Albert's Grasshopper Ointment

[gness]

Chatting with a friend today about chilblains we disagreed about the name of the ointment we used as children.
She said it was called Wintergreen Ointment and I remembered it as Grasshopper Ointment.

Decided to have a google and it was Grasshopper Ointment.....anyone remember it?

Seems its name could have come from the old tradition of cutting a Praying Mantis in half and rubbing the juice on the chilblain....

Now, maybe it worked....but who on earth would have first thought to cut a Praying Mantis in half and rubbing it on a chilblain????.....
Other than someone who wasn't fond of a Praying Mantis.... :-(

[Bertrum]

I remember Grasshopper ointment used buckets of the stuff don't think it did any good

[woofgang]

intersting tradition gness. praying mantids aren’t native to the UK....

[Tilly2]

I had to soak my feet in the chamber pot. No Grasshopper Ointment in our house.

[gness]

I'm not sure it worked either, Bertrum....but I bet between that and the goose grease my mother plastered to my chest I imagine I was a joy to sit next to in a warm classroom.......☺

I think, only think...it was an American remedy, Woof, but anyway from warmer countries....so why they had chilblains I don't know....x

[gness]

Well at least it dried, Tilly.....and didn't stick to your socks and make you squelch around in your shoes before it went hard......x

[Tilly2]

It made your feet stink though. :-)

[Tilly2]

I do remember something called Snowfire Cream. I think I used to use that as well.

[gness]

Ahhh...of course it would....did you have to sit far away from the coke burner in the corner of the classroom too?... :-(

[Patsy33]

My father used Potter's Snowfire? I think...I did help for a while.

[gness]

Never heard of Snowfire, Tilly and Patsy....googled it and got loads on Harry Potter.....and daring potters!

[Tilly2]

I did, Gness. I always sat at the front and the coke burner was at the back. :-(

[Tilly2]

Here it is, Gness.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Snowfire-2163343-18g-Ointment-Stick/product-reviews/B001RYOOPA

Do you have chilblains?

[gness]

Thanks, Tilly....new to me.....

No, we were chatting about how we always got chilblains as children.....but I suppose colder houses and those dreaded wellies didn't help....x

[woofgang]

I use snowfire now on my hands when they split in winter

[shoota]

Perhaps she used Wintergreen and you murdered grasshoppers....?

[gness]

I've been looking at Tilly's link, Woof....it seems really good.....x

[gness]

Oi! Man with gun.....I have bother pulling up weeds that have made an effort to grow!
Murder a grasshopper!!!! Have you ever tried to catch one?...x

[shoota]

Wish I could look at Tilly's link...

[shoota]

Good fishing bait...

[aelmpvw]

re a pink fondant fancy and the name of a chilblain ointment, you have a remarkable memory gness xxx