According to ancient necromantic texts, the doctor would recommend sleeping by a human skull for a week as a way of exorcising the spirit. For example, if a patient ground their teeth, the healer might suspect that the ghost of a deceased family member was trying to contact them as they slept. Doctors often had more in common with priests and exorcists than modern physicians, and their cures usually involved some component of magic. They might even “fumigate” the patient’s head with sulfur and pitch while simultaneously rubbing pleasant-smelling lotions between her thighs -the logic being that the womb would flee from the bad smells and move back into its rightful place.įor the ancient Babylonians, most illnesses were thought to be the result of demonic forces or punishment by the gods for past misdeeds. For a womb that had already broken free, doctors prescribed therapeutic baths, infusions and physical massages to try to force it back in position. To prevent their wombs from going on walkabout, ancient women were counseled to marry young and bear as many children as possible. In some cases, the sickly would even attend executions in the hope of getting a cheap cup of the freshly killed person’s blood. The type of cure prescribed usually corresponded to the type of ailment-skull was used for migraines, and human fat for muscle aches-but getting fresh stock could be a gruesome process. By consuming the remains of a deceased person, the patient also ingested part of their spirit, leading to increased vitality and wellbeing. These cannibalistic medicines were thought to have magical properties. Meanwhile, in 17th century England, King Charles II was known for enjoying a draught of “King’s Drops,” a restorative brew made from crumbled human skull and alcohol. The Romans believed that the blood of fallen gladiators could cure epilepsy, and 12th century apothecaries were known for keeping a stock of “mummy powder”-a macabre extract made from ground up mummies looted from Egypt. So-called “corpse medicine” was a disturbingly common practice for hundreds of years. Suffering from persistent headaches, muscle cramps or stomach ulcers? Once upon a time, your local physician may have prescribed an elixir containing human flesh, blood or bone. While these repugnant remedies may have occasionally led to tetanus and other infections, they probably weren’t entirely ineffective-research shows the microflora found in some types of animal dung contain antibiotic substances.
According to 1500 B.C.’s Ebers Papyrus, donkey, dog, gazelle and fly dung were all celebrated for their healing properties and their ability to ward off bad spirits. Most disgusting of all, Egyptian physicians used human and animal excrement as a cure-all remedy for diseases and injuries. 6 Scandals That Rocked the Winter Olympics
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