General Chat

Virol? Cod liver oil? You were lucky, we were given brimstone and treacle. And, Sharron, you are supposed to drink orange juice, not stuff it up ... no, perhaps not.

Even the word VIROL still makes me feel sick. I just remember spoonfuls of the horrible stuff being forced down me . I just got goosebumps thinking about it :-S. I can still see in my mind the big brown bottle it was in and the big spoon :-P :-P

I used to get orange juice from the baby clinic when our daughter was a baby in the late 50's
It was in a flat medicine type bottle and was very concentrated. Daughter had to have it very diluted almost water with a dash as it was so strong

We had cod liver oil an malt as kids but youngest sister born 1949 had Virol
Seem to remember it came in a tub

:-)

We had daily straight cod liver oil _(Welfare clinic issue in flat bottle like their orange juice ) on a teaspoon.Mum insisted on one particular spoon being used so as not to taint all of them.
I always rather envied the family up the road, where the girls had cod liver oil and malt, which looked more treacle-like and so, to me, more palatable.

Virol yes, and there was also something similar called Radiomalt. Syrup of figs, and Milk of Magnesia given an overdose until diagnosed with appendicitis!

I don't remember Virol or being given cod liver oil ............... but I do remember Mum getting calves foot jelly. I was supposed to have 1 tsp after breakfast, but I loved the taste, so if Mum wasn't watching I'd sneak more!

She also told me that she used to get canteen-sized containers of Horlicks on prescription to give to me when I was small (born 1940, like AnnG). I loved Horlicks, it was always my bedtime drink, but I never thought to ask why she got the doctor's prescription for it.

I've never heard that it was a supplement or replacement fro breast milk! :-S

Same here, Vera. Cod liver oil and malt and sometimes we had the two separate. I liked it either way.

Sometimes Mum gave us Parkinson's syrup of figs which was horrid. I preferred California syrup of figs.

I remember Virol though we never had it. We were a cod liver oil and malt family. We also got a dose of Syrup of Figs on Friday night whether we needed it or not :-|

I had orange juice in the flat bottle as did my daughter, son had delrosa. And yes I had both virol and cod liver oil and malt. I guess we needed things like that when I was little (born 1940 to supplement what we didn't get naturally. But I think the sugar content must have been high and my teeth have never been good.

Tried, not the same.

You can make your own :-D :-D :-D

http://www.recipespastandpresent.org.uk/wartime/tag/delrosa/

I did, however, have Delrosa and I would kill for a glass of it now!

It was pretty rough, Sharron!!

I didn't have the orange juice because it gave me a sore bum.

I never had any fish oil - I think mum tried it once - the fuss I made decided her against it! :-D

I used to get the orange juice for my children - but having looked at the ingredients, I drank it (yes, it was lovely) and gave them St Clement's squash - less sugar and 'e' numbers - and more vitamins!! :-S

....and now in their 30's - not a filling between them :-D

This article includes the background to Virol:-

https://stmargarets.london/archives/2016/11/virol-the-food-for-health.html

I enjoyed it. I didn't go much on the halibut oil capsules, which tended to 'repeat' and leave a taste in my throat.

Like KB I later had Haliborange tablets. And various formats are available today.

I do remember Virol but don't think I ever took it myself. What I did have every day was the very strong orange juice from the health clinic which came in a tall flat medicine bottle - and I quite liked that. When I was older I was given a Haliborange tablet every day.

Kath. x

I remember having cod liver oil and malt which was probably the same thing and I loved the taste of the malt. There is a jar in the cupboard at this very moment.

Halibut oil capsules are another little delicacy I recall having to get down my gullet on a daily basis.

As children, we were given a spoonful every day - whether we wanted it or not!
It was basically a malt extract.
Well, whilst looking at pictures of old Southampton, (1924-ish) I came across a Swiss Restaurant chain called Lardi's, and one of their menus from their Norwich Branch..
Amazingly, for the princely sum of 4d, you could buy Virol and milk! :-S
Sounds disgusting.

http://tirano.jalbum.net/Swiss%20Cafes/