VEGETABLE MEDICINE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 58, Issue 4191, 31 May 1939, Page 10

VEGETABLE MEDICINE

ONIONS AS HEALEftS. The old adage of “An apple a day” might almost as truthfully be applied to the onion. Onions have wonderful health-giving properties and could, with advantage be more generally used. There are many ways in which they can be used by the “home doctor.” I wonder how many people know of them as a cure for chilblains ? The feet or affected part should be thoroughly soaked in the water in which onions have been boiled. Very oiten one treatment will effect a cure. An excellent cure for a cough is to cut up a ra'w onion, cover it with brown sugar, and leave it for some hours. A spoonful or more of the juice can then be taken whenever the cough is troublesome. Another old-fashioned, but very good, remedy for a cold is onion porridge. Cut up the onions and boil them in slightly salted water. When cooked, make a white sauce with a little flour, butter, and milk—stir it. in and cook a little longer till nicely thick. Eaten the last thing at night, or in bed, this is very good for a cold. Onions have great drawing properties, and make an effectual poultice. They need not be cooked, but should be cut up and wanned. . An old Dutch remedy for convulsions in use in South Africa is to crush onions and press them on to the veins and tie them there. The Dutch also use them as a cure for that most painful complaint—earache. This remedy can always be kept handy. Cut up an old onion and pour olive oil over it and keep it bottled ready for use. When needed, drop a little of the oil into the ear. Although I suppose not many people would care to try it, onions eaten raw are a splendid tonic for the nerves.