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My father-in-law who is 89 and from Montana, felt the same way about VapoRub. He would lather it on a sock and wrap it around his neck.
I wonder if Vick’s VapoRub (I’ll never feel comfortable just capitalizing the V) is a generational thing. My boyfriend told me about when he was sick—at Nana’s house—she’d slather VapoRub on him. (Mom didn’t use it.) The pungent smell made for weird camphorous dreams.
BTW, I did the math to figure out how long ago the epidemic was. 1918 is 89 years ago. Does he have any stories of frightened parents who went the extra mile to ensure their newborn baby did not get sick?
My Mother, who is 78 years old swears by the stuff. Got a sore throat? Just put a small dab at the back of your mouth. At the first sign of a sniffle or cough, smother you neck and chest with Vicks VapoRub! It really does work though the smell can sometimes be a problem. It’s great for migrain headaches as well, just rub some across your forehead and under your eyes and hide under the bedcovers for a couple of hours!
Wow, just how long has Vick’s Vaporub been around?! I haven’t used in in ages, but I can always remember the smell of it!
My Great Aunt Lucile Strimple died from the 1918 Flu Epidemic. I have her death certificate. She’s buried in Greenwich along with many of my ancestors. My Great Aunt Marion told me similar accounts.
With VapoRub, a little goes a looooong way.
Approximately five years ago, I finally used up the last of the VapoRub from the jar my mother had when I was a kid. After some four decades, it had not lost any of its distinctive odor! What the heck is in that stuff, anyway?
Note to self: Buy another jar.
I am a newspaper reporter and would like to do a story on the use of VapoRub during the flu outbreak. Please call me at 336-373-7027.