Family Medicine Chest

Here is a list of useful medicines and dressings with a brief description of their uses.  All are quite cheap and worth stocking at home in readiness for minor illnesses.  Keep them in a box or cupboard with a lock.  Store them well out of reach of children.

  • Soluble Aspirin Tablets - for adults and children over 12.  Good for headaches, colds, sore throats and painful bruises.
  • Paracetamol Mixture - for relief of pain or fever in young children.
  • Sedative Cough Linctus - for dry or painful coughs but not coughs caused by common colds.
  • Menthol Crystals - add to hot water to make steam inhalation for treating catarrh and dry or painful coughs.
  • Vapour Rub - again, for steam inhalations.  Also useful for children with stuffy noses or dry coughs.  Rub on the chest and nose.
  • Ephedrine Nose Drops - for runny noses in children over 1 year old.  Use before meals and at night but not for more than 4 days.
  • Antiseptic Solution - one teaspoon diluted in warm water for cleaning cuts and grazes.
  • Antiseptic Cream - for treating septic spots, sores in the nose and grazes.
  • Calamine Lotion - for dabbing (not rubbing) on insect bites/stings and sunburn.
  • Dressing Strips - for minor cuts.
  • 3” wide crepe bandage - to keep dressings in place.  To support sprained or bruised joints.
  • Cotton Wool - for cleaning cuts and grazes.
  • Thermometer - for fevers.
  • Tweezers - for removing splinters.

Remember that your local Chemist can give you advice about medicines.