"Folk Magic" Onion Cough Syrup (or would also make a great Halloween prop!)

I ran across this while surfing and as I had read in magazines before of onions having an antibacterial property, thought I would try making some of this: http://iwonderwoman.blogspot.com/2007/11/folk-magic.html All you need is: 1 large onion (garlic or ginger could be used instead) 1 cup of sugar 1 glass jar with a lid 1 knife (to cup up onions) 1 measuring cup - to measure the sugar Peel the onion and chop it into slices: Alternate layering the onion and the sugar in the jar Continue layering until all of the onion and sugar are in the jar. Cover with a lid and leave on the counter for 1 to 2 days then store the syrup in the refrigerator. I wasn't sure if the onions were to be strained out of not and left a message on Myrnie's blog and she was kind enough to leave me a comment on mine. "I hope the onion syrup worked well for you- if you don't like the taste, garlic or ginger also work well (I've heard.)Yes, strain the onions out before you put this in the refrigerator." This is what it looked like at Day 2 before I strained out the onions. It looks like some sort of exotic ingredient an alchemist of a witch would use and it does smell bad when you open it. This would be a great prop for a Halloween party. It does smell bad but it doesn't taste that bad due to the sugar and it did seem to help with (I used 2 TBSP) with congestion. I decided to do a little bit of research and found this interesting article: Courtesy of www.kingtutshop.com http://www.kingtutshop.com/Egyptian-Herb/onion.htm The article indicates that the onions were used in Egyptian culture for eating and medicinal purposes, that it was prescribed by Hippocrates and even indicated in the Bible a food that longed for by the Israelites after leaving Egypt for the Promised Land and even asked Moses to pray for to God for them in the Quran. Here is a direct quote for the medicinal purposes of onions from the article: "Onion is used as a diuretic, expectorant and antiseptic. Onions are highly recommended for people trying to prevent cardiovascular disease, cancer, and infections. They appear to be at least somewhat effective against colds, heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases and contain antiinflammatory, anticholesterol, and anticancer components. Onions contain many active compounds that appear to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells, help combat heart disease, inhibit strokes, lower blood pressure & cholesterol, and stimulate the immune system. Alliums are also antibacterial and anti-fungal, so they can relieve stomach upset & other gastrointestinal disorders. As with Garlic, Onions help prevent thrombosis and reduce hypertension, according to the American Heart Association. The natural constituents of yellow or white Onions can raise HDL cholesterol over time."