Forgotten Cures: Cuts

Cuts * Pine Tar: Puncture and/or severe wounds were dressed with pine tar. [Barb * Coal oil and sugar bandages were another of my grandmothers remedies for cuts, abrasions, stubbed toes, etc. Later, my mother's favorite cure all was Mar-Vel oil--a light, all purpose liquid ointment. It went on cuts, bruises, burns, scratches, whatever. We had 'progressed' from the coal oil and sugar. Nina Hall * Kerosene: My grandmother used kerosene to pour on and clean cuts and punctures to prevent lockjaw, and I would not think it would be good for taking orally. Joanne H. Boswell * "Monkey blood" - (merthiolate): Applied to scrapes and abrasions. Always with the admonition to "blow on it and it won't sting so much". Dennis Palmer * We had a family doctor who always prescribed for cuts, even dog bites...to bathe it in Lysol!!!! Doris Goldsborough * The very worst "sure and quick" way to stop bleeding of a cut was to pour salt on it. Talk about pain.... Betty * Another kind user wrote in to say: You should add that salt is ONLY TO BE USED when the cut is NOT a puncture wound. Casey * Another good one, spider web will stop a cut from bleeding. Anne * When we cut ourselves, Granny would pour Coal Oil (Kerosene) on it to stop the Bleeding and take away the soreness... Verna * I would like to advise that coal oil is now a rare commodity a nd is derived from coal. Kerosene is a petroleum byproduct and does not have the same medicinal properties as coal oil . Bill Hudson

* My Mother was raised on a turpentine plantation. It seems that was the only medicine they had. It was used for cuts, burns, colds, you name what ever was ailing you and they would bring out the medicine bottle. Jinx Dopson * My grandfather (Indian and southern) would let his dogs lick scratches & stuff on his hands. Said they made it heal faster. Grossed me out, but recent conversation with a Dr. friend says that dog saliva is anti-bacterial. Believe it or not. S & P Tumey * One night I got really drunk at home and as walking around bare-footed. On one those needed trips of relief, I somehow kicked the front end of the door, and ripped my big toe nail off. (ouch) To stop the bleeding was the first order of business, and not really caring how it was done. I had my wife get some Cayenne Pepper and pour it on the wound. (see Back to Eden on Cayenne shown below under Remedies Available) In seconds, and without any pain, the bleeding stopped. Cool huh Mike * I worked in the restaurant industry, very busy as you know. Well many a chef has cut his finger, and due to time, and lack of staff, we would often superglue our wound together after thouraghly washing it. The glued cuts healed nicely. Carolyn