Huh. So this is news? My mom did that for YEARS when my brother and I were small. (Using honey instead of cough medicine to quiet a kid's cough). Even better was when we had lemons in the house - she'd make a mixture of honey, butter, and lemon juice (more honey than anything else), heat it on the stove, and give it to us to spoon up.

It worked, and it tasted far better than any kind of cough medicine. (And the only potential side effect - cavities - can be prevented by brushing your teeth afterwards).

I don't get coughs often these days (thank goodness) but when I do, I still use that "nostrum." (I suppose some adults use it too, with a bit of rum or whisky added, but I don't like either of those, so I take it "virgin.")