mystery pill

[sunrise_4836]

Ben Franklin said "if you take a pill of Turpentine your urine will smell like violets." Why would you take a pill of Turpentine? Is this common still today?

Thanks

[scratch1300]

I wouldn't trust Turpentine to medicate me, that's for sure! Why, do you realize he once wrote a letter to Kotex asking why they didn't use red liquid instead of blue to demonstrate how their products worked?

The man is certifiable.

[yabob]

It does have a history of use in folk medicine, both in topical and internal (!) preparations:

http://www.rx.com/reference/natural/Turpentine_Oil.jhtml

In commercially prepared extracts in cough and cold remedies it serves as a stimulating expectorant to help expel phlegm (mucus). Other reported uses for spirits of turpentine include as a carminative (for excess gas), diuretic ("water pill"), colic remedy, and diarrhea treatment.

God knows what they thought it was good for in Franklin's day. Somebody else may, too, and enlighten us.

[lee]

Turpentine and sugar was taken as recently as 50 years ago for worms.

What i want to know is what violets smell like. I have tried but i can't get any scent from them.

[red_dragon60]

Hijack-
Violets do not have any smell. They have a compound in them which actually numbs the sense of smell for a few minutes. Try it sometime, it's fun to play with.

[Dr_Paprika]

[bigger hijack]

Well, I always thought that C'thulu sort of liked me. Here's to the Nymph of the Woods With A Thousand Young!

[/bigger hijack]

[Some Guy]

[really gigantic hijack]
Erm, you mean Shub-Niggurath, the Black Goat of the Woods With a Thousand Young? Of course you did.

Iä! Iä!

huh? turpentine? what?!?

[/really gigantic hijack]

[Homer]

You know, Turpentine is a GAL. Pure lay-dee!

--Tim