17th century medical guide discovered in an attic

Daily Mail ^ | March 4th, 2009 | unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

A handwritten book containing bizarre 17th century medical remedies including pike bones and dragon's blood is to go under the hammer tomorrow after spending more than 100 years buried in an attic. Written on fragile parchment bound between two pieces of thin card, the manuscript includes medical formulas as well as a variety of traditional recipes. Outlandish natural ingredients include ragwort, nightshade, venis turpentine, ferne roots, hoggs grease and the bizarrely-named 'earbagrace', which is probably Ambergris, a substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales... The 64-page book is expected to fetch around £400 when it's auctioned at Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, tomorrow. It was discovered buried under papers more than 25 years ago by Philippa Mulley, who was clearing out her deceased aunt's house in Norfolk... The fascinating compilation is inscribed with the name Thomas Slapp, 1784, but whether or not he is the original author remains a mystery. Experts believe the book was complied in either the 17th or early 18th century and has passed through at least three generations of the Mulley family... Bonhams specialist Oliver Miller said the book was probably penned by one of Mrs Mulley's ancestors and provided an intriguing glimpse of traditional home remedies. He said: 'It's a really nicely handwritten book of about 100 recipes. It's full of spelling mistakes and bad grammar but presents a fascination insight into 17th and 18th century quack medicine.'

[SunkenCiv]

full title: A dragon's blood cure for a cold and other bizarre remedies: The 17th century medical guide discovered in an attic

[SunkenCiv]

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[allmost]

That’s pretty cool.

[Radl]

Don’t laugh. Dragon’s blood worked great on my hemorrhoids.

[GSP.FAN]

That is really cool,i cannot believe it will only fetch 400 British pounds.

[mollynme]

Dragon’s blood worked great on my hemorrhoids.

I had a sudden vision of flaming farts. LOL!

[Fiddlstix]

......Outlandish natural ingredients include ragwort, nightshade, venis turpentine, ferne roots, hoggs grease and the bizarrely-named 'earbagrace', which is probably Ambergris, a substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales...

AND Just what is so "Outlandish" about it?
I always make sure to have plenty of those items in my medicine cabinet at all times!
Outlandish Indeed!
I believe I've been insulted!

[null and void]

How is it for spattergroit? I’m having trouble with the barrel of eel’s eyes...

[SunkenCiv]

As long as you’re home, I need to borrow some eye of newt.

[Fiddlstix]

Funny you should ask. I just got a fresh batch today, in fact. I’ll send it straightaway.

[aruanan]

It's full of spelling mistakes and bad grammar but presents a fascination insight into 17th and 18th century quack medicine.'

I think the larger part of 17th and 18th century medicine would be considered quack medicine today.

[baltodog]

“This just goes to show how far medicine has advanced...
Why, only 20 years ago, we'd have thought a witch put an evil hex on you...but now, we know you probably swallowed a tiny fairy, or maybe even a harmless, little tree troll...Well, time for a good bleeding!”

[thecodont]

That's pretty cool.

From the article:
He said: 'It's a really nicely handwritten book of about 100 recipes. It's full of spelling mistakes and bad grammar but presents a fascination insight into 17th and 18th century quack medicine.'

I came across some old medical prescriptions of my grandfather's, from the early 20th century. They were handwritten by the apothecary and included such ingredients as wild cherry bark.

[allmost]

And?

[JoeProBono]

17th century medical formulas

[mo]

Don’t laugh. It’ll turn out to be the Fed’s New Formulary...all in it fully 100% covered....anything outside of it...well you’ll need pre-authorization....

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Don’t laugh. Dragon’s blood worked great on my hemorrhoids.

Are you serious? Where would you even buy it?

[thecodont]

Well, I didn't try to duplicate anything I saw written there.

Looked like a recipe for sore throat/coughing. Demulctent.

[Radl]

I was joking.