The Truth Behind This Weird Thing
The vintage medicine spoon can be a very quick way to bring back memories of our youth. That old, small tool was designed to quickly deliver liquid medication to kids. It used less hassle than would have been required otherwise.
When you look at the vintage medicine spoon, it might seem like an ordinary spoon with some unusual feature. However, the sealed (or semi-sealed) bowl and slotted handle show how it actually functions. It provides a contained, spill-free way to administer medications to children.
A Classic Example
The vintage medicine spoon depicted above has been owned since the early 1970’s. It shows characteristics of many of the vintage designs we see today. This particular spoon has a completely sealed (or semi-sealed) bowl and a hollowed out slot in the middle of the handle. There are also models that had a rubber bulb on the end of the handle. This would allow caregivers to either press or pull the liquid through the handle and into the bowl.
The designers of this spoon were trying to help parents provide medication to their children without spills or over pouring. They aimed to reduce the anxiety felt by both the parent and the child.
Design That is Functional
Prior to the widespread use of dosing syringes, parents needed to find a means to easily and effectively dose their children. The vintage medicine spoon was a great tool for this purpose. It provided an accurate measurement of liquid, minimized mess, and eased the process of administering the medicine to the reluctant young children.
Many of these spoons were made of strong, durable metal alloy materials such as nickel silver. These materials allowed them to last for years and years. Many families continue to discover them in their antique trunks and storage boxes years after they were used.
A Common Childhood Memory
For people who grew up during the 1950’s and early ’80s, this spoon usually was kept in the same drawer as the thermometer and the vapor rub. When it was time for the child to take medicine, it typically meant a warm kitchen. It required measured patience and a tool like this one. It helped to make the experience slightly easier for the child and caregiver alike.
The memory of this spoon–it being cool to the touch and shaped strangely, and then coming with the flavor of cough syrup and the comforting voice of a parent saying “almost done”, is something that is often brought back when thinking about the spoon.
Collectibles Today
Since these spoons are no longer in production, they may be found at flea markets, vintage stores, and online auction sites. For collectors, or people looking for items to collect because of their emotional value, these spoons are more than just a functional item. They capture a moment in history when parents relied on creativity. Even a spoon could embody a quiet form of care.
