While scrolling through my newsfeed last week, I stumbled upon a wonderful post in a Facebook group called Growing Up in Newfoundland. It was posted by a lady named Angela and her child had an assignment to do for school. She had a tremendous amount of response so I thought it would be a shame not to put it all together in a Blog Post for future reference.
There is some really great information in there full of history. Some will make you laugh some will probably make you cry. I’m not sure if they work some I wouldn’t dare try. I just thought I’d share. Please don’t try anything without consulting your physician first.
I thought what I might do for simplicity is to do a list; Ailment and Cures Newfoundland Home Remedies A-Z or A-W in this case.
Arthritis: Place a Jelly fish in a container and allow it to dissolve in to liquid, Rub the liquid into the affected area for relief. Bear fat baked and cooled stored in the refrigerator. WD40 My friend swears by this.
Asthma: Powdered thyme and honey.
Burns and scalds: ” If ya burns anything stick it in flour.” Rosetta Stares. You can also put sliced raw potato on scalds according to Anne Power. For a mild burn rub butter over it or Sprinkle baking soda on it. My mother uses Carnation milk on a burn. You can also use Cold tea bags or vanilla extract.
https://www.carnationmilk.ca/En/Home
Boils & Skin infections: Bread Poultice, or a piece of onion placed upon the site. You can make one by taking a piece of bread, add molasses and hot water, as hot as you can stand. Place over infected area, wrap and leave overnight. Apparently sunlight soap & molasses work as well. You can also use warm milk.
Breast pain and soreness: place a cabbage leaf over the breast leaving the nipple exposed. If that doesn’t work try melting some butter with a rusty nail in it and rub over breast area.
Cancer: Chaga from birch trees boil and cool drink like tea.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chaga-mushroom#
Chest Colds: Goose grease and red flannel wrapped around the chest proved to be quite popular; another would be to rub liniment on the chest or mix molasses and liniment to take by mouth. Elder blossom tea and Labrador tea seemed to work well.
How about a mustard plaster applied to the chest? This can be made by mixing dry powdered mustard with warm water to form a paste. Spread the paste on a piece of flannel material and apply to the chest. Hold in place with a cloth binding wrapped around the chest and back.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liniment
cold sore: for the pain juice from an alder or rubbing after shave or rubbing alcohol on it. You can also try putting toothpaste over it.
Coughs: Heat up molasses and pepper. Put Vicks Vapo rub on the bottoms of feet. A spoonful of mustard. Molasses candy. Consuming pineapple juice.
https://vicks.ca/en-ca/shop-products/vaporub/vicks-vaporub-ointment
Cuts: turpentine or sap from a tree was used to seal the wound. Murr or cobwebs to stop bleeding. Old coffee grinds or chewing tobacco. A tea bag to stop bleeding
Diaper Rash: Burnt flour or cornstarch sprinkled on the baby’s bottom
Earache: The heart of an onion dipped in olive oil and place in the ear or blowing smoke from a cigarette into the affected ear. Cut an onion and place in a sock then place it against your ear. A hot plate wrapped in a towel placed against the ear helps. I’ve done that many times!
Fever: Slice an onion and put on the soles of your feet. Rubbing alcohol on the soles of your feet. Drink a hot toddy made with rum and molasses. A cloth soaked in vinegar and cold water placed on the forehead.
Flu: Vicks boiled up into candy! place an onion on your night stand, it traps the germs and bacteria. Make a hot toddy by combining a shot of Screech, 1 tsp. lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of honey add to glass and fill with hot water.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_Screech
Fluid on the knees: Paint a circle of iodine on the knee cap and tie a piece of cabbage around it
Freckles: May snow gathered in June. Wash your face with Pee or rub a pissy diaper on it!
Headache: peppermint oil rubbed onto your temples. Walk around backwards in a circle. Place a vinegar plant on your forehead. Feverfew is a type of weed that grows in Newfoundland and can be made into a tea to cure a headache.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanacetum_parthenium
Heart burn: mix vinegar with baking soda or apple cider vinegar in honey. I’ve also heard chewing on the end of a matchstick works the end you light!
Inflammation: tart cherry juice consumed daily has reduced my inflammation greatly. I use this one from Terra Beta
https://cranberryfarm.ca/juices/
Migraines: Brown paper soaked in vinegar and placed on the forehead. I have also heard crème of tartar placed under the tongue on onset works well.
Nose bleeds: a green ribbon tied around your neck or placing a cold stone at the base of the neck. The handle of a cold butter knife between the shoulder blades could work. Its been my experience to take the person out in the cold air to stop a nose bleed.
Pimples: Toothpaste or hand sanitizer. I use Noxzema I never had a pimple growing up & it still smells and feels the same as always.
Rash: pour vinegar over the affected area to stop the itchiness.
Restless leg syndrome: Cross your socks at the foot of your bed at night. Placing a bar of soap at the foot of your bed under the sheets seems to work for many people. Any bar of soap will do.
Smelly Feet: Soak them in strong warm tea. As well if your shoes smell put a new tea bag in each every night for a few nights. And you can use the tea bags over and over in your shoes. BakingSoda is supposed to work as well.
Sore Throat: Scoop out a turnip. Add boiling water to the turnip bowl cool and drink it. Black current jam. Melted butter and pepper.
Stys: Rub a blessed gold ring on it or place a cold tea bag on top. Rub a potato on the sty or put holy water on it.
Teething: Rub screech or brandy on the babies gums.
Toothache: Swish around some liquor in your mouth. Screech Whiskey and Rum work well. Grind cloves and pack in tissue and place on affected tooth. Rinsing the mouth with vinegar. Rub salt on it.
Sore throat: Mix a tablespoon of kerosene with molasses What!!! Gargle salt water
Splinter: mix a bit of baking soda with water and cover with a Band-Aid and sit for one hour and the splinter will come out
Stings from bees or hornets: place dark mud on it or black soil. chew up tobacco and place on top or a piece of lemon.
Stuffy nose: Put butter on it. Place your face over a bowl of hot water with Vicks in it place a towel over your head including the bowl and breathe.
https://vicks.ca/en-ca/shop-products/vaporub/vicks-vaporub-ointment
Upset stomach: eating sunlight soap will make you vomit what was causing the upset stomach ( don’t think I’ll try that one) Ginger tea or ginger wine. Tea made from boiling juniper bark, alder buds and dogberries.
Urine infections: Juniper berries and branches boiled into a tea and drank
Warts: “Gran would count the number and rub them with salt pork. I would have to go home and write the number on the back of the stove with a piece of chalk and when the number was gone off the back of the stove the warts would be gone.” Anne Power
Rub warts with potato peels put them in a paper bag and throw away. Put butter on the wort and let the dog lick it off. Rub a piece of fat back on it and throw it over your left shoulder. Rub a potato thats cut in half and bury it never speak of it again. Hammer a worm to a tree! Rub a wart with a piece of salt meat and feed it to the dog
Worms: Drinking gun powder! I don’t think ill try that one Iron filings and molasses was another I wouldn’t dare try.
Im sure there are many more ailments and many more cures to be had this is just a few. I dabble a little with claendula and Golden rod to make creams for exema and arthritis pain I’ll be sure to share the recipe soon
I sure hope you enjoyed this post I just couldn’t let that little bit of history go to waste. I love hearing stories and memories of days gone by even if its old remedies.
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Beauty and the Bay 