We’re lucky to have a vast range of over-the- counter medicines available to alleviate our symptoms, but what was it like for our ancestors? Did they discover anything that we might use today in place of pharmaceuticals, or was it all old wives’ tales and superstition?
These days we’re lucky enough to be able to pinpoint the efficacy of some of these old remedies - and here are the useless ones, best left languishing in history books.
Traditional remedies that don't work
Tallow poultice
A flannel was soaked in warm tallow (from beef) and placed on the chest. This may not have cured the cold, but was perhaps comforting for a little while, if you discount the effort of removing the messy cold tallow from your bedclothes and skin.
Dirty socks
Yes really! Another uncomfortable remedy using lard involves socks – the grubbier the better. Soak filthy socks in lard and swathe around your neck like a scarf. Given that this particular cure belongs to medieval days prior to washing machines and detergents, most socks would have been pretty pongy anyway.
Frog skin cocktail
A decoction of juice or wine with powdered skin of a frog. Did it work? Unlikely.
Mustard plaster
A paste made from mustard seed powder, mixed with goose fat and smeared on the chest, was a popular pre-First World War remedy. Mustard is so fiery that it can cause blistering and damage to the skin. The vapours from the mustard, though, may help clear nasal and bronchial passages.
White Bryony
William Fernie’s 1897 book Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure, advises a tincture of wild white bryony as a cure for “coughs and colds of a feverish bronchial sort”. NOT one to try at home as the plant is dangerously toxic, has incredibly strong purgative qualities and blisters the skin.
Snail syrup
An ancient German cure. Lots of snails, prised from their shells, were pounded together with honey.
If you fancy trying this at home, this remedy served a dual purpose. Not only was it said to soothe a sore throat, it was also used as a face cream.