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Vilma and the Cough Syrup

10/3/2015

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PictureThat svelte figure
Wednesday March 12, 1952
Well, I’m off my diet. Decided to take a rest from it. Everybody says I don’t need to lose any more weight anyhow and I am just right. I eat regular now, but I try not to stuff myself.

Thursday March 13, 1952
My baby sister Mary Jane is 6 years old today, what a big girl she is now. She is having her party next Saturday.

Friday March 14, 1952
I was sure doped up today in the morning. I took too many teaspoons of cough medicine and I was really under the influence. It was a real funny feeling. I was positively at peace with the world and all I wanted to do was sit there and dream, and that’s what I did. I don’t have to think anyhow when I’m working and I didn’t give a damn about the time like I usually do. I was completely satisfied what I was doing, and I was elated too I think. And I didn’t want to do anything else or even talk, just sit there and dream. Real funny!

Saturday March 15, 1952
Big storm today, going to be a dead weekend coming up. Got another letter from Charles, he sure does write real nice letters, so sincere and boyish. I’ll guess I’ll have to write to him soon.


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About that cough syrup…

It’s no secret that medicine used to contain a myriad of concoctions to help “cure” common ailments. Especially at the turn of the century, hard drugs were marketed heavily as health tonics: Cocaine, Heroin, Opiates, Methamphetamines and even Chloroform to name a few! Elixirs of this nature were used for just about any disease or bodily discomfort. The original recipe of Coca Cola anyone?

Coca-Cola's two key ingredients were cocaine and caffeine. The cocaine was derived from the coca leaf and the caffeine from kola nut, leading to the name Coca-Cola (the "K" in Kola was replaced with a "C" for marketing purposes). Coca-Cola once contained an estimated nine milligrams of cocaine per glass. In 1903, it was removed.


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By the 1950’s most of the hardcore addictive stuff was already outlawed, except that codeine and high proof alcohol cough syrups were still fairly common. The kind Vilma probably took that induced her stupor at the office that day!

Speaking of alcohol, hard liquor was generally used as one of those tonic’s to help beat back the cold or flu. A classic bedtime hot toddy which is usually made of warmed Whiskey, honey and lemon, may not cure you, but it is proven to help the following symptoms:


  • Helps eliminate mucus
  • Clears respiratory system
  • Melts hardened mucus
  • Relaxes and calms the nerves

With cold season just around the corner, you can thank me later.

I can’t resist a little of my favorite 1950’s show I Love Lucy, for anyone who has never seen the classic “Vita-Meata-Vegamin” episode (which is a vitamin tonic that just happens to be laced with lots of alcohol). You’ve gotta take a few minutes to enjoy some side splitting laughs, it just never gets old.


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    Miriam Caldwell

    "A daughter's journey into her mother's long forgotten diaries".

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