Coughs and tickles
By Baldmichael Theresoluteprotector’sson
This idea came to me the other day when I was looking for something to read in bed before sleeping.
It was a choice between Peter and Wendy, the Peter Pan story by J.M. Barrie, or Fillets of Plaice by Gerald Durrell. I had read neither but decided on Peter Pan.
I had seen a Christmas production at the London Coliseum as a child with Dorothy Tutin as Peter Pan and the 2003 film. I daresay I have seen the Disney cartoon film too, but I cannot recall if I saw it all the way through.
The book was a gift to my maternal grandmother in 1911 when she would have been 9 or 10 years old. According to Wikipedia the book was published in 1911 although I cannot find a publication date in the book.
Anyway, on page 6 I read this extract referring to Nana, the children’s nurse, who happens to be a dog!
“She (Nana) had a genius for knowing when cough is a thing to have no patience with and when it needs a stocking round your throat. She believed to her last day in old fashioned remedies like rhubarb leaf, and made sound of contempt over all this new-fangled talk about germs and so on.”
I thought I would look at these three points. But firstly I will note what hopefully everybody knows that
Coughing can be a reflex, or an involuntary response. It is your body’s way to clear your airways and lungs of fluid, food, particles, or irritants. Coughing also moves mucus up to your throat so you can spit it out, helping to clear your chest.
From
https://www.verywellhealth.com/coughing-facts-1298408
The majority of coughs will be nothing to worry about, but as the article indicates persistent coughs may indicate something else including:
– Environmental Allergens
– Air Pollutants
– Medical Conditions
Many issues arise because of environmental conditions and dealing with these should be the priority. Public health improvements dealt with many of the issues from industrialisation in the UK in the 1800’s and early 1900’s, only to be replaced by vehicle and other pollution.
And some people still live in substandard housing or for various reasons cause their own problems such as condensation of which as a building surveyor I was well aware.
Added to which sadly we must add the medical industrial complex’s promoting of vaccines and big pharma drugs damaging our bodies. This link mentions some medications.
Drug-Induced Cough Published online 2020 Dec 1.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8604055/
Stocking round your throat
This could of course be a scarf. Now it was my wife who introduced me to this to reduce the likelihood of a tickle or mild sore throat becoming worse. She has used this at night particularly.
I have certainly found it helps although I will do other things as well.
As to how it might help, it seems that raising the temperature of the throat slightly will help the body protect itself.
However, the cause of the tickle or cough needs to be considered. For example, I have found that certain sugary foods, particularly sweets or candies, can damage the throat lining leaving it vulnerable.
In fact I would say the effect is like a chemical ‘burning’ and I suppose in essence that is what it is.
It seems that dehydration is probably a large part of the problem. We are after all 75% or so water, and the throat drying out leaves it vulnerable as we produce less saliva.
This article is very interesting on the power of saliva.
The power of saliva: Antimicrobial and beyond
2019 Nov
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6855406/
It says saliva is 99% water, so if we can’t produce so much this is likely to be a problem. Dehydration will start with a dry mouth as the other parts of the body will suffer if they were ‘robbed’ of water.
In any event a dry mouth obviously warns us we need to drink and water is what is primarily required.
Apart from water to rehydrate I do find that a teaspoon of olive oil is a great help.
Here are some further ideas extracted from this link on scarves and sore throats.
https://www.quora.com/Does-wear-a-scarf-around-the-neck-help-a-sore-throat?share=1
From USA
What helps against sore throat?
Here is the list of home remedies for treating sore throat you might not know about.
1. Salt Water
Salt water is reckoned as one of the simplest and most effective home remedies for sore throat, which has been used for a long time.
– Warm salt water can help soothe a sore throat and break down secretions.
– A half teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water is recommended for reducing swelling and keep the throat clean.
2. Honey
The next ingredient on the list of home remedies for sore throat is honey thanks to its antibacterial and antimicrobial quality.
– Drink tea or warm lemon water mixed with honey is a time-honored way to soothe a sore throat.
– 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) of honey at bedtime help reduce cough and improve sleep, too
3. Licorice Root
Licorice root has long been used as a useful treatment in home remedies for sore throats. It is effective when you mix it with water to create a gargle solution.
Licorice Root tea is also the secret to any sore throat tea. The infusion is intensely sweet and creates a viscous coat to soothe sore throats.
4. Slippery Elm
Do not forget to try slippery elm when your condition of sore throat becomes worse since this plant makes such a great treatment for sore throat. When you mix it with water, this mucus-like substance in it forms a slick gel that coats and soothes. To use, pour boiling water over powdered bark, stir, and drink. You may also find slippery elm lozenges that will help.
5. Peppermint
Due to the content of menthol, peppermint can be a great companion in home remedies for sore throat. Specifically, sprays containing peppermint oil may relieve sore throats, which helps thin mucus and calm sore throats and coughs more than a placebo.
6. Marshmallow Root
Like slippery elm, marshmallow root is another treatment for sore throat, which contains a mucus-like substance that coats and soothes a sore throat. You can add some of the dried root to a cup of boiling water to make tea. Sipping the tea two to three times a day may help ease throat pain.
7. Lemon and water
A mixture of one teaspoon of lemon juice and one cup of water will be a good home remedy for sore throat. A hostile (acidic) environment for viruses and bacteria will be created and it also help shrink swollen throat tissues.
8. Ginger, Honey, and Lemon in Water
Sometimes, all we need for a perfect home remedy for sore throat are one teaspoon of each powdered ginger and honey, ½ cup of hot water, and the juice of ½ squeezed lemon. Add ginger, lemon juice, honey, and gargle into hot water, then stir it up. This home remedy is simple and effective. Honey coats the throat and has mild antibacterial properties.
9. Hot sauce and water
Pain and inflammation will be alleviated by this capsicum in hot peppers. Five shakes of ground cayenne pepper (or hot sauce) and a cup hot water for sore throat. Try this gargle every 15 minutes and see how it works. It will burn but this can be the simplest and fastest choice.
10. Sage and Water
By mixing 1 teaspoon sage, ½ teaspoon alum, ¼ cup brown sugar, 3/8 cup vinegar, and 1/8 cup of water, we will have a traditional home remedy for sore throat. In detail, sage and water can soothe a sore throat, ease painful a swollen nasal passages.
11. Clove Tea
Do not miss the clove tea since it will help you a lot with a home remedy for sore throat. Pour hot water into 1 to 3 teaspoons of powdered or ground cloves, mix it up and gargle. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties in cloves will help soothe and heal a sore throat.
12. Tomato Juice
A mixture of ½ cup tomato juice and ½ cup of hot water, plus 10 drops hot pepper sauce will be a temporary remedy to relieve sore throat. With the antioxidant properties of lycopene, sore throat can be soothed faster.
13. Green Tea
Nothing more to say about this. Green tea is always the most natural and effective remedy for sore throar and really good for health. Brew a cup, make alittle extra and gargle with it, bacteria will be killed. Your throat may be harboring.
14. Goldenseal and Water
Add ½ teaspoon goldenseal tincture into 8 ounces water, we will have a good mixture. Gargle it, the viruses and bacteria will be killed because it soothes inflamed throat tissue.
Rhubarb leaves
I cannot find any obvious reasons why rhubarb leaves might have a health benefit but I did find this interesting link.
7 Surprisingly Brilliant Uses For Rhubarb Leaves
it is pointed out that we have been told for a long time don’t eat the leaves as they are toxic. It says
This is because the large leafy greens contain oxalic acid. When eaten in high enough quantities, oxalic acid can cause a slew of stomach and kidney problems, and possibly even death.
It goes on to say
As the story goes, the first publicized cases of rhubarb leaf poisoning occurred during the First World War. To ease food shortages, the British government encouraged its citizens to eat rhubarb leaves to aid the war effort. The recommendation was promptly withdrawn after reports of sickness and death.
I haven’t found a primary source for that but this seems to be nothing new from government. After all we had the government say vaccines are ‘safe and effective’ and that is not working out too well.
Continuing the article says
Muddying the waters even more is that many herbs, fruits, and vegetables also contain oxalic acid. As does coffee, tea, chocolate, and beer.
Surprisingly, spinach, Swiss chard, and beet greens have – gram for gram – higher levels of oxalic acid than rhubarb leaves. And we eat them just fine.
One possible explanation for this discrepancy is that rhubarb leaves also contain anthraquinone glycosides. These phenolic compounds have been reported to be toxic in animal experiments and could very well be the true culprit behind rhubarb leaf poisonings.
Well, as ‘satanic hydrosol queening’ is an anagram of ‘anthraquinone glycosides’ perhaps this is significant.
Germs – germ theory
It was interesting to see the comment in Peter and Wendy re new-fangled talk about germs. I don’t intend to go into detail merely to point out how, in 1911, it was being pushed.
Also that the fear of germs was pushed so that an invisible (to the naked eye) microorganisms known as pathogens or “germs” can cause disease.
One has to wonder if the whole thing was part of the psychology behind WW1 which started 3 years later in 1914.
After all, it was Robert Koch, a German, who was much responsible for the development of the theory. So create a bogeyman, a germ, which the root of the word ‘German’. Germ itself is used as a word meaning ‘root’ as in germ of an idea or germinate.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/germ
The very fact that the war caused such trauma to many followed by another dreadful world war 20 years after the end of the first has helped germ theory get established as many good men were killed who might have otherwise stood up against the nonsense.
Those that remained had more than enough to do in helping rebuild the country again after the disruption.
The fear of germs has been given a good satirical beating by George Carlin who uses strong language to make his points. Whilst I don’t agree with all his conclusions as to why he didn’t fall sick (his lack of fear is probably the real reason), this video is worth considering.
Fear of GERMS – George Carlin
I found this link posted on a Sam Bailey substack post yesterday for which I am very grateful, providing a look at the issue from a biblical perspective. I have yet to trawl through it but I append the link here for reference.
A look into scripture. Are germs and contagious viruses really what we are being told
Summary and final thoughts
So some thoughts on coughs and tickles and a few other matters all arising out of a couple of sentences in a children’s book.
Whether a scarf round the neck truly helps against a tickly cough developing into something worse is perhaps debatable, but as one breathes via the throat, keeping it warm and moist is a good thing.
But of course moisture requires water so that is the priority number 1. And there are many pleasant ways to drink water with something added with can give you additional nutrients your body needs and helping sooth the tickle.
You can find such things in your kitchen and garden or buy them from others. They will be more effective than buying the cough medicine which is highly likely to contain Paracetamol. I have pointed out the issues with that in another post, link at the end.
As regards the book ‘Peter and Wendy’ you can find it online. The reference to the passage I quote is here.
https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/86/peter-pan/1532/chapter-1-peter-breaks-though/
To finish I will mention that what is rather intriguing is that the words ‘coughs and tickles’ will anagram to the following:
Chest aid CS lung ok
aids lung choke cst
aids unlock chest g
nags use thick cold
achiest colds gunk
ask itched unclogs
This indicates the purpose of coughs and tickles, what they indicate and what they can clear out, mucus gunk from the lungs etc.
So as so often it seems it is all in the words.
And in the beginning was the Word…
P.S. Here are my links on Paracetamol, vaccines and drugs.
Paracetamol (branded as Tylenol, Calpol and Panadol among others) – how useful is it really?
“Why vaccines do not work” in a nutshell
Yes to those. Plus onions (preferably red) sliced or chopped. Layer on the bottom of a large jar, drizzle with a dessertspoon of honey, add more layers until the jar is 3 quarters full. The onion juice will be drawn out by the honey. Decant after 1 or 2 days. Take a teaspoon whenever you feel you need it. Also good for boosting the immune system.
Was Peter Pan a candidate for puberty blockers.