In my collection of cookbooks and old books in general I often come across 'recipes' for ailments. I have a keen interest in them as well as old American Indian 'recipes' as I believe the cure for what ails us can indeed be found in nature.While I've tried a few of the home remedies myself, I often find my husband and children turning up their nose at onion based cough medicines and preferring the store bought cherry flavored chemically produced version instead - (imagine that! Ha ha!). Still, as a salute to some 'old time' recipes I wanted to add these to my online collection to share. I don't, and can't stand behind if they work or not as I've not personally tried them but some of our Great-Grandmothers swore by them!
A Cure for Pneumonia from the Depression Era
6-10 onions
rye meal
vinegar
Chop the onions fine. Put in a skillet over a hot fire. Add the same quantity of rye meal and vinegar, enough to make a thick paste. In the meantime stir it thoroughly, letting it simmer 5-10 minutes. Put it in a cotton bag large enough to cover the lungs and apply to the chest as hot as the patient can bear. When this gets cool apply another and continue reheating the poultices. In a few hours the patient will be out of danger. Four applications will do but continue always until perspiration starts freely from the chest.
