HOUSEHOLD TIPS NOT FOUND IN WOMAN'S WEEKLY

[Wendyf]

On the subject of distraction techniques, a teacher at my school once showed us how to stop ourselves sneezing at the wrong moment by inserting one fingernail behind another (of your own of course) until it hurts. It does need a decent length of fingernail, but it works!

[Sue]

I would rather sneeze!

[Wendyf]

There aren't many moments when I wouldn't rather sneeze these days Sue. I think she was trying to get us to behave professionally on stage for something or other.

[Stanley]

David, it worked!
Distraction techniques... First time I came across this was when I saw film about and African tribe where they plucked hairs from their chins instead of shaving. While it was going on a small boy hit the hand of the 'shavee' with a small rock so he couldn't feel the whiskers being plucked out. Alternative shaving rash?

[David Whipp]

Will bear last tip in mind...!!!

[Cathy]

Is it true that is we didn't close our eyes when we sneeze, our eyes would pop out'?

[Tizer]

I'll let you know next time I sneeze, Cath...that's if I can see to write the post!

Distraction...I seem to remember a science programme where the `victim' put on special goggles or looked through a prism. Whatever it was, his vision was altered so his hand wasn't where he thought it was. Then they jabbed a pin into the table where his altered vision told him his hand was. He jumped and was convinced it was jabbed into his hand, said he felt the pain.

[Stanley]

Cathy, I've always believed that that's why we do it. Not necessarily because they pop out but as protection against damage.
Why is it that if I hook ear wax out of my left ear with a cotton bud I always cough? It doesn't happen with the right one.
My mother always said that you shouldn't put anything in your ear smaller than your elbow.....

[Cathy]

Why is it that if I try to get to sleep on my left side I can hear my pulse/heart beating, but not if I lay on my right side ??

[Stanley]

I don't know Cathy but at least you get evidence it's still working!
A very common strategy for chest colds and other breathing problems which you don't see so much of these days is inhaling vapour made by pouring volatile oils into a bowl of boiling water and covering your head with a towel while you breathed them in. Olbas, Wintergreen and Eucalyptus oils were favourites and very effective.

[David Whipp]

Our household still uses the hot bowl/towel over head remedy...

[Stanley]

Vick's vapour rub in the bowl?

[David Whipp]

Would need to check bottle... very good at cutting through (pardon me) phlegm. Last used before I went in for my heart op. The operation is called off if a patient has a cold or is chesty. I was trying to shift some back end chestiness...

[Wendyf]

Always have a bottle of Olbas Oil at the ready.

[Cathy]

I've heard of the vicks being used in the bowl for breathing in, and into a tissue laid on your pillow, and on the tip of your nose and wait for it... on the soles of the feet!! Love the smell too.

[Stanley]

Many volatile oils are very good for the lungs. Funnily enough the same ones are often ingredients in penetrating oils used by engineers to ease seized threads.

[Tizer]

When I was a young child I had whooping cough and thereafter frequently suffered bronchitis in winter. At one stage a little bag holding a camphor block was hung on a string round my neck, under my shirt, so that I'd be inhaling the vapour as it rose upwards. If we played hide and seek I was always found very quickly! To encourage me to accept having the camphor bag my mum made a similar, but smaller, bag on a string and that was hung around Teddy's neck. But he was lucky - his bag contained a Fox's glacier mint!

[Cathy]

Aww that's so sweet Tize, and lucky for us that you survived whooping cough.

[Stanley]

And free from moth damage...

[Tizer]

You're both so kind...Talking of teddy bears, mine was a hand-me-down, seen so much action that he had no fur and no ears, and two buttons for eyes. He was well-dressed by my mum who would knit for anything that lived in our house, but then he needed woollies, having no fur and all that. For quite a while I was puzzled by why other kids teddy bears were so hairy and usually didn't have clothes. I thought my teddy must be a posh one!

[Stanley]

During the war when new toys were not available I had a large well-loved Penguin. I know it was stuffed with straw because it eventually fell to pieces!

[Stanley]

Common soda is still available and is a good cleanser for drains, paths and soaking pans. Remember that it attacks aluminium!

[Tizer]

Common soda is still available and is a good cleanser for drains, paths and soaking pans. Remember that it attacks aluminium!

...and in the process produces hydrogen gas which you can collect and explode as a chemistry experiment! As explained here:
http://homechemistryonline.blogspot.co. ... odium.html

But beware of common soda (washing soda, sodium carbonate) in contact with aluminium in a works environment. Larger amounts can result in a greater release of hydrogen which could be ignited by a spark and start a fire. Similarly for caustic soda and aluminium.

[Stanley]

Timely warning Peter, I should have warned against that. Thanks.

[Stanley]

In hot weather the gas tar in between the setts used to soften and we collected it to use as a sort of plasticine. Remember this was war time and such things weren't available. Of course it used to stick to our fingers and soap wouldn't shift it so mother used to make us use lard. It's a solvent for gas tar.....