17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, November 3, 1912: Saw some snowflakes yesterday. Had
croup this evening so you see that put my studies back somewhat.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later: Croup
is no fun. It’s awful to have a bad cough that sounds like a
seal! The old- fashioned way to treat croup was to bring some
water to a boil on the stove. The ill person would then very,
very carefully lean over boiling water and breathe deeply for
several minutes. The steam would calm the coughing. I can
picture Grandma leaning over a pot of boiling water on a wood or
coal stove trying to sooth her cough—while thinking about the
homework that needed to be done.