While working on that stupid shed I fell off the ladder and scraped my arm. The wound on my arm got me thinking about all the little cuts and scrapes I use to get as a kid. The treatment of choice back in the day was something we called “red medicine,” but you may know it better as monkey’s blood.Â
I have lots of memories of trying to use that silly dabbing stick to apply the medicine to the wound, the red dye that would stay on the skin, and ever so painful STING. Yeeeouch!
It’s no longer available in stores and was taken off the shelves back in 1998 (dang, that’s almost ten years ago) because the FDA was concerned over potential mercury poisoning. Wikipedia
My memory of “monkey blood” is….those who came to school having used it wore it as a badge of honor and bravery! Sometimes I was jealous because I didn’t have a wound that required such medicine. I’m quite sure we did not have any of it at home…..just campho phenique!!!….the CURE ALL!