Lots of young people have expressed interest in some remedies of 25 years ago. Some seem funny and some seem unbelievable, thought some methods seem to have logical explanations. Whether you try them or not, I do want to assure you that most of them work, if not all. Still some people might also have different and even more effective methods. Here are the last in this series.
Fogaje: A “fogaje” can be caused by an infection of the mouth. Sometimes you are brushing your teeth and you injure the inside of the mouth and a “fogaje” develops. It has this hurting and annoying feeling which even prevents you from eating well.
Well, no more pain; get rid of your “fogaje”. Boil the small tender leaves of the sea grape tree. Use this yellowish liquid as a mouthwash. Repeat and gargle for several times and very soon your fogaje” will be gone, the pain will be gone and your appetite will come right back. If you swallow some of the sea grape mouthwash liquid, no problem! I have personally checked all sea grape trees on the island and none of them said “Poisonous Materials”. I have also checked the bottle of hydrogen peroxide and it clearly stated that if swallowed the doctor must be called immediately. One more thing, do not bottle sea grape mouthwash liquid. It must be a fresh supply every time.
Swelling of Sole of Feet: Sometimes you step or jump on a stone while walking barefooted and you get a hurtful swelling on the sole of your foot. Even medical doctors have a problem with this one. No more sweat; check this recipe of 25 years ago. Did I say recipe or prescription?
Put black salve ointment, honey, flour, apasote, albajaca and siempre viva leaves all in one small bowl, crush and mix well. Then apply over the injured area, which we all call in Spanish “un Mayugon” or “an hinchazon”. This mixture surely heals the swelling and pain. If you want any of these herbs, check with dona Marina Graniel, who is my herbalist advisor.
Surface Tumors: These develop at the armpit, the arm or at times at the neck. The cure is to let it open a “mouth” for the pus to leak out. Twenty five years ago, this black salve ointment did the job. It quickened the opening of the “mouth” and thus the healing process.
Flojo: (laziness) Now this was and still is a very strange ailment that affected the lower part of the leg. The leg got swollen and extremely red. The leg got lazy and it was very painful to move it. The same mixture as the above for the swelling of the sole of the foot was an excellent cure.
Worms: Now, who isn’t infected with these worms in the stomach? Watch the size of your belly. If not pregnant, it is probably worms. Kill them and expel them. The method – drink “purga” or that horrible castor oil. It is not the most pleasant tasting medicine, but if you hold your nose and shove the spoon way into the mouth, you can usually swallow it. In two or three hours you will start going to the bathroom and every time you do so, you will be passing out dead worms that were once living in your intestine. You will go to the bathroom some ten times that first day, so while you are parading to the bathroom, be sure to replace your liquids by drinking Gatorade, juices, and chicken soup. I never enjoyed the castor oil, nor going to the bathroom so frequently, but I did enjoy the chicken soup, bearing in mind that we used to eat chicken five or six times for the year.
That’s it, folks. If anybody calls in for any special home remedies, be sure to get them for next week. Until then, pleasant reading and enjoy the breast milk treat and the chicken soup treat as well.
