‘Save-the- Baby’ Was Probably a Misnomer
Question: More than 50 years ago, when I was a child, my mother rubbed Save-the-Baby on our chests when we had a bad cold. In the early 1960s, I used it on my own children. Do you know if Save-the-Baby is still made and where I could get some for my grandchildren?
Answer: We appreciate your nostalgia, but it might not be such a shame that this old-fashioned remedy has become hard to find. It contained camphor, which can be toxic if ingested. The directions on the label suggested giving it internally every half-hour “until relieved, or until the doctor arrives.”
Such instructions aren’t relevant today, since house calls are virtually extinct. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration warns against internal use of any camphor-containing product.
Q: The coffee at work is served with a cream substitute, which contains partially hydrogenated soybean oil, corn syrup solids, sodium caseinate, mono- and diglycerides and carrageenan. Would several servings daily be harmful?
A: Partially hydrogenated oil contains trans-fatty acids. Although an occasional serving is probably not a problem, a daily ration is not good for the heart. Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of nutrition at the Harvard University School of Public Health, has found that trans-fatty acids are just as dangerous as saturated fats such as butter. When possible, choose low-fat milk for your coffee. Even half-and-half might be better than hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Q: I have recently read that there are health benefits from drinking several ounces of pomegranate juice daily. I would appreciate knowing what research on pomegranate juice reveals.
A: Pomegranate juice does offer cardiovascular benefits. In an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (May 2000), Israeli scientists reported that pomegranate juice can help prevent the development of plaque in arteries. It makes LDL, the “bad cholesterol,” more resistant to oxidation and thus mitigates a step in the development of heart disease.
In mice bred to be susceptible to plaque formation in their arteries, pomegranate juice reduced atherosclerotic buildup by 44%. Data also suggests that this juice can reduce the risk of blood clots.
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Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Send questions to People’s Pharmacy, King Features Syndicate, 888 7th Ave., New York, NY 10019, or e-mail them to pharmacy@mindspring.com.
