By Helena (Hildebrandt) Weltz – Abbotsford, B.C.
Consider the medicine cabinet. It reveals a wealth of information of its owner. Observe the contents of someone else’s set of shelves in their bathroom and you may get a sense of seeing a very personal side of that person or family; revealing something of their habits, their beliefs, their way of living.
I remember the medicine cabinet in my parents’ home. It held potions and ointments that seem very odd in today’s world. Some of the cans and bottles came from the Watkins salesman who frequently visited our farm.
One red and white striped can held a prominent spot on the lowest shelf of the cabinet: Watkins Carbolic Ointment. It held a stiff greenish brown salve that was used for minor scrapes and cuts that we acquired during the course of work or play.
Some of us called it “cow salve” because there was a second container on the shelf in the barn. It was used on the cows when they cut themselves trying to go beyond their barbed wire boundaries.
Eclectric OIl and Wonder Oil
Some bottles, not seen today, occupied a choice spot and had names like Eclectric Oil, Heil-Oel and Wonder Oil. At our house Eclectric Oil was used when we had a cold or sore throat. Mother firmly believed in its healing properties.
She put sugar in a spoon and poured the Eclectric Oil onto it and we swallowed the foul-tasting stuff. I made a horrible face as the brown liquid slid down my throat. I shudder even now as I remember its revolting taste. Whether it sped up the healing process or not is hard to say ans things seemed to improve after a day or so.
Perhaps we would have recovered just as quickly without the nasty-tasting potion. Versions of Eclectric Oil seem to be in use even today, so obviously some people have confidence in its healing power.
Heil-Oel also occupied a prominent place in my parents’ medicine cabinet. The orangey liquid seemed to help them when they dealt with a cold or flu.
My father was as staunch believer in Wonder Oil. It was a powerful elixir. The clear liquid was to be applied to muscular aches and arthritic pain. I saw him apply it to his arms, shoulders, and legs. After the application he took a swig from the bottle, wincing as he swallowed it.
External use only was just a recommendation
I held up the bottle and read the instructions. “Dad,” I said in a scolding voice. “It says, ‘For external use only.’” I thought he was doing harm to himself. His only response was in Low German, “Daut schot nuscht.” (That’s okay.) It was his way of saying ‘it won’t do any harm’.) Indeed, it seemed to be pretty innocuous as he drank from it each time he rubbed it onto his aching muscles. I suspect the alcohol in it gave him a bit of a kick.
Another item stashed away on the top shelf was a little blue glass eye cup. We all took our turn at using it when we had a speck of dust in our eye. My father and brothers used it often when working the fields, especially during harvesttime. They rinsed their eyes with it using a bit of warm salty water.
Vitamin tablets only found their way into the medicine shelf during their very latter years. On rare occasions, prescription medications came into use. Our family doctor was consulted from time to time, but neither he nor the pharmacist, owed their wealth to our family. We seldom saw either of them.
Perhaps the garden produce, the homegrown beef, chicken, and pork contributed to my parents’ long lives. While we didn’t know the term, it was all organic. We didn’t know any different, it was all there was in those days.
Both parents lived to reach the ripe old age of 89. Perhaps their longevity can be attributed to the wonders of Wonder Oil, or even that vile-tasting Eclectric Oil.
Fantastic read, I enjoyed the memories.