Nessmuk's anti mozzie "varnish"

[jojo]

I was reading Nessmuk's book last night and came across Nessmuk's recipe for an anti mozzie "varnish" as he puts it.

3 ounces pine tar
2 ounces castor oil
1 ounce pennyroyal oil

Simmer over slow fire and bottle. He says you hardly need more than 2 ounces of this brew in a season.

I was wondering if anybody had tried it? Does it work? I gather it gives you a "healthy, ruddy look" probably due to the tar Is there health risk from this stuff, or is it no worse than any other modern concoction!!

I am not saying I am going to try it but I am interested to find out if it works and if you guy&gals have a favourite recipe you swear by (or swear at )

[saffy]

The way it reads in the book it sounds like it could be bottled and sold as fake tan.

[jojo]

Any takers on this one?

[Toadflax]

My recipe for insect repellent is to wash with coal tar soap. When we were camping near Oban, I used this and wasn't bitten once, but the rest of the family were - lots.

Then again, coal tar seems to be a repellent for all living things - according to my wife!



Geoff

[JohnC]

IIRC pennyroyal is the not reccomended one for pregnant women & ?high blood pressure sufferers...
I think Toddy had a mixture at the last Loch Achray meet made of bog myrtle, and this site
http://www.bogmyrtle.com/ also seems to like it

[led]

Sounds not dissimilar to Wilma's Nordic Summer, which smells (and looks) very much like concentrated essence of camp-fire.