Home Remedies - Part Six

Whether it's grandpa's secret recipe for a hot toddy, or Uncle Bob's sure fire cure for the hiccups, home remedies have been around for a long time. Between the rising cost of medicine and the length of the lines in the waiting rooms, more and more people are turning to home remedies for their minor illnesses. This series is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to home remedies. It should go without saying that the remedies in this series are for entertainment purposes only.

Frostbite

For frosted feet or limbs, take hog’s lard and snow, equal parts and grease three evenings with it. John Stoner’s Sympathy, 1867

A remedy for frozen feet is to wrap the feet in the skins of rabbits killed in the dark of the moon. The Farmer’s Advocate

If you have an aloe vera plant or bottled aloe vera gel, gently apply it to the frostbitten area. Aloe work against thromboxanes, substances that constrict blood vessels, When the vessels relax, the frostbitten area heals faster.

Bandage fresh sliced beets onto the frostbitten area to ease pain and tenderness. Leave the beets on until they are dry. Repeat as necessary.

Cover the frostbitten area with the inner side of a banana peel.

A horsetail bath is soothing can help rebuilding skin tissues because of its silica content.

Bury a crooked penny at the northeast corner of the cabin outside where water drops from the eaves. Kentucky Superstitions, 1820

Kill a chicken and soak the damaged feet or hands in the warm blood.
Texas Folk Medicine

Boil and mash potatoes. Add salt and apply the mixture to the frostbitten areas. If you're hungry, eat the potatoes and apply the warm water (in which the potatoes were boiled) to the frostbitten areas.

An old Norwegian remedy suggest you apply a cold mashed onion poultice.

Massage the affected area with camphor oil if the frostbite is not severe

Alternate between a hot compress (as hot as you can stand it) and ice cold compress to treat frostbitten skin. Apply a hot compress for three minutes followed by a cold compress for 30 seconds. Repeat three times each – ending with the cold compress.

Components found in cayenne pepper work towards boosting circulation and reliving pain associated with frostbite.

As soon as you feel "pins and needles" or you notice a white area on your skin, warm up the affected area slowly. Immerse the affected part into comfortably warm (100 – 105 degree Fahrenheit) water and keep replacing warm water when necessary.

Mix cow manure and milk, place in a cloth and apply to frost bitten area.
Texas Remedies

Take a white woolen cloth which has never been used before, burn it to ashes, strew these ashes upon the afflicked feet and they will heal. Albertus Magnus

Warm frozen toes by filling up a 1- to 2-liter soda bottle with hot water and rolling it back and forth underneath your feet.

Steep a teaspoon of sage in a cup of hot water for five minutes and drink it. Sage tea will help improve circulation.

Warm some olive oil and gently dab it on the frostbitten skin or apply it with a kitchen pastry brush.

Soak mullein flowers in olive oil for fifteen minutes and apply to frostbitten area.

Apply garlic oil to the infected area to prevent or help heal infection.