Carlyn Beccia - I Feel Better with a Frog in My Throat: Historys Strangest Cures

I Feel Better
with a Frog in My Throat

History's Strangest Cures

Written and illustrated by
Carlyn Beccia

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Boston New York 2010

Instrutions for use:

1. Some cures in this book are gross. Please don't eat lunch while reading.
2. Some cures in this book are painful. Please don't practice them on yourself, your pet, or family members.
3. See if you can guess which cures worked BEFORE turning the page. Don't peek. Doctors hurdreds of years ago had to guess too.
4. Don't read this book while operating dargerous machinery.
5. If confusion or dizziness occurs, proceed to your nearest library for more information.

Disclaimer: Side effects from reading this book may vary. Patients may experience rapid brain growth.

Find your sickness below and turn to the correct page for a cure.

Cough 3

Cold 7

Sore Throat 11

Wound 16

Stomachache 27

Fever 31

Headache 37

Every Sickness 43

History's Strangest Cures for
Coughs
Did any of these cures help?

A

Caterpillar fungus
(Origin: Ancient China)

B

Frog soup
(Origin: Sixteenth-century England)

C

Cherry bark
(Origin: Ancient Native American)

A

Caterpillar fungus: May be

When some species of caterpillar die, a fungus is created inside their bodies. For centuries, the Chinese have mixed this fungus into a medicine to cure joint pain and coughing and to increase strength. Scientists think the fungus may work by boosting the immune systemthe body's protection against sickness. This cure is still used in traditional Chinese medicine today.

B

Frog soup: No

The medieval recipe for a cough was to make a soup out of nine frogs but not tell the diner what was in it. Although it would not have cured a cough, the extra protein would have given sick people a nutritional boost ... if they could stand to swallow a frog or two.

C

Cherry bark: Yes

The Native Americans boiled cherry bark and drank it as a tea to treat coughs. This bark contained hydrocyanic (high-dro-sigh-an-ic) acid, which helps stop coughing and can be found in most modern cough and cold remedies.

History's Strangest Cures for
Colds
Did any of these cures help?

A

Chicken soup
(Origin: Medieval Europe)

B

Puke weed
(Origin: Sixteenth-century England)

C

Skunk oil
(Origin: Early-twentieth-century America)

A

Chicken soup: Yes

When it comes to colds, Mother is always right. While chicken soup cannot cure a cold, the broth gets rid of that awful stuffy feeling by improving the movement of nasal mucus. And when you've got the sniffles, it tastes darn good too.

B

Puke weed: No

Puke weed was given to sick people in the nineteenth century to do just what it soundsmake them throw up. At the time, doctors believed that colds were caused by poisons in the stomach and the best way to get rid of those poisons was to throw them up.

C

Skunk oil: No

In the early 1900s, people would boil a skunk and preserve the animal's fat in jars. The greasy oil was then applied to the chest. Although it is certain that it did not cure a cold, the smell would get you out of bed pretty quick.

History's Strangest Cures for
Sore Throats
Did any of these cures help?

A

A frog down
the throat
(Origin: Medieval Europe)

B

A necklace made
from earthworms
(Origin: Medieval Europe)

C

A dirty sock tied
around the neck
(Origin: Early-twentieth-century America)

A

A frog down the throat: Maybe

When some species of frogs get annoyed, they secrete poisonous slime out of their skin. Medieval people held a frog in a sick person's throat so that the slippery toxins could coat the throat and cure the infection. Unfortunately, the toxins mostly gave patients terrible tummy aches. Surely the frog didn't enjoy the experience either. But medieval folks were on to something. Today, frog slime is sometimes used in antibiotics and painkillers. Thankfully you can take this cure as a pill.

B

A necklace made from earthworms: No

In medieval Europe, the local doctor would place earthworms on a string and then tie them to the sick person's neck. Once the worms had died, the person would supposedly be cured. Most people probably forgot about the sore throat when they had worms wiggling down their shirt.