of dread TB. My grandma had six mouths to feed and could ill afford to follow. She asked her doctor for advice, "What do I do to stay alive?" He prescribed his favorite smoking cure. "Take up the pipe", he said. My grandma tried it, didn't die. She happily smoked her beloved pipe for the rest of her long life, much to Mama's great dismay. My mama thought that castor oil would cure most everything. She'd mix it into orange juice to make it palatable. I still found it a nauseous drink and very hard to take. My kids had it so much better who need only swallow pills. She treated colds with Mentholatum, mustard plasters for pneumonia. Somehow she kept us healthy through North Dakota winters. ForThe Road to Wellville. sponsored by Deborah Guzzi 6th place

Copyright © | Year Posted 2010




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Date: 9/29/2010 12:37:00 AM
Goodness I have never tried none of those remedies lol It's a wonder you survived them- Congrats on the win Joyce
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Date: 9/17/2010 7:13:00 AM
Congratulations Joyce on your win in Deborah Guzzi's contest "The Road to Well Ville" Love, Carol
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Date: 9/17/2010 5:45:00 AM
Many congratulations on this win dear Joyce. I have also gone through the pains of swallowing of castor oil.
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Date: 9/16/2010 8:12:00 PM
Lots of interesting info in this one. I think those old time cures are becoming so forgotten now. Congrats on your fine win, Joyce. Luv, Andrea
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Date: 9/16/2010 5:42:00 PM
Congratulations Joyce on your 6th place. Agpe, Moses
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Date: 9/16/2010 5:32:00 PM
Congrats Joyce on your winning poem in Deb's contest... a great entry ..enjoy your big win tonight my friend with luv..
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Date: 9/16/2010 3:57:00 PM
Things have come a long way....But all those remedies often did the trick! Congratulations Joyce on this interesting poem!
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Date: 9/16/2010 3:04:00 PM
Congratulations on your win in the Wellville contest, Joyce! Love, Carolyn (Barbara G. wrote about mustard plasters too, but I'd never heard of them before now.)
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Date: 8/23/2010 6:53:00 PM
Enjoying this monday night reading, thank you for the read,, enjoyed your write and good luck on the contest..P.D.
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Date: 8/22/2010 7:23:00 PM
Funny thoughts of your mama grousing as granny smoked her pipe, Joyce. I had Castor oil once -- that was enough. Alyssa's right. Fiber keeps you regular. And some of those home remedies work better than the assorted pills on the market today. Best wishes in the contest! Love, Carolyn
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