subject: Dangerous Home Remedies You Shouldn't Consider [print this page] Today, we have a whole pharmacy full of prescription and over-the-counter medicines at our disposal for the treatment of just about anything that is bothering us. That hasn't always been the case. In years past, people had to rely on home remedies or folk medicines; sometimes there was nothing else. Some of these remedies were useful and harmless enough, but others are very dangerous and should never be used. Here are three home remedies you definitely want to keep away from.
#1: Using Kerosene to Get Rid of Head Lice
Can you imagine putting kerosene on your head? Most of us would never do this, because we know how dangerous it would be. In previous generations, parents would sometimes kill lice in a child's hair by applying kerosene.
Talk about a terrible idea. Many illnesses and deaths were caused by this remedy. Not only is kerosene highly flammable, it is also highly toxic. It also absorbs readily through skin.
#2: Treating Stomach Troubles With "Azarcon" Or "Greta"
In many Mexican and Mexican-American communities, the treatment of "empacho," or general stomach and intestinal distress, was to take a powder. Two commonly used powders were "Azarcon," and "Greta." Both of these were almost entirely comprised of powdered lead.
If you take lead internally, even a small amount can be harmful. Many people were hurt or even killed from this remedy. Believe it or not you can still sometimes find these powders for sale. Obviously, do not even purchase or use them.
#3: Smearing Butter On Burns
You may have been told by your mother to smear butter on a burn. This comes from when women would be cooking and burn themselves -- butter was often handy, and it makes the burn feel better at first. The down side is that the treatment contaminates the burn. If you put butter on a new burn, you are inviting infection because bacteria will grow rapidly in the butter.
We all know we are to respect and listen to our elders. If your elders recommend home remedies, however, you may want to take this with a grain of salt. Often modern medicine knows best.
