Our family doctor prescribed paregoric when I was maybe 9 or 10 — I used to get bad tummy upsets, esp. when I was nervous about something, and it calmed me right down. Later on, when I found out what was in it, I realized why it was so effective. And they gave it to infants? yikes!
As to the story, this disgusting creep needs to be put away for a long, cold, scary time. And “mom” needs some serious follow-up too.
I’m going to ask my mother whether I was ever given paregoric. It just goes to show that God-given remedies - if used in moderation and with a degree of common sense - should be available to the public.