# Is a mixture of vingear and garlic of any medical worth...? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 31, 2003, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418 "2003-03-31T11:31:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/1 "2003-03-31T11:31:58Z")
In her crusade to make sure none of us fall ill with SARS, my mother has adopted another ‘trick’ from the newspaper, suggested by Taiwan doctors… Garlic + Hot Vingear! But relax, I am not supposed to **drink** this thing, but I am supposed to endure its aroma in my room for hours and hours. Regardless, to satisfy my curiousity, is the smell of garlic + hot vingear of any medicial worth, or does it kill any germs? Thanks in advance ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/2 "2003-03-31T12:51:47Z")
You poor [bastard](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=172928). I wonder why none of these “tricks” ever involve, say, a doughnut smothered in peanut butter, or… or… raisins pureed with nutmeg and a dash of vanilla extract. Heck, even something like broccoli and cheeze whiz. FYI, doctors dealing with the black death or plague wore [masks](http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/history/lecture26/r_26-1-25.html) with [beaks](http://art-bin.com/art/medhistorypix/omedicalimages19.html) filled with spices and perfume. I think the mask would have worked like a modern doctors mask and helped a bit. Most times I say “it couldn’t hurt” to this kind of thing, but that coke concoction would make me hurl. :eek: P.S. - I’m interested to see how this develops… just make sure this doesn’t start to involve [silver supplements](http://together.net/~rjstan/rose1.html) or something. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/3 "2003-03-31T12:58:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nanoda \* > **You poor [bastard](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=172928). I wonder why none of these “tricks” ever involve, say, a doughnut smothered in peanut butter, or… or… raisins pureed with nutmeg and a dash of vanilla extract. Heck, even something like broccoli and cheeze whiz.** Insufficient discomfort. These corny remedies always have to involve a degree of hardship. No one would ever believe in a tasty medicinal remedy. I think it’s based on an assumption that if you do the opposite of trying to get something for nothing, you will get something. It’s like the idea that self flagellation must be virtuous because it hurts. ---
**Author:** ![jonpluc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/fbc32d/32.png) [@jonpluc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonpluc)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/4 "2003-03-31T13:36:39Z")
Take 2 sugar pills and call me in the morning… ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/5 "2003-03-31T13:42:46Z")
Hey, proven fact, cures most headaches. If you mix 2 cups of vinegar with one crushed garlic clove, then pour the results down the toilet and flush twice, then take two Excedrin with a big glass of water… your headache will go away. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/6 "2003-03-31T13:58:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven \* > \*\*Hey, proven fact, cures most headaches. If you mix 2 cups of vinegar with one crushed garlic clove, then pour the results down the toilet and flush twice, then take two Excedrin with a big glass of water… your headache will go away. \*\* Due to the flushing or the Execdrin, may I ask? '=D ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/7 "2003-03-31T15:07:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LostCause \* > \*\*Regardless, to satisfy my curiousity, is the smell of garlic + hot vingear of any medicial worth, or does it kill any germs? > \*\* No, but it goes rather nicely on a salad. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/8 "2003-03-31T16:17:03Z")
Your salad will be safe from vampires. ---
**Author:** ![Tal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/54ee81/32.png) [@Tal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tal)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/9 "2003-03-31T19:34:33Z")
both garlic and vinegar are supposed to be good for your health but whether inhaling them would do anything, i doubt… although it is possible, many things CAN be absorbed through our skin - was just talking to a pharmasist the other day who was talking about how more and more medications will soon be going the way of being applied externally rather than taken orally… anyway… whether it would prevent you getting a virus or not i can’t say, but vinegar and garlic - in sensible amounts certainly won’t harm you…although it may harm your social life! ---
**Author:** ![Tal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/54ee81/32.png) [@Tal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tal)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/10 "2003-03-31T19:35:58Z")
i should probalby add that i wasn’t talking about any kind of garlic suppliments etc…personally, i doubt they really do anything after going thorugh all that processing, was more referring to haveing garlic / vinegar in your normal every day food preparation ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/11 "2003-03-31T19:50:49Z")
What is SARS? ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/12 "2003-03-31T20:35:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kaylasdad99 \* > \*\*What is SARS? \*\* The latest Asiatic flu. I say Asiatic because where it was first found was mainland China. It has now spread somewhat due to the enhanced vectoring thanks to airplanes, but hasn’t killed all that many people yet. The fear is that it could turn into the next 1918 influenza outbreak. Personally, I haven’t seen anything to make me believe that will happen. ---
**Author:** ![Lost\_Goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3be4f8/32.png) [@Lost\_Goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lost_Goat)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-mixture-of-vingear-and-garlic-of-any-medical-worth/165418/13 "2003-03-31T20:35:53Z")
SARS is Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Which means bad stuff to do with your breathing. It is a strain of pneumonia which has been getting a lot of attention lately. Whether it is worth the hype is another question. It isn’t really all that bad, AFAIK. To the title question, yes, garlic and vinegar have medicinal value. Both have antibacterial effects. The mixture would make a decent wound-wash. Against SARS? Not likely, especially not if you are just huffing it. IIRC SARS is viral.