Irradol-A

Parke Davis advertised Irradol-A as a multivitamin that could be consumed at any age and supply significant healthful benefits to its partaker. It was a dark syrupy concoction; made of four essential vitamins, A, B1, B2(G), and D, with added malt extract and iron. The advertisement noted that it is indicated in malnutrition, convalescence, underweight, anorexia, and debility. Average daily dosage is given for children and adults. Available in bottles; it was a formidable sight – dreaded by all of us children.

As my siblings will attest; our formative years were subjected to a morning ritual detested by us all. Each morning as we completed our breakfast my mother would line us boys up for our daily dosage of the syrupy concoction. Each day we were subjected to this ritualistic test of obedience. Apparently, the rumor mill had invaded our home as my mother was thoroughly convinced that her healthy, rambunctious sons needed a regular dosage of dread to start their youthful days. Hence, we’d obediently line up and open our disgruntled mouths to receive a full tablespoon of Irradol-A. The distasteful thick, black syrup clung to the spoon and mom would require us to extract the syrup until it was largely consumed before the next child in line would be subjected to a similar fate and requirement. Though I and others sought to be overlooked from time to time; it seldom worked and we’d be required to clean the spoon thoroughly.

The distasteful concoction lingered in our mouths as we made our way to school and would finally dissolve from our tongues and teeth several blocks from home. I suppose our youthful minds considered the ritual as a necessary evil of our lives and that nothing worse was going to invade our day thereafter. Commencing during my 5th or 6th grade and continuing through my 9th and 10th grades, the daily ritual was practiced. (By my high school years, I’d simply learned to take the ‘medicine’ by myself.) Upon moving to Great Falls, Montana at the beginning of my Junior year; I suppose life had gotten too busy and the ritualistic habit faded. I don’t remember taking the abhorrent stuff thereafter. Some of my younger siblings may have been spared the medicinal ritual!