Vicks VapoRub has been around since 1919.

Common use of Vicks is to decongest your chest and throat area. Applying Vicks on your feet is suppose to provide nighttime cough relief. If you're sick and have a bad cough, put Vicks on the bottom of your feet and put on socks.

No actual scientific evidence that the cough suppressant on your soles (followed by socks, of course) can stop your hacking, but there is plenty of anecdotal proof. This is not a fact that it works, but our mother tried it on us, it seemed to help

Though it sounds odd, some adults swear that come morning, the nagging cough can be a distant memory.