17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Tuesday, December 10, 1912: I’ve got the pink eye now. It’s in both eyes. I look a good bit like a fright. Can’t see very well at present. Oh dear, I wonder when I’ll get over my terrible diseases.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Good grief! PINK EYE! Grandma was sick so much during Fall, 1912—and I was really hoping she was getting over the cold that she’s complained about on and off ever since November 28. Now this . .
Here’s a remedy for sore eyes in a hundred –year-old book called The Compendium of Everyday Wants:
The following is a soothing lotion to be applied with an eye bath several times a day. One grain borax, one ounce camphor water.
my goodness, such a lot of health problems! I wonder how they treated pink eye and it’s so contagious!
The borax sounds a little scary!
I work in eye care, so I really like this. :-).
I love the eye bath! Where did you find it?
I love the eye bath too! I remember having a glass one but from the ’60s, and very basic. Nowadays they’re all plastic. Yuk.
The glass one is so elegant! It’s a fun thing to hunt for in antiques shops. 🙂
Sheryl,
Congrats! I have awarded you a Liebster. Go to my blog to get the info http://www.youwhoineverknew.wordpress.com Congrats again!
Kassie (Mom)
My, what a wonderful blog! My great-great-grandmother kept a diary and I have been thinking of a way to write a post about her. I know she would have been on Facebook or have written a blog!
What you have done is a very creative way to share her diary. I must follow yours to find out more about her.
I find myself pulling for your grandma and hoping she finds good health soon. Maybe she needed more Vitamin C?
I have a new appreciation for what they must have had to do to battle colds back then. I’ve bought all kinds of stuff over the past few days…it’s a crap shoot. Half of it has had no effect at all. The borax eye bath sounds daunting.
Sheryl – And, I’ve nominated you for the ‘Super Sweet Blogging Award’. Please go to my blot at http://sheridegrom.com to pick up the requirements for passing on the award. Congratulations. I enjoy your blog.
Oh my word, hello. Nice to see new faces at Boomdeeadda. Congratulations on your award and thanks so much for your kind words. I’ve been enjoying Sheryl’s posts for a while now. I must pop over to see what you’re up to as well. Since I’ve been nominated for this award before, I will happily add a link back to your site from my nominations page. I hope to get to know you soon, many thanks Sheri.
She is sure having a difficult year. and by the way…congratulations on the award, you do have a sweet blog! 😀
I have a clear glass eye bath from the 1930’s belonging to my oldest brother (25 years older than me) and I also have one made of milk glass. I remember being asked to go to the store for a bag of borax for an elderly lady to bathe her eye.
Most of my family, from my parents back, grew up in rural Kentucky. In fact, the your banner photo could be the house of my Aunt and Uncle. I was too young and don’t really know much about my family’s life back then, but your blog helps to give me a good idea. The blog concept is great and very well done.
we used to bath our eyes in a solution of boric acid and water when we had a problem. But never pink eye to my knowledge. Mostly styes.
I don’t think that I ever had a stye.