My father found an old notebook of his father’s a couple of weeks ago.  Inside the front cover was a list of dates and places – my grandfather had noted down when and where he’d worked during his lifetime as a livestock buyer around New Zealand.  He’d also jotted down other  notes useful to his job, including comments about wool classing.

In amongst the notes was a recipe for arthritis.

4ozs [113g] each of bicarb of soda, ground ginger, epsom salts, powdered sulphur.

Roll out and put through a sifter. Keep in a screw top jar.

Dose: 1 teaspoon mixed in a little warm water taken at night for 1 year.

My grandfather Michael Dominic Gaffaney (right), with his father Peter in Hastings, NZ 1936

My grandfather Michael Dominic Gaffaney (right), with his father Peter in Hastings, NZ 1936

I wonder where the recipe came from?  And, more importantly, does it work?

Family Recipe Friday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.