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Wright's coal tar vapourisers

(81 Posts)
glammanana Sat 09-Feb-13 08:31:48

gally I remember our dad taking us out when the steamroller was laying the tar as my brother always suffered with a bad chest we wpold all be put into the big pram and pushed around the streets inhaling the fumes.

JessM Sat 09-Feb-13 08:29:28

Good lord! Lets think about that for a moment. Coal tar is a chemical product made from coal. So why would you want to inhale this stuff? I just looked it up and it can be incorporated into skin preparations. But inhaling?
There were a lot of patent medicines on the market that were harmful or downright dangerous. Maybe this was one of them?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_tar

Gally Sat 09-Feb-13 08:22:43

I had one of those. I used it when the children had croup. It had a lovely smell! The late MrG's mother used to take him to inhale the tar vapours at roadworks when he had a cold - poor child! shock He should have been tucked up in bed.

absent Sat 09-Feb-13 08:15:39

I'm not sure about Wright's coal tar, but a huge range of vapourisers , including Vicks, is available. Thry are now safer and no longer use a nightlight – who wants the bedroom curtains going up in flames at three o'clock in the morning?

glassortwo Sat 09-Feb-13 07:55:48

Print goodmorning smile I had one when DS had whopping cough, then various episodes of croup etc, he still suffers with his chest to this day, it was used alot but a friend borrowed it and I never got it back. sad

PRINTMISS Sat 09-Feb-13 07:51:12

Does anyone remember these - I have a terrible cough/cold at the moment, and sorted mine out from about 50 years ago! Had it when the children were small at the advice of the doctor, and they work a treat, although you cannot get them now, I believe. Anyway mine was out again last night a bit the worse for wear, but had a great night's sleep. They are 'lamps' rather like a miner's lamp. Round, about 8 inches high, with a hole in the base for a night light - an oval hole in the side, and on the top a container with a hole at the top for a block which soaks up Wrights coal tar vapour, the night light warms this up, and the vapour is really soothing. I think 'elfnsafety might have something to do with not being able to get them any more. I will not be able to use mine after this time, as we have now run out of fluid.