What the Apothecary Ordered: Questionable Cures Through the Ages
In this delightfully weird collection of ancient and not-so-ancient remedies for what ails us, Rance has amassed the most unusual cures she could find. Reading this is not for the faint of heart. A few of the prescriptions defy modern sensibilities, and some are downright disgusting. For example, if you have a nosebleed, Father Schott, a Jesuit priest, suggests you hold hot Ass Dung to the nostrils and wrap the nose in a hankie. As you inhale, your nosebleed will be cured. I think I’ll just pinch my nose together the way my grandmother taught me, thank you very much! If you awaken in the night with a muscle cramp, all you need to do is rub your fingers between your toes (the smellier, the better) and then smell. Your cramp should ease immediately.
Along with such interesting and odd advice, the book also contains many pictures of the original advertisements and written passages for the above-mentioned cures. These additions are as entertaining as the text. This is a must-have book for those who like exploring the “science” behind medicine. I wonder if future readers will think our own traditions are as primitive and repulsive.
