Father John’s Cough Syrup, which had been used to treat colds since 1855, claimed to be effective against the 1918 Spanish flu. Its non-alcoholic cod liver oil base containing glycerin, sugar, gum arabic, licorice, and flavoring oils was promoted as a “nutritive tonic to combat diseases of the throat.” It didn’t help, but at least it didn’t harm. Read more about the deadly Spanish flu pandemic a century ago in On the Shore (1917-1925), a tale of conflict between generations in a Lower East Side immigrant family (see NOVELS).
