Recipe experiments and failures

I have been seeing a lot of stories on social media about natural remedies and other first aid stuff and it brought to mind a story from the dim reaches of my memory.

Disclaimer: This story is for educational and entertainment purposes only and not a substitute for medical attention. 

I think the story came up one day when we all went to the mountain for a picnic. We were probably up around the Shell Ranger Station and of course as kids will do exploring our world. The boys and I came upon some fir trees with blisters on their bark. It was when we told Mom about them that she shared this story from her past. 

Mom had to be about nine or 10 when the story took place. That would have put the year about 1933 or thereabouts. Mom and her parents had taken a trip up to the mountain to go camping for a week. The road up the mountain then was mostly a dirt two-track. Nothing like it is now. It probably took them all day to get to where they were camping. They had arrived at the place and were setting up, getting the tent up and gathering firewood, when disaster struck. 

Grandpa was chopping wood and somehow missed a log and buried an axe in his shin. Mom said it went clear into the bone. Now a funny thing about my Grandpa, if he got even a peek at his own blood, he would pass out, so he wasn’t much help in his own care. Grandma was very resourceful and knew a lot of the natural first aid things so she gave a tin cup to Mom and she took one herself then she showed Mom how to gather pitch from the blisters on the fir trees. They moved around gathering as much as they could and met back where Grandpa was lying at camp. Grandma cleaned the wound. Then she packed that wound with the pitch, clear to the bottom where it was into the bone. She packed that pitch into every nook and cranny, then she bandaged that leg up and the settled in for the night. They continued their camping trip, not coming down to have the leg seen at all. As the wound healed it pushed the pitch out. It healed nicely, but I do remember Grandpa having quite a scar and a dent in his shin. 

I am glad I heard the story. I am glad I know about the healing power of what we call balsam fir, but I sincerely hope I never have to use it. 

Rhubarb Pudding Cake

4 cups diced rhubarb

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

¼ cup shortening

½ cup sugar

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sifted flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup milk

Cook rhubarb, sugar and water until rhubarb is tender. Keep hot. Cream shortening and sugar, beat in egg and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Pour batter into greased 9” square pan. Spoon hot rhubarb sauce over batter, bake in moderate (350º) oven 40 minutes.