# Petroleum Jelly Taken Internally? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 23, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530 "2010-03-23T21:04:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shinna_Minna_Ma)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/1 "2010-03-23T21:04:56Z")
The pharmacy at our local shopping center has a front window display of some old medicine, including [Mercurochrome](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merbromin#Mercurochrome) and an old jar of Petroleum Jelly. The PJ is from a place in Toronto, and the jar and label look really old. One of the things I find fascinating is that the instructions are for both external and internal use (for coughs, sore throats, congestion). Did people really eat this stuff? –SMM ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/2 "2010-03-23T21:27:09Z")
[Yes, some still do](http://www.tmz.com/2009/07/27/stephon-marbury-eats-vaseline-oprah-video/3), although the manufacturer of Vaseline labels the packages “for external use only.” ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/3 "2010-03-23T21:28:49Z")
[Robert Chesebrough](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Chesebrough) took a spoonful every day–and he lived to be in his 90s. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/4 "2010-03-23T21:39:54Z")
I know I’ve related this before in some other thread, but my mom (who was born in 1918) told me that she and her high school friends made “diet” mayonnaise using mineral oil. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/5 "2010-03-23T21:45:49Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > [Robert Chesebrough](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Chesebrough) took a spoonful every day–and he lived to be in his 90s. and if that isn’t the face of a man with loose stools… ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/6 "2010-03-23T21:47:01Z")
> [@anson2995](#): > > [Yes, some still do](http://www.tmz.com/2009/07/27/stephon-marbury-eats-vaseline-oprah-video/3), although the manufacturer of Vaseline labels the packages “for external use only.” Uh, you’re citing Stephon Marbury? Funny, but proves only that some idiot somewhere will eat petroleum jelly. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/7 "2010-03-23T21:54:45Z")
There were many weird remedies. I downloaded a candy making book from a hundred years ago. They had tar cough drops in there. Notes in the book says they likely mean pin tar which is something people actualy chewed back then too. [The Candy Maker’s Guide A Collection Of Choice Recipes For Sugar Boiling Compiled And Published By The Fletcher Mnf’g. Co.](http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/30293) > [@](#): > > TAR COUGH DROPS. > > 1 oz. Dried Rose Leaves boil in 1 gallon water to half a gallon, strain and mix with 10 pounds Sugar, 21 pounds Glucose and 1 oz. strained Tar, boil to the crack and finish as for other drops. I have seen consumable remedies that used turpentine, paraffin, kerosene, or coal tar. There are medicines that were sold that were poisonous. There’s nothing else like a good purgatory. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/8 "2010-03-23T22:09:30Z")
I always liked this after I found it [Skunk Grease](http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/artifacts/archives/003166.asp). ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/9 "2010-03-23T22:17:57Z")
I think it’s still a main ingredient in hairball remedies for cats, although a lot use mineral oil. Katalax, is one that I think uses petroleum jelly. I’ll have to look at the stuff I have at home. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/10 "2010-03-23T22:25:13Z")
My grandmother used to do the spoonful of Vaseline when you were ill. But she was a big one for castor oil too. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/11 "2010-03-23T22:35:12Z")
My mother claims I ate a significant amount (1/2 jar) when I was a toddler. That was over 45 yrs ago. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/12 "2010-03-23T23:03:22Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > My grandmother used to do the spoonful of Vaseline when you were ill. But she was a big one for castor oil too. Yep, MY grandmother gave us a spoonfull every night (when we were unlucky enough to be under her care). I have no idea what it did for us..it is undigestible, so maybe it just makes things..squishy?😉 ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/13 "2010-03-24T05:08:34Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > and if that isn’t the face of a man with loose stools… … which probably gave reason to change the company name to Chesebrough-_Ponds_. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/14 "2010-03-24T05:26:02Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > I think it’s still a main ingredient in hairball remedies for cats, although a lot use mineral oil. Katalax, is one that I think uses petroleum jelly. I’ll have to look at the stuff I have at home. I feed it to my cat - she won’t have anything to do with the hairball meds she needs, but she’ll eat Vaseline right off my finger. Cats is weird. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/15 "2010-03-24T06:56:08Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > I always liked this after I found it [Skunk Grease](http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/artifacts/archives/003166.asp). Oh, man. Can you imaging rubbing skunk on yourself…on purpose even!:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Oglomott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oglomott/32/3543_2.png) [@Oglomott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oglomott)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/16 "2010-03-24T10:06:54Z")
On a similar note, my father used to eat Vicks VapoRub whenever he had a cold. Not any of the modern stuff they make now, but rather the older kind that came in the blue jar that you were supposed to rub on your chest. The stuff looked kind of like Vaseline, but I don’t know if it had any in it or not. Sure smelled stronger than Vaseline! ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/17 "2010-03-24T10:57:55Z")
> [@Oglomott](#): > > On a similar note, my father used to eat Vicks VapoRub whenever he had a cold. Not any of the modern stuff they make now, but rather the older kind that came in the blue jar that you were supposed to rub on your chest. The stuff looked kind of like Vaseline, but I don’t know if it had any in it or not. Sure smelled stronger than Vaseline! I had an aunt who would make us (as kids) eat Vick’s when we had a cold! For this reason, whenever we were in her care, I would _not_ admit to having a cold or cold-like symptoms! Ewwwwwwwwwwww. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/18 "2010-03-24T11:19:14Z")
My dog once ate a cherry lip balm (basically the same stuff)…cleaned him out real good! ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/19 "2010-03-24T11:20:24Z")
Seeing as there seems to be no factual information provided in this thread, I took it upon myself to take 2 seconds and google it, rather than posting some sort of personal anecdote. Quite miraculously, this has resulted in what appears to be fact-like information. > **[Medical News and Abstract](https://books.google.com/books?id=Qg5YAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA105&lpg=PA105&dq=vaseline%2Bingestion&source=bl&ots=auyMi7udWy&sig=4wAX289VafpkXvk4UmKMLzQhkOQ&hl=en&ei=YvOpS-_lBZLasgPmuY20BQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result)** > **[EcoGreenBeauty.com](https://www.ecogreenbeauty.com/?s=vaseline)** > > EcoGreenBeauty.com - Contact us for any business inquiries Overall, it appears to be relatively benign, but it is also perhaps best to be wary of coming into regular contact with it as long term use may have downsides (e.g. cancer). There is almost certainly no advantage to regular digestion as it just passes through you. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530/20 "2010-03-24T15:16:11Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Seeing as there seems to be no factual information provided in this thread, Really? I thought the information upthread was pretty clear. The answer is “Yes, petroleum jelly was used internally. Primarily with the belief that it acted as a stool softener/mild laxative and promoted ‘regularity’.” Grandmothers were fond of it or a spoonful mineral oil (which is basically a much more liquidy version of petroleum jelly). It’s no longer really used in its pure form this way by humans anymore, but it’s used in veterinary medicine still, along iwth minerl oil, as a laxative for cats, ferrets, elephants, etc. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/petroleum-jelly-taken-internally/533530.md?page=2)