Nowadays with all the vaccinations and shots available, many common childhood diseases such as rheumatic fever, typhoid, measles, small pox and polio have almost been eradicated in developed countries. Knowledge of how to treat these diseases or even what caused them in earlier times was lacking. There were only home herbal treatments.
When my Grandmother Vernon (see photo at left with her brother Meade) was young, she was stricken with rheumatic fever and became very ill. Her baby brother George had died earlier with rheumatic fever when it came to their community. I recall her telling me that “I got rheumatism in my legs, and my feet turned right around backwards.” In time she recovered and her feet returned to normal, but how frightening for mothers in those days, not knowing when or if their family would become ill or how to treat them. Many families were quarantined to prevent spreading of the disease. This was the case with the influenza outbreak in the early 1900s.
My grandmother continues, ”When I went to school, it was a one room and I never did graduate because my mother got sick and I had to stay home and do the work and take care of all the kids. (Photo of her mother Clara Wilkins and her father George Stevens.) I learned to mix bread when I was 6 years old. We had to wash on the board for a long time then later Dad got a washing machine.” Disease took it toll on early families regardless of age, occupation or financial status.
I remember a childhood illness of mine that started with a cold then turned into pneumonia. My grandmother quickly came to the aid of my mother with her experience from raising three children. I was bundled up and a hot mustard plaster applied to my chest to help my breathing. Then mentholatum was put on my chest. With time and tender care, I was restored to my usual good health.