# Root beer as a cure all?



## TraderBob (Oct 21, 2010)

While reading one of my ancient books, I found this recipe for root beer, which I post as an historical record. It claims you can save several dollars in medical fees by drinking this every spring  Oh, for the good old days.

Root Beer
For each gallon of water to be used, take hops, burdock, yellow dock, sarsaparilla, dandelion, and spikenard roots, bruised, of each 1/ 2 oz.

Boil about 20 minutes, and strain while hot, add 8 or 10 drops of oils of spruce and sassafras mixed in equal proportions, when cool enough not to scald your hand, put in 2 or 3 table-spoons of yeast, molasses 2/ 3 of a pint, or white sugar 1/ 2 lb. gives it about the right sweetness. 

Keep these proportions for as many gallons as you wish to make. You can use more or less of the roots to suit your taste after trying it, it is best to get the dry roots, or dig them and let them get dry, and of course you can add any other root known to possess medicinal properties desired in the beer. 

After all is mixed, let it stand in a jar with a cloth thrown over it, to work about two hours, then bottle and set in a cool place. 

This is a nice way to take alternatives, without taking medicine. And families ought to make it every Spring, and drink freely of it for several weeks, and thereby save, perhaps, several dollars in doctors' bills.

Dr. Chase's Recipes: or, Information for Everybody Published Date: 1863


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## emilyrayne (Jun 16, 2008)

Sounds like it would probably be good for allergies.


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