When I was 4 years old, I had a disease called (in the vernacular) "knock knees" (scientific term: Genu Valgum).

It is characterized by the knees bowing in toward each other and rubbing when I walked. The family diagnosticians (no MDs) said I had started to walk too early, but I have strong doubts about that theory.

I came from a family of soccer-playing athletes and it hurt my young uncles that I would never step onto the soccer pitch with them.

It was 1938, and the depression was at its worst. There was no extra money for anything, least of all for doctor bills. My loving mother began a crusade of taking me to physician after physician to find a cure.

The varied opinions of the MDs covered a wide spectrum.

One doctor stated emphatically, "The boy needs castor oil. That will cure his soft bones. The fee was paid for the medical service and my mother came after me with the smoky, orange glass bottle with the awful smell, known as castor oil.

There is a definite theory that only bad tasting or vile smelling medicines have any medical efficacy. Is it true?

Imbibing castor oil was a medical fad in those days. It was made from codfish innards and the smell was pungent and terrible.

My mother reasoned, if the doctor said that one tablespoon was good then six tablespoons were much better.

Castor oil was everywhere. She tried to hide it in the My-T-Fine chocolate pudding but the fish oil overpowered everything. I tried to hide but even my milk reeked of castor oil.

Eventually when it proved unsuccessful my mother gave up this medical miracle and tried another path.

If you are interested in the final cure, E-mail me at Shgreenbug@aol.com or write to me personally to Dr. Stanley Greenberg, 169 High Pond Drive, Jericho, NY 11753.