The "From The Smell of Good Samaritan To Aunt Jemima Syrup" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Recently saw a product for sale on eBay that brought back memories from my childhood.  It was a small tin of Good Samaritan Ointment.  

Lid of the tin of Good Samaritan Ointment

Stuff used to do wonders for healing small cuts, brush burns and even helped in extracting splinters if I may have had any.  And...it didn't hurt the same as Mercuro- chrome or Iodine!  For many of you reading this, you may have no idea this product looked like, smelled like or even the color of it.  I began to search more on eBay and even found a bottle of Good Samaritan which was a liquid.  Now...was that an external healing salve, or a liquid "healer" that solved many other problems?  

Now comes in a tube I was told.

Wanting more information on Good Samaritan, I took to my computer and a few of Lancaster's Facebook pages.  Asked readers what they knew about the Good Samaritan Ointment, or salve.  The first response told me it was an antiphlogistic and antiseptic preparation, to be used as an aid in the treatment of: surface burns and scalds, sunburn, windbag, chapped hands, dry or cracked skin, relief of corn pains and other skin irritations.  It acts beneficially when used as a poultice for stains and minor muscular aches, caused by fatigue or exertion, and tender, tired or burning feet.  I also found out that it is still made, but in plastic tubes.  Well, the first thing I did was look up some of the words the person wrote.  

Another type of healing salve.

Found out that antipholgistic is a medicine for reducing inflammation or fever and poultice is a soft, moist mass of material, typically of plant material or flour, applied to the body to relieve soreness and inflammation and kept in place with a cloth.  I then asked if someone could tell me what it smelled like.   One person told me it came in a small tin can and was cream in color.  She, or he,  said it was good to draw out splinters, glass or anything you may have stepped on.  One person said they loved the smell.  Put it on a bandaid, placed it over top of a splinter and viola, it drew the splinter out.  Another told me  it was food for colds, coldsores, sore holes and pimples on the ass.  So, there you have it!  One woman wrote that her Aunt Isabel made her own stuff that worked like a miracle on ulcers in your mouth.  It had yellow sulfur in it and a sweet flavor.  No thanks!  Darlene remembered a salve in a tin, but thought it was called Colverine brand salve.  Mike's grandfather always had Peterson's Ointment.  

A different type of Good Samaritan??

Debbie told me that she loved the smell of Good Samaritan.  Marge said she still had a tin of it.  Carol said that's a new one to her...never heard of it.  Can you still get it?  Charles said it looked like putty.  An old friend, Russell, told me they still make it, but it goes off the shelf so fast you never see it.  Told me if I want some he would tell his daughter to save me a tube, since she is a pharmacist.  Daniel said he thought it was made in Lancaster,  although an ad for it said Norristown, PA.  Connie wondered if it was like Porters Ointment.  John said he remembers it as a cream and not an oil.  Diane said they used Vicks.  Her mom would sew camphor in their undershirts.  Then Gwen told me she loved that magazine!  Wrong post, Gwen.  

The rear of the can of Good Samaritan.

Jackie told me she loved the pink salve that was put-on a cloth and heated before it was put on your chest for a cold.  Wanted to know if anyone knew what it was called.  Naturally, Jeannie remem- bered it was Numotizine.   Jack told me that his family always had a can of Good Samaritan salve in the medicine cabinet from when he was little on up.  He told me he was 76, so this product is quite old.  Then he told me it smells oddly like his insulin, but still a pleasant smell.  Didn't smell like the black colored substance that smelled like asphalt, but also worked.  The responses when on and on and on.  And, only Jack told me it didn't smell like asphalt.  One of the latest responses was from another Larry who said, "Can't help you with the oil question, but I just wanted to say Hello, hope all is well.  Thanks, Larry.  I often wondered, as I read on and on, if anyone actually read the original post asking for help with the smell of Good Samaritan.  Time to turn off my computer, since someone just told me their favorite syrup was Old Jemima Syrup.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Soda Fountain Developer And Cherry Coke Hero: Part I - The Patent," Story

Preface: Those of you reading my story today might have never had a chance to visit a soda fountain for a drink or perhaps a float because you may be too young to know what a soda fountain might have been.  I can remember one favorite soda fountain in my life that I visited quite often in the days of summer as well as weekends during the school year.  As a child I lived a half-block from the Lancaster Railroad Station which had the best soda fountain in the city, as far as I was concerned; great cherry cokes and rootbeer floats.   I got to know the guy who worked there, since I usually spent my allowance at the soda fountain.  But, what made the place so extra-special was the big rack of comic books that sat right inside the door.  They were meant for purchase by those riding the trains, but I usually had to read a copy of each one before they were sold.  Superman and Archie were my favorites.  Most call the soda fountain the device that was used to dispense the carbonated drinks, but to my friends and I, the soda fountain was the counter you sat at on a shiny bar stool to drink your soda. We were something special the days we had a chance to do that!

It was an ordinary day.  Opened my morning paper to page A5 and began reading Jack Brubaker's "THE SCRIBBLER" column.  Title of his column today was "Doctor who invented the soda fountain lived in Lancaster.  Wow!  Guy by the name of John wrote to "The Scribbler" asking him if he ever did an article on Samuel Fahnestock, of Lancaster, who was credited with the first patent on a counter-top soda water dispenser around 1819.  No, "The Scribbler" had never done an article on Dr. Samuel Fahnestock, and yes, the doctor did patent at least one other item besides his "Mineral Water Apparatus," but it was that mineral water apparatus that was the first soda fountain system.  Well, I just had to find out a bit more about him so I began searching on my MacBook Air.  He had very little education until the age of fifteen when new systems were introduced and his progress was rapid.  The following year he began studying Latin and Greek and also studied under his father who was a doctor.  At the age of 18 he began a two year study plan with a Dr. Parrish and others from Philadelphia as well as attending lectures at the University of Pennsylvania from where he graduated in 1825.  While studying with Dr. Parrish he invented the celebrated "sector tonsillarum" or "tonsillatome."  Those are both used by surgeons throughout the world today.  He practiced medicine and surgery with his father for years, while marrying Maria Reigart, from Lancaster, when he was 25.  His medical knowledge was amazing and he created several treatments for scarlet fever and measles.  In 1833 he opened his own medical office and began several experiments.  His work was published in the Philadelphia Spirit of the Times as well as the Lancaster Intelligencer and Journal.  In 1839 his father died from crushed sand in his bladder.  In 1856 he began to investigate homeopathy which is a medical system based on the belief that the body can cure itself.  Four years later he was working at the Lancaster County Almshouse where he practiced homeopathy with great success.  

Dr. Samuel Fahnestock, cherry coke hero!

In 1863, after his mother's death, he moved to Marietta, Pennsylvania which is a small town along the Susquehanna River, near Lancaster.  After the Civil War he moved to Lancaster and began to treat diseases by statuvolence or self-hypnosis. But, there is a bit more to the story of Dr. Samuel Fahnestock that deals with more than being a medical doctor.  All during these years it was common for small-town residents and big-city dwellers to enjoy carbonated beverages at local soda fountains and ice cream saloons.  These places were often housed together with apothecaries and served as a meeting place for people of all ages.  The term "soda water" was first used in 1798 and in 1810 the first patent was issued for the mass manufacture of imitation mineral waters to inventors Simmins and Rundell of Charleston, South Carolina.  A soda fountain patent was first granted to Dr. Samuel Fahnestock in 1819.  Seems he had invented a barrel, fitted with a pump and spigot to dispense carbonated water, and the device was meant to be kept under a counter or hidden.  Viola!!  It was the soda fountain that I knew as a child.  But then in the 1970s fast food joints came along and destroyed my soda fountain.  So, I guess I can thank Dr. Samuel Fahnestock for my chance to sit on a round, spinning, padded bar stool with a cherry coke in front of me with a straw in it while reading a comic book I had borrowed from the rack by the door.  But, Dr. Fahnestock also promoted his seltzer, soda and magnesia et soda at his doctor's office and apothecary.  Seems he also had patented a system where he kept mineral water in stoneware vessels, instead of the traditional copper vessels, to avoid the metallic taste.  He claimed his beverages diminished thirst, lowered body heat and helped the stomach.  Some called his water "artificial mineral water."  To make sure he was the sole producer of his water he took several precautions.  But, that story will have to wait until another day.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "More Medical Theory Down The Drain!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in my family doctor's office waiting for the doctor to enter.  The nurse had just taken my vitals and when I asked her to share them with me she did so.  My body temperature was 97.2 and I asked her if she thought something was wrong with me.  She told me that body temperature changes from time to time as well as from one patient to another.  If it had been below another degree or two lower, the doctor would have been concerned.  Have you ever heard of that before...that normal body temperature isn't 98.6 anymore?  Seems if you are a woman, may be old like me, may be late afternoon and maybe overweight, your body temperature may be different than a young, skinny man who came into the office at 8:00 am. The 98.6 number was established in 1851 by German physician Carl Reinhold August Wunderlich.  And now I find out that normal body temperature has dropped about 0.05 degrees Fahrenheit each decade, based on a person's birth year.  Dr. Julie Parsonnet commented that there's never been an official real number since people vary so much.  Did you know that?  But, why is our overall body temperature doing down?  

I found out that body temperature of men born in the 2000s is about 1.06 degrees Fahrenheit lower than men born in the early 1800s.  And, the body temperature of women born in the 2000s is on average 0.58 degrees Fahrenheit lower than women born in the 1890s.  Could it be that people are taller and heavier now and their metabolic rates have slowed?  Could it also be that eliminating certain diseases such as tuberculosis, periodontal diseases and syphilis could affect you body temperature?  When your body has to fight disease your body temperature rises.  Seems we are not only facing global warming, but human cooling.  What should we do?  My doctor told me that my body temperature wouldn't affect how he would treat me for what he might suspect I have.  Told me that I shouldn't worry about my temperature.  I did read that doctors usually don't worry about body temperature unless you temperature is about 100, which indicated a fever, or below 94, which indicates hypothermia.  Also could be that every person has their own personal average body temperature and it's probably best to see the same doctor each visit since they will be able to compare your own personal body temperature on each visit.  Now, I'm trying to figure how I can get my body temperature to be on the low side so he will prescribe a trip to a warm area of the world with a beach that has warm water.  Maybe a few ice cubes in my mouth before I enter his office.  But, then again, I have to hope the nurse will take my body temperature with a thermometer in my mouth and not a device that checks it at the temple.  That's going to be my next assignment...how to lower my body temperature at my temple.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "How To Recognize A Stroke: A New Indicator Arrives" Story

YOU CAN HELP SAVE A LIFE!  Memorize these letters: STRS

It was an ordinary day.  Reading my emails when I found one from the son of an old friend.  Opened it and began to read what might save my life or the life of a person I may be with at the time.  It talked about how to identify a stroke by using the letters S. T. R.  But, now there is one more letter that should be added to that trio which is one more letter "S".  The email began with a short story that started during a BBQ where a woman stumbled and took a little fall.  She assured everyone that she was fine even though they offered to call paramedics.  She said she had just tripped over a brick in the walk because of her new shoes.  They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food.  While she appeared a bit shaken, she went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.  Later that evening her husband called telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital after they returned home and died shortly after.  She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ.  Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps she would have survived.  All don't die after suffering a stroke, but of those that do survive, some are helpless and hopeless.  I read that if a doctor can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he or she can TOTALLY reverse the effects of the stroke.  The trick is to recognize the stroke, diagnose what to do and get the patient medically cared for within 3 hours; which is tough.  And, sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify, especially if you have no idea what to look for during an episode that may include a stroke.  Now, doctors say that a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S - Ask the individual to SMILE

T - Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK a SIMPLE SENTENCE (coherently) 
i.e. "Chicken Soup is better warm."

R - Ask the person to RAISE both arms.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 911 IMMEDIATELY!  

But, wait.  There is now one more letter to add to that equation.  Another letter "S" should be added which means to "STICK" out your tongue.  If the tongue is "crooked", if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.  A cardiologist says if everyone who reads this story would send it to 10 more people, you can bet that at least one or more lives can be saved.  Please remember the letters STRS and perhaps you may be the one to save the life of a person.  I have now done my part to forward the email, now it is up to you to do so also.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Notable Native Americans: Part I - Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about the plight of a young Native American girl who had to watch, helplessly, as an elderly woman, living on the Omaha Reservation in the northeast corner of Nebraska, struggled to breathe and eventually died before her eyes, since the White doctor, living nearby, refused to come and doctor to her.  Miss Susan La Flesche Picotte vowed the night of the woman's death to do whatever it took to become a doctor.  The year was 1873 and it took nearly two decades before Susan La Flesche Picotte became a doctor.  

Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte

In 1889 she became the first Native American to graduate from medical school.  It would be another 35 years before the U.S. Government recognized Native Americans as citizens of the United States and 32 more years before Susan La Flesche Picotte was allowed to vote in the United States.  She became known as "A Warrior of the People" who would doctor to anyone and everyone no matter what race, color or what God they worshipped.  It has been said that "There was nobody like her in the history of America—not before, and not since."  Her mother was Mary Gale (aka One Woman) and her father was Chief Joseph La Flesche (aka Iron Eye) who was a prohibitionist who taught his four daughters Native customs, but insisted they only speak English so as to adapt to the White world for their own survival.  

A book written about Dr. Susan La Flesche.

At the age of 14 her father sent her to the Elizabeth Institute for Young Ladies in New Jersey and then to the Hampton Institute (Hampton University) in Virginia where she was second in her class.  White women at both schools were impressed with this young woman's drive and intellect.  They helped her earn a spot at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania where she graduated as class valedictorian.  She turned down many lucrative jobs so she could doctor to the Native American community.  At the time she was still only 24 and the only physician, man or woman, for more than 1,200 patients spread over 1,350 square miles.  She used a horse and buggy to make house calls.  She delivered babies as well as treated cholera and TB on the reservation as well as surrounding White towns.  

The first building that housed the Woman's Medical College
of Pennsylvania, c. 1850.

Then in 1913, with $9,000, she opened the first-of-its kind reservation hospital in Walthill, Nebraska.  But, many tribe members resented her willingness to assimilate White and Native America culture.  Being the daughter of mixed-race parents, she was accused of not being White enough for some people therefore many U.S. history textbooks have overlooked Susan La Flesche Picotte who died of bone cancer in 1915 at the age of 50.  Today, the Susan La Flesche Picotte Memorial Hospital still stands, a national historic landmark honoring the country's first Native American doctor.  

Decatur, Nebraska, circa 1910.  A group gathered for what
is believed to be a revival, including Dr. Susan La Flesche
Picotte who is in the second row wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

Patients have not been treated at the hospital since the 1940's and it had fallen into disrepair.  It is now being repurposed as a museum and offices for the Omaha tribe.  The Susan La Flesche Picotte legacy will live on with the belief that health care should be a fundamental right afforded to all, regardless of race, class or gender.  Have you ever heard of this pioneer in medicine?  If not, why?  I never heard of Susan La Flesche Picotte until I came upon her name while looking for information about the Women's National Indian Association.  To me, she should be considered a Hero for all races, classes or gender.  I certainly will remember her name!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Lucky To Live In Lancaster!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Thinking of all the good reasons to live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  First of all it is one of the best places in the country in which to retire due to all the retirement communities we have in Lancaster.  Second, it is known as the "Garden Spot of America" due to its rich, fertile soil that is farmed by  Amish, Mennonite and a wide variety of other farm families.  And, now I have one more reason to live in the city I call home.  Lancaster County will have its own Proton therapy center in the United States.  

The Ann B. Barshinger Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The Ann B. Barshinger Center, part of Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health will build a $48 million, one room facility that will be able to treat 30 patients a day.  Doesn't sound to be such a big deal until you realize that the 8,000 square foot center will house a massive piece of therapy equipment in a building with very few windows and extremely thick concrete walls.  It will be only the second proton therapy center in Pennsylvania and will work in partnership with Penn's center in Philadelphia that is described as "the largest and most advanced in the world."  Residents who now live in Lancaster County, as well as surrounding counties, now have to travel to Philadelphia for cancer treatments.  At times their therapy might take many consecutive days of treatment and it can be extremely tiring to make the trip to Philadelphia on a daily basis.  Eventually we will be able to receive treatment in our home county.  Proton therapy is most useful in combination with other treatments such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy.  And, when the building is completed, Lancaster patients will be given a chance to take part in clinical trials and expanding use of precision medicine that is using increasingly targeted approaches.  My wife went through cancer treatments recently and had to spend part of Monday thru Friday at the Barshinger Center for a month.  Having to drive to Philadelphia daily for a month would have been taxing for both she and I, so having a new center in Lancaster will be a definite benefit for local residents.  

The proposed new one room proton therapy center.

Proton therapy costs about twice what other types of radiation therapy cost and at present isn't totally covered by insurance, if at all.  After seeing the benefits of the new therapy, the insurance companies may see the benefit in paying more for the treatments.  Proton therapy is also a shorter treatment time period then other treatments, thus less of an expense time wise.  That might be  another reason to want to cover the treatments with insurance coverage.  As I read more about the therapy, I found that it can be used for eye, brain and spinal tumors as well as pediatric cancers.  It is projected as a therapy for lung, gynecological, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal cancers.  The new center will not open until the fall of 2021, but it gives those in the immediate area hope that if they might develop a proton treated disease, they will get first class treatments in Lancaster County.  Another plus for living in Lancaster. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "'One Terrific Granddaughter!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just got off the phone with my granddaughter Courtney who was Carol and my first grandchild and was born in 2002 to our daughter, Brynn and son-in-law Dave.  She is a senior in high school in nearby Urbana, Maryland, about two hours from our home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Courtney will soon be 18 years old and will be heading off to college.  This intelligent young woman has chosen nursing as her choice of careers and is searching for a college that will offer nursing in their curriculum.  One of the main reasons for her choice of possible careers is the fact that at the age of 8, she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, aka Juvenile Diabetes.  Being this is World Diabetes Awareness Month, our daughter Brynn posted a story about her daughter Courtney on her Facebook Page that reads:

 This girl is so strong, brave, and mature. 9 years of living with Type 1 diabetes is 3,285 days of finger pricks, shots, pump site changes, CGM site changes, lots of highs and lows, and plenty of tears (from mom too).  She reached a diabetic management goal her endocrinologist set for her this summer, and she was able to get the tattoo she has been wanting. It means I AM GREATER THAN MY HIGHS AND LOWS.  All of her interactions with health care providers has brought her to the decision that she wants to become a nurse. She even got to remove the drain from her dad's recent neck surgery.  She was awesome!  She doesn't like to talk about it, and she doesn't share her struggles with many.  The thing about T1D is you would never know by looking at her that she makes life and death decisions everyday. We have said from day one that she IS diabetic, she doesn't HAVE diabetes. It is a disease with no cure, but it does not define her.

Top left - Courtney; Top right - Tattoo
 meaning "I am greater than my
highs and lows"; Bottom: Courtney
taking the drain from her father's
neck.  Click to enlarge!

Brynn's story about her daughter brought tears to my eyes.  Courtney is no average young woman.  She is a super young adult who will be an asset to any medical practice when she becomes a nurse being that she can understand the problems of those who face Type 1 diabetes on a daily basis.  Being diabetic can be emotionally draining and cause fear, anger and frustration.  But there are steps that can be taken to relieve those stress levels and anxiety.  Someone who has had to endure diabetes as long as Courtney will be able to help those with the incurable disease cope with it when she becomes a nurse.   A good support system is essential to coping with type 1 diabetes and having a nurse who can understand and who has lived with the same disease most of her life will be a definite help to any patient.  The theme for diabetes awareness month and World Diabetes Day this year is Family and Diabetes.  Courtney's immediate family has been living with the disease along with her, but only she experiences the effects of the disease on a daily basis.  Picking nursing as a career will help not only her, but those to whom she nurses.  Carol and I wish her the best as she decides upon a school to become a nurse.  And, a good nurse she will be someday!  How could a good-looking young woman such as Courtney be anything but the best!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Tattoo Showing Life's Struggles" Story

My daughter, Brynn, with her XXIII tattoo on her wrist.

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at a photograph of my grand- daughter's wrist on which she just received a tattoo.  It was this past July 7th that I posted a story about my daughter, Brynn, receiving a tattoo on her left wrist which pictured the Roman numeral for the number 23 (XXIII).  Seems that number had a very special meaning to her in that both her daughters were born on the 23rd day of the  month and daughter Courtney was diagnosed with Type I diabetes on the 23rd. 

Granddaughter Courtney

Well, my granddaughter, Courtney, decided she too would love to have a tattoo on her wrist that had a special meaning.  But, she had to have the permission of her parents to do so.  Courtney was diagnosed with diabetes when she was eight years old and has had to endure all the ups and downs that come from this disease.  She has battled on a daily basis the disease that at present has no cure.  She talked to her mom and dad about having a tattoo and they agreed, by way of a written contract, if she could keep her diabetes under strict control for three months, she could get her tattoo. Well, the contract was signed and after three months Courtney won the battle, thus gaining the OK to have her tattoo.  

"I am Greater than my Highs and my Lows."

Her design was to be placed on her right wrist and show the mathematical symbols for: I am greater than my highs and lows, with reference to her blood sugar readings she has to check many times a day.  She emailed me a photo of the tattoo after she had it placed on her wrist, telling that it hurt more than she thought it would, but realizing she couldn't stop with the design part way through.  I hope and pray that someday our medical scientists will discover or create a cure for diabetes and Courtney will be able to live a normal life like the rest of her family.  What she has had to endure for the past nine years shouldn't be part of anyone's life, let alone a young girl's life.  But, perhaps now, when she has a bad day, she can look at her wrist and realize that she will get past her highs or lows and be a stronger person for it.  It was another extaordinary day in the life of a ordinary guy.

The "Boy, Do I Have A Home Remedy For You" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading my latest copy of Reminisce Magazine when I came across a story titled "The Cure for what Ails You".  Gave remedies for the hiccups, sniffles and the common cold among other things.  But, they were rather boring remedies compared to what we offer in Amishland (Lancaster), Pennsylvania.  So, I posted on the "Lancastrian FaceBook" page asking the residents of Lancaster what remedies their families used to cure all their childhood illnesses.  Within a day I had over 200 comments telling what their mom, dad, grandma or other relative used to cure their illnesses. The following are some of the more interesting remedies.  I am not recommending that you try any of what you will read, but some were remedies that my mom used on me and.....well, I'm still here!  I have published only about a quarter of the comments, due to boring you.  That...and I couldn't type anymore since I was laughing so hard.   It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS:  I have condensed some comments, but I haven't changed the spelling of most of the comments.

Kathleen: Sipping on syrup from a can of peaches to stop vomiting and upset stomach.  Always works!
Joy: Shredded apple on a plate left to turn brown.....then sprinkled with cinnamon and eaten.  Stops diarrhea.
Kerry: Mud spread on bee stings.
Allison: My nan always used Boric acid (powder) mixed in water.  Good for allergy eyes...pink eye...etc.

Mustard plaster

Bill:  Mustard plaster, smeared on your chest then covered with a towel.  Use for congestion.
Colette: I used to get horrible, huge patches of poison ivy.  When I was a teenager the entire inside of my arm was covered.  My great-grandmother slathered it with home-made lye soap and then covered it with a heavy sprinkling of salt, then wrapped a paper towel over it, securing it in place.  Gone in 2 days!
Susan:  Jewel weed if you came into contact with poison ivy.
Bill: The dreaded "Enema", whether you needed it or not!  Preventative maintenance!

Jewel weed

Connie:  I stepped on a nail when I was late and she put bacon on it then bandaged it 'til we go to the doctors.  Also, when we didn't want to fall asleep at night, she sprayed "Mr. Sandman" so we would get sleepy (found out as I got older it was just an air freshener).
Genie: Stewed crackers made with brown butter and hot water as well as flat coke and salty pretzel pieces was good for upset stomachs. 

Mercurochrome

Joel:  We put a penny on a bee sting and DMSO (dimethyl sulfide) on sore muscles.  It's normally used on horses.  We also used bag balm on diaper rash 35 years ago, long before it became popular.
Dawn:  My dad's cure was whiskey, lemon and honey warmed on the stove.  It burned so bad going down there couldn't be anything bad left.  
Janice:  My mother was born in 1915 and she told me they would put sautéed onions on her chest when she had a cough or cold.  After that she would never eat onions unless they were minced so small you couldn't see them.  Also, to get rid of hiccups we would put our finger in our ears and pinch our nose closed and drink about 7 gulps of water.  Still works today.  

Good Samaritan Ointment

Phil:  Good Samaritan ointment was used for just about every ailment when I was growing up!  I think it may still be available.  I probably still have the original tin container.
Cathy:  Oh yes!  That was always in the medicine cabinet along with merthiolate and Unguertine spray in a bottle that looked like a little fire extinguisher.
David:  Ichthammol was a black tar salve for drawing out splinters and a lye soap bath for poison ivy.

Micki:  We used to lather up with Fels naphtha and let it dry on our skin before going out to play in the woods.  Then we'd wash it off when we got home.  It felt awful having dried soap on my skin, and I'd still get poison ivy.
Jack:  Vick's Vaporub, Good Samaritan Ointment, Klien's Drawing Salve...all fold remedies. with brand names attached.  Now there is a big controversy over marijuana.   I have neuropathy and COPD.  Guess what helps?  But, here again, a political battle in the 1930s where Randolph Hearst managed to get the hemp plant taxed into obscurity because hemp sales cut into his lumber company profits.  
Michelle:  Bitters for upset stomach, cloves for toothache, bacon fat or salt pork for drawing infection/splinters, jewel weed for relief from burn hazel, calendula salve or honey for cuts and abrasions. 
Judy:  When I had an earache they would blow cigar smoke in my ears.
Barb:  Baking soda and vinegar paste to take the sting out of bug stings.
Mull:  Tincture of iodine and mercurochrome for every scape and cut!  Mad did those orange liquids sting!
Kim:  For an earache, mom would heat sweet oil in a teaspoon and pour it in the ear.  Whiskey soaked cotton swab to ease a toothache.
Phyllis:  Whiskey and honey for a sore throat.
Jackie:  We used mustard plaster on chest and paregoric with water for the stomach.

Sweet Spirits Nitre

Henry:  "Sweet Spirit of Niter for fevers.  Small teaspoon before being tucked into bed.  Always worked but I remember hallucinating!
Grace:  Bacon to draw out splinters, garlic in your shoes for colds, mustard plaster on chest congestion, ahhhh...I miss that magazine (in reference to my Reminisce Magazine),...did you find the needle?  (once again, in reference to Reminisce)
Lori:  Marco ointment used for anything from sore muscles to colds.

Paregoric...notice it is an opium! 

Karen:  I had a few warts on my hand and my mother would rub a potato on it and then bury the potato under the rain spout!  Also, a headstand for hiccups!
Jeannie:  Numotizine put on a cloth and heated before it was put on your chest.  Always nice and warm...and pink.  I can smell it in my memories of long ago!
Judie:  Mom had us take a spoonful of sugar with peppermint on it for a sick stomach.  
Shalynne:  Onion syrup to break up the flea and congestion in your chest.  
Elaine:  Lily leaves and whiskey to draw out a splinter.
Brenda:  We used uncooked bacon on a splinter to pull it out.  Worked great.
Karen: Campho Phenique!  My dad used it on cold sores and Paregoric for "the runs".
Gale:  Warm water with Catnip and Fennel in baby's bottle for colic.  Fletcher's Castoria for constipation.  Horehound slugs to numb a sore throat which were made by our egg man's wife made them using horehound plants growing in her garden.
Mike:  Don't remember any old remedies.  My mom was an RN!

The "Do You Remember The Day When You ..." Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in the waiting room of my wife's neurologist reading a magazine called "Brain & Life, Neurology for everyday living".  And...for those who know me, it wasn't the only magazine in the office!  Looking at a few articles when all of a sudden I got involved in a story titled "Past Perfect".  The story featured a young woman, actress Marilu Henner, who happens to have a highly superior autobiographical memory.  The condition has been identified in only about 100 people worldwide.  Marilu was featured on the December 19, 2010 television show 60 Minutes.  Her superior autobiographical memory ability was the topic of one of the segments on the show.  She claimed she could remember almost every day of her life since she was 11 years old.  She said her earliest memory is of being baptized.  She remembered the water...and the white.  She then said that whenever she goes back into her memory, she is always in her body looking out.  As for me, I find that the older I become, the more I can remember some of my childhood moments, but in return, I tend to forget some of the moments in my recent past.  The editor of "Brain & Life", Orly Avitzur, writes in her opening From the Editor that our memory is one of the fundamental characteristics that make us who we are.  Problems with memory can affect any of us when we are deprived of sleep, distracted, depressed, ill or taking certain medications.  Pick one and I'm sure I have had a memory lapse due to it sometime in the recent past.  But, memory loss can also be the first symptom of dementia and Alzheimer's disease and can affect people with Parkinson's disease, stroke, epilepsy, head trauma and other neurologic conditions.  Dr. Avitzur also wrote that over the years she has seen countless patients who have lost their memory at much to young an age while others were exceptional for their recall abilities despite advancing age.  She recalled a patient in her nineties who had credited her brain health to regular daily activities like caring for her chickens, tending to her garden and cooking healthy meals.  The doctor also noted that she credits her memory to her resilience and determination, two admirable traits.   What do you remember most about your childhood?  Do you remember important days such as when you started elementary school, graduated from high school, got married or the birth of your children.  Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001 or when President Kennedy was assassinated?  Well, Marilu Henner can remember all of that, plus what day of the week these event took place, what she had to eat that day and what the weather was like.  She says that, "Your memory is your story, it's your life, it's everything."  

Marilu Henner, gifted with highly superior autobiographical memory.

I find that when I sit down at my computer to type a story for this blog, if I can block out everything from my mind but the experience I want to write about, I can recall much more than if I try and recall more than one event at one time.  Marilu says that if someone in her family wanted to know when something happened, it was always, 'ask Marilu.'  As I said, she is one of only about 100 people in the world who has total recall and can remember, in remarkable detail and accuracy, every event in her life, especially after the age of 11.  She is said to have a "highly superior autobiographical memory" or HSAM.  She has five siblings who rely on her to tell them what the weather might have been on a special day in their life or what day of the week that day might have fallen.  Can you imagine being able to do that!  The very first person to be identified with HSAM was Jill Price who reported that whenever she sees a date on television or anywhere else, she automatically goes back to that day and remembers where she was, what she was doing and what day of the week it was.  The condition is very rare and when Henner did the 60 Minutes show in 2010, she underwent an MRI scan of her brain and shared memories of her family from childhood.  She was given all the memory tests that are given to people to see if they have Alzheimer's like number sequencing and repetition and looking at a box of images or objects.  She just loved it!  After that show she served as a consultant for the TV series Unforgettable which was a show about a police detective with HSAM who used her detailed recollections to help solve crimes.  Her siblings also are very bright, but don't have HSAM.  She lost both her parents at an early age, but being able to recall every moment of their lives gives her greater comfort.  You may remember her from a few TV shows she has appeared on, but today she is working with the Alzheimer's Association and UsAgainstAlzheimer's.  She appeared in Congress to ask for more funding for brain research.  She says, "Your memory is your story, it's your life, it's everything."  Amen!  And, you have been reading mine for many years now.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Lancaster's 'Mr. Downtown' Has Died" Story

Steve's store at 315 North Queen Street in downtown Lancaster, PA.

It was an ordinary day.  Trying to remember when the last time was that I talked with Steve Murray.  Steve couldn't be missed since he was over 6 feet tall and always dressed in vintage clothing.  How he ever found clothes to fit his frame was always amazing to me.  There weren't many people his size who lived in the 1920s to maybe the 1970s.  But, he always seemed to find something different to cover his frame.  

Steve in his vintage clothing.

I never got to know Steve very well, but did stop many times at his shop at 315 N. Queen Street in downtown Lancaster.  Shop was known as Zap & Company and featured vintage clothing and furnishings, estate jewelry, objects d'art and Art Deco lighting.  He had fur pieces from the 1940s, Hawaiian shirts from the 1950s, pins, pearls, cigarette lighters of all types, cocktail shakers, classic movie posters and compact discs, to name a few other items.  He opened his store in 1973 and always seemed to have a few people shopping in the store when I would stop from time to time.  I did enjoy his vintage Hawaiian shirts that he wore all summer.  

Steve with mannequin Hilda outside Zap & Company.

Now, I tell you all this since Steve, The "godfather of downtown retail" died this past Sunday after suffering a brain aneurysm.  Steve was 68 years old.  Steve's Zap & Co. was a treasure trove for period clothing and pop culture memorabilia.  The store was a source of costumes and props for many Hollywood productions, from James Cameron's "Titanic" to TV's "That '70s Show" to Woody Allen's "Radio Days".  

Inside photo of his store.  It was jam-packed throughout.

You just couldn't walk past the store without stopping out front and see what was in the window display.  The mannequins were dressed, and in some cases very scantily, in inventive ways.  The mannequin that stood by the front door, known as "Hilda" greeted customers in her latest get-up which was always picked by Steve.  

Remains of Zap & Company.

I may not have made many trips to the store, but after meeting me in the mid-1970s, he never forgot who I was.  Always greeted me as if I was his best friend.  But, on January 20, 2011 Steve's dream store was destroyed when a fire consumed his entire store.  The reason for the fire was never determined and the biggest asset to the store, "Mr. Downtown", was almost lost in the fire.  He recalls trying to reach for a fire extinguisher that was at the top of the basement steps when he must have fell and smashed the side of his head open.  The firemen found him, at first thinking him to be a mannequin.  

One of the few remaining memories I have.  A business card.

They did mouth-to-mouth and CPR on him and determined if he had been in the building another three or four minutes he would have died.  He was rushed to Lancaster General Hospital where he was first treated, but the severity of his burns was so great that they flew him by helicopter to well-known Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Delaware County for treatment.  Over a third of his body was burned.  

"Mr. Downtown"
You most certainly will be missed!

Both his arms and hands were burned with his right hand sustaining fourth-degree burns; burned to the bones.  Steve was in a coma for six weeks then underwent the first of 15 surgeries.  He had no memory of the fire.  Back in Lancaster shops in the 300 block of North Queen had signs asking people to pray for Steve's recovery.  Flowers and notes were left at the boarded up store at 315.  Steve went through quite a bit of physical therapy during his recovery.  But, his prized store, as well as his pet cat, was gone.  His sister and daughter were his biggest supporters during his recovery.  Today his pride and joy still is a vacant lot with a six-foot high black wooden fence in the place where Hilda one stood.  Oh, Yea!  Hilda did survive, but somewhat charred.  What happens now to the lot remains to be seen.  Whatever it is, it will never be as interesting and entertaining as Zap & Co. used to be.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "RX: Part IV - She's Almost Two Inches Taller" Story

Granddaughter Camille

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting with my granddaughter Camille who had just come home the week before from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland after going through surgery to correct her scoliosis which she had inherited from my side of the family.  My mother, my niece and myself all had curvature of the spine, but not to the degree that Camille had suffered through.  I had driven my wife, Carol, to Maryland to stay with Camille for a few weeks so both our daughter and son-in-law could go back to work while Camille recuperated at home.  

Camille's Xray.

A few years ago Camille noticed pain in her hips which is a sign of severe scoliosis.  She began treatment by wearing a brace whenever possible.  But, that didn't seem to help and when the curvature reached 61 degrees her Orthopaedic Doctor suggested she have surgery to correct the curvature.  Her doctor arranged for surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital which is about 50 miles from Camille's home in Urbana, Maryland.  The surgeon whom she recommended and obtained for the procedure was Dr. David Sponseller.  Our daughter Brynn and son-in-law Dave took her to Baltimore where the surgery was performed.  Brynn stayed with her for four days at the hospital until she was able to come home.  The surgery itself took 4 1/2 hours and was performed on January 18.  It began at 1:10 pm and was complete slightly after 5:30 pm.  That evening she had a 6" Subway sandwich, since she was so hungry.  Dr. Sponseller was extremely impressed with her attitude and cooperation as well as her being able to eat the sub a few hours after major surgery.  It has been slightly over a month since the surgery and Camille, after going through many painful days and nights, has returned to school at Urbana High School.  

This Xray shows her spine in the center with
metal rods in the upper area and screws to
hold the rods in place.  

I have seen her twice during her recovery and am amazed with the results.  She has an incision from the top of her spine to just about her waist which after time will disappear into the crease in the center of the back.  What impresses me the most about her is the fact that she is almost two inches taller than before.  The spines curvature was so severe that it had caused bending in her back that made her shorter.  Now, a few notes about the surgeon who performed the surgery on my youngest granddaughter.  Dr. Paul Sponseller is a professor of urology and orthopaedic surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.  His areas of clinical expertise include pediatric spine disorders, cerebral palsy, clubfeet, hip dislocations and hip dysplasia.  

This side view shows some of the 16 screws
that hold her backbone in place.  Some ribs
had to be broken.

He is the chief of the Division of Pediatric Orthopaedics at the Johns Hopkins Children' Center.  I could go on and on, but you may tire of reading all his credits and outstanding comments.  A few honors for the doctor though are: Clinical Teacher of the Year at James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute as well as Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2013.  Hero with a Heart Award from the National Marfan Foundation in 2006, Teacher of the Year Award in Orthopaedic Surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1993, 2017 Baltimore Magazine Top Doctor and the 2019 Best Doctor Award from the Woods and Mencarini Families.  A few days ago our daughter send a photograph taken of Camille standing next to her Aunt in their living room.  Amazing!  She is truly an amazing young women who this past field hockey season didn't allow a single goal scored against her the entire season.  She will now be pain free while playing in goal.  We all love her and hope for a complete recovery in a short time.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Camille standing next to her Aunt Lauren.

Dr. David Sponseller

Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland

The "RX: Part III - The Ringing Of The Bell" Story

The Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in the beautiful Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute waiting for my wife to return to the waiting area with her news.  She has been coming to the center every weekday for the past month for treatments to eradicate her breast cancer.  The people who work at this building are some of the nicest and most caring people in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

The beautiful hallways of the institute

Doctors, nurses, techni- cians, adminis- trative staff, custodians and even the fellow that will transport you to your car are all wonderful.  Carol has gone through a very taxing month of radiation treatments and hopefully today will be her last.  As I wait, I finally see her exit the treatment rooms with a big smile on her face.  She is smiling for a few reasons, but one of the most memorable was the "Ringing of the Bell."  The tradition of ringing a bell after your final treatment began with a woman by the name of Emma Payton.  Emma was 8 years old when she was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma in 2013.  Her family flew from Manchester, England to Oklahoma City in the United States for treatments at ProCure Proton Therapy Center.  When her treatments were complete she rang a bell that had been installed at the center to mark the celebration.  Her mother was so moved by the ringing of the bell that when she returned to England she popularized the practice in the United Kingdom.  

The ringing of the bell celebrates your last treatment

Carol told me that at the end of her final treatment she was able to ring the bell which served as a testament to all the "hard work and dedication" of the department's nurses, doctors and specialists as well as herself.  Carol said that when she rang the bell everyone there celebrated and before long tears were streaming down the cheeks of every one in attendance.  It was a very moving and celebratory time for all involved in her treatment.  Actually the ringing of a bell at the end of cancer treatment dates back more than two decades in the United States when retired Navy SEAL Admiral Irve Le Moyne introduced the practice when he brought a brass bell to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston on his last day of treatment.  He explained to the hospital staff that bells are used as a timekeeper device at sea, so sailors associate ringing them with the end of a work shift.  My guess is that Carol's ringing the bell meant much more to her than ending a work shift.  It seems that the Peyton family, which I mentioned earlier in my story, was so moved by the experience that they have now raised funds to pay for over 200 celebratory bells for centers throughout the United Kingdom.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.