I found out what made worm crawl from aunt's nose!

I just talked to my dad and told him that I was doing a parasite cleanse, and asked him what they used to take to get rid of their worms. While my mom's family used "cherry bark tea," my dad's family used CALOMEL.

He said that once a year, the whole family would take a calomel tablet, he says "available at any pharmacy" however I wonder if they are still available!

He said that he saw a worm crawl out of his sister's nose (my aunt), and out of his brother's "butt." He said that he used to see kids at school with worms crawling out of their noses too periodically. He said they were always seeing these worms wriggling aroung in their stool. He said it was not a big deal - just part of life.

He said that these were trichina worms, from the pork they ate, and that it was a normal, everyday thing for the people in his community to have worms, take calomel, and pass them out the nose or bottom. Dad says calomel is both a laxative and a parasite medicine. Apparently it doesn't kill them, but, as he said, "they can't stand it, and they leave."

Apparently, parasite cleanses weren't "odd" or exceptional then - normal Family M.D.'s were the ones who recommended these calomel tablets. It wasn't something you debated - everyone had worms, and everyone took calomel, and they all passed these worms, which my dad said could get several inches long.

So, calomel works, that's for sure; however it may just work on Trichina worms. Also, do I really want to see a LIVE worm coming out of my bottom, or possibly even my nose? That is the real question.

Anyone have any experience with taking the calomel? I'm sure the older folks on here will have stories, especially if they were poor in the 1930's, and I'd be interested to hear if anyone has tried calomel in recent years, or whether it is not used anymore (though it should be - it works!).