The Word is Hydroxy…

Snapshot of Betty Lou Bucklin in the 1949-50 yearbook for the Hathaway High Hornets in southern Louisiana.

I’ve thought about writing a post about this topic for quite a while now, but I have to admit that it is a really weird topic.  But lately I keep hearing the word hydroxycholoroquine in relation to possible medical treatment for Covid-19.  Every time I hear the beginning of the word, it reminds me of one of my mom’s favorite words. 

I can’t remember the first time I heard the word.  I seem to think it was back when I was learning the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in 2nd grade or so.  I’m sure we must have been learning the song for school choir or something like that.  So my mom must have decided to tell me about her favorite word.  That favorite word was hydroxymercurobenzolphenonasulfate.

So I learned that word and have remembered it ever since then.  And now lately I’ve been thinking about it more often.  It’s not a word that comes up in conversation very often, if ever.  I assumed it was a word she might have heard in a science class or something.  I have tried to find out what it means or what its purpose is, and I’ve only been able to find one reference to it.  And it wasn’t online anywhere.

A note to Betty Lou from Flutina. Hathaway High School, Hathaway, Louisiana, 1949.

I found it in my mom’s old yearbook from 1949-50.  It was a message written to Barry Tone c/o Miss Betty Lou Bucklin.  (It’s a play on words.  My mom played the baritone in band.)  The message was from one Flutina the Flute.  I don’t know her identity, but her message says, “Dear Barry, They say life is hard.  Don’t let its problems get you down.  If they do, I advise the quick way out – Take some hydroxymercurobenzolphenonasulfate.” 

My only thought about it when I found it was that it was just a cute little phrase that mom and her friend joked about.  Kinda like “Wheatavitavegimin, it’s tasty!”  I didn’t think it was anything dark –  my mom taught me the word when I was a wee lad!  But when I showed it to Chuck to tell him what I was going to write about tonight, he thought it was a bit dark.  He’s right!  How did I never see that before.

Then when I looked it up online, the closest results came up with poisons and an icon with skull and crossbones.  Oh my!  I decided to write about it anyway.  Did I tell you that it was one of my mom’s favorite words?  I’m sure I did.  And I like it too!  And I know for sure my mom was not trying to encourage me to harm myself in any way.  It’s just a fun word to say.  Try it.  Hydroxymercurobenzolphenonasulfate!  See?  No harm in saying it.

Hathaway school band circa 1950

I’m still curious to know who Flutina the Flute is.  I have a photo from that yearbook and it shows a picture of the Hathaway school band.  My mom labeled a few people in the photo.  She is in the photo, as well as her sisters Alma and Loris.  She also labeled Gayle (Groth I presume).  And there on the back row is Flutina the Flute.  Of course, she is playing the flute, but I don’t know her real name. 

But I think I might know one of her favorite words!  You think?