Grandma Hunsakers Cold Sore Medicine

My whole life I have been plagued with cold sores. Cold sores on my lips, cold sores in my nose, once I even had one under my eye. I have tried everything from abreva to Clorox (seriously) and while some things seem to work for awhile nothing helps for long . Not even prescriptions. So when the lady I care for told me to try this concoction that she had in a mason jar on her kitchen table I was leery to say the least. But, being the brave soul that I am (not to mention desperate) I decided to give it a try. I took a big ol' spoonful and let it kind of hang around in my mouth for awhile and then when I couldn't hold my breath any longer I swallowed. I guess I expected miracles and when my cold sore was still there the next day I decided it was just one more thing that wasn't going to work for me. A couple of days later I realized that the cold sore was gone. Just gone. No scabbing over and cracking when I smiled or tried to get a toothbrush in my mouth......just gone. And I haven't had one since. I probably will one of these days but when I do I will have a mason jar full of the ugly brown stuff sitting on my kitchen table. It took several weeks before the cookbook was found containing the recipe but when we did I decided I should share it.
Odis, the woman I care for got this from her mother who got it from her mother who got it from her mother who got it from her mother! Get the picture? Odis is 85 years old so this recipe must have come over with the Pioneers. It was hand written as follows:
Grandma Hunsakers cold sore/canker sore medicine
1 qt. sugar
25 cents worth of goldenseal
1 level Tablespoon alum
1/2 Tablespoon borax
Make a strong tea of garden sage, strain and then add above mixture. Boil until medium thick. Watch closely so it doesn't boil over. Pour into sterilized jar.

When Odis was a young bride she asked her mother how much 25 cents worth of goldenseal was knowing that inflation was a factor. I'm glad she did. It comes out to be about 1 rounded teaspoon. And garden sage can be the sage you buy in the grocery store. About 3/4 cup.