--- title: A tribute to our mothers description: A tribute to our mothers --- # [A tribute to our mothers](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2017/05/a-tribute-to-our-mothers.html) Written by [Nicole Kenny](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/author/nicole-kenny) | May 12, 2017 5:37:00 PM This Sunday is Mother’s Day.  I’m sure many of you have plans of lavish family dinners.  I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend at our cottage watching the river flow.  I thought in tribute to our moms, I would have some fun reviewing “old wives’ tales” associated with infection prevention….well infection treatment to be exact.  If you’ve watched the movies or read the [Hunger Games](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTyyKROkC3E) trilogy, you’ll recall that each year a female and male “tribute” were chosen or forced to participate in the annual games that were played until only 1 tribute remained standing. I chose to title the blog a “tribute” because as you’ll read below, if many of these were practiced on us, we’d likely not be here…..   ***Wives’ Tale #1: If you go outside with wet hair, you'll catch a cold. *** Cold weather, wet hair, and chills don't cause colds or the flu; viruses like rhinovirus, influenza etc. do. These viruses are spread more easily indoors, where there may be more contact with dry air and people with colds, which as we know is why we consider late fall and winter prime cold and flu season.  Dry air — indoors or out — can lower resistance to infection.  Having wet hair, while it may freeze and get crunchy, will not cause you to catch a cold. ***Wives’ Tale #2: Cover your mouth with your hand when you cough to prevent spreading colds. ***It is true we should cover our mouth and nose when we cough or sneeze, thereby trapping the viruses and preventing their spread.  However, if you use your hand, your virus laden hand becomes the perfect weapon for passing your cold on to someone else. You’ll also leave viruses on doorknobs, phones, countertops, elevator buttons and anything else you touch!  To prevent such icky transmissions, be sure to wash your hands frequently, and use a tissue or, if one isn't handy, cough and sneeze into your elbow.  While the next three tales may be considered more “folk magic” then wives’ tales, in investigating preventions and cures, I came across an [interesting site](http://www.self-care-home-remedies.com/) that definitely had me thanking my lucky stars I was born when I was!*** *** ***Wives’ Tale #3: Sticking your hand in a bag will cure warts. *** The theory was that if you had warts on your hand, you should stick the infected hand in a bag and tie it.  The first person to untie the bag will get your warts!   It’s no wonder that [early healers were called witches](https://newworldwitchery.com/2011/11/28/blog-post-145-wart-charming/) and persecuted.  What kind of cure is one that infects someone else!  Although I suppose if the person who untied the bag was, say, an ex-girlfriend/boyfriend, irritating older or younger sibling and/or the person you despise the most, then if it worked you’d get to have the last chuckle! ***Wives’ Tale #4: Cow dung cures all***. Okay, it doesn’t cure all, but according to the wives’ tale list I found on a self-care and home remedies site, stepping in warm [cow dung cures](https://www.seeker.com/cow-dung-urine-as-medicine-1765029960.html) athlete’s foot.  Growing up on a farm I can say I’ve stepped in my fair share of cow paddies – and yes one or two times I may have been bare foot, but I can say with all honesty it was not to try and cure an itchy foot!  While gross, there could be some merit as cow dung does have a pretty high ammonia content and ammonia is known to have antiseptic properties.  If I ever get athlete’s foot maybe I’ll give it a try! ***Wives’ Tale #5: Cure a sore throat with a dirty sock. ***According to this this tale, you need to take a sock that you've worn until it stinks and then tie it around your neck and keep it there until your throat heals.  This one is laughable, but if anyone would like to try, I would be happy to send one of my 8-year old son’s socks after he’s worn them for a day and played some hockey!  My guess on this one is that you’re so focused on trying not to wretch or vomit from the smell that you forget about the sore throat…. This last one is one that I can get behind.  It was one that my mom used on us and I still use to this day! ***Wives’ Tale #6: Honey will sooth and treat a cough.****** *** If you’ve never tried it, then the thought of using honey to treat a cough may sound like a hare-brained idea that came about one late night when you ran out of cough syrup and all the drug stores were closed.   Why not?  Honey has the same consistency as cough syrup, and hopefully the placebo effect will be strong enough to let everyone get back to sleep!  Whoever started this old wives’ tale was on to something, as studies have been conducted proving that honey is better than the drugs used in cough syrup at relieving cold and cough symptoms. Researchers think that the stickiness and viscosity of honey is what helps it alleviate coughs, while the natural antioxidants can help in the healing process. Next week I promise to get back to topic more relevant to cleaning and disinfection but sometimes you need to depart from your scheduled program. Besides, perhaps you’ll feel inclined to create a Mother’s Day gift basket using some of the wives’ tales cures!  Wishing all of the mothers out there a very Happy Mother’s Day!   *Bugging Off!* Nicole PS – I would love to hear some of the wives’ tales you were told growing up! 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