Lyr Add: Castoria

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Castoria
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 May 10 - 04:08 PM

Aw yes......Fletcher's Castoria. It was a staple in the medicine cabinet and of all the home remedy things, at least this one didn't taste too bad. My grandmother was hell on laxatives. If I didn't crap at least twice a day, I got a shot of Castoria and if I went two days at only once, she cranked out the Petrogalar.   

The Petrogalar stayed in the fridge in a pasty-gel form and mixed with OJ, it tasted really good. She also had a supply of suppositories and an enema bag so I learned to lie very early in life. I think I may have remained in a stage of semi constipation since she also had a never ending supply of Pepto-Bismol.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Castoria
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 May 10 - 02:40 PM

It has senna, the common and useful herbal laxative.

Fletcher's Castoria was sweet and tasted good; it was in a syrup mixture, and a tablespoon full was enough to cause a blowout.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Castoria
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 May 10 - 04:30 AM

I remember Fletcher's Castoria so I guess that means I must be really old. Wikipedia says it's still sold, but under the name Fletcher's Laxative. Never tried it, because I assumed it had castor oil in it. Looks like it doesn't.

-Joe-

Subject: Lyr Add: Baby's Warning; Castoria
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 May 10 - 11:05 PM

Anyone remember Fletcher's Castoria ?

Found this in Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly, 1882 (on line):

Baby's Warning

When baby has pains at dead of night,
Mother is a fright, father in a plight:
When worms do bite, baby must cry,
If fever sets in, baby may die.
If croupy pains kill Leonora,
In that house there's no CASTORIA,
For mothers learn without delay,
Castoria cures by night and day.

A bit more up to date:

"Medicine: Castoria Takes its Medicine-
http://www.time.com/magazine/article/0,9171,851679,00.html

Now, surely, there are parody verses to this rhyme!