I think I have a grandson that is a natural carrier of strep throat. It seems he has this sickness every two or three weeks. Now it seems he has passed it on to his sister. It’s not just strep that’s so bad; it’s the aftermath of the trouble. It usually ends with a cold or ear infection. We dealt with this malady this week. I told them if my grandmother was still here, she would have cured that difficulty in a day or two.
I remember one time I was visiting her, and I made the mistake of telling her I had a sore throat, and it really hurt me to talk. First, she had me gargle with salt water so thick it barely “gargled.” Then she said, “I’ll make you some sassafras tea.”
Well, I loved tea and that warmth and sweetness sounded so good. She put the kettle on her old wood stove and dropped something into the water, and as the steam escaped the spout, I knew I was in trouble because it was a bitter foul smell coming from that little tea pot. She brought me a steaming cup and told me to sip it. I cannot describe the taste because I never tasted anything to compare. I just kept adding sugar and finally got it down, and it really did help my sore throat.
Later, I began to cough, and she said let me make you a “granny rag” before bed. What was a granny rag? She came back with a steaming pan of hot water and a rag about 10 inches square, dipped it in the hot water and laid it on the table and began to lather it with Vicks salve. She believed this would cure anything. She held it over the fire in the fireplace and then slapped it on my chest. My eyes were dribbling tears, and my chest was on fire. I laid there trying to adjust to this invasion of heat, eye-burning, take-your- breath-away medicinal remedy until I finally fell asleep. And believe it or not, I don’t know if it was the sassafras tea or the combination of both the treatments, but I felt so much better the next day.
I have used “granny rags” on my children after chases, begging and promises of treasures. These two remedies are the best for sore throats and chest colds.
How to make Sassafras Tea: My grandmother had a sassafras tree down by my grandparents’ overflowing creek, and during the spring when the roots were full of sap, she would make a diagonal cut into the root and pull it free. She would wash them and lay them in her quilt room to dry. As she needed them, she would cut the outer skin of the root to get to the sap. Then she would use a small piece as she needed it. She would boil two or three pieces for about 10 minutes, pour it up, and add sugar. Voila! Marvelous cure.
You can buy this tea at a specialty store also.
