The Toppan Rare Book Library holds fascinating examples of historic books on home medicine. One is The Accomplish'd Ladies Delight in Preserving, Physick, Beautifying and Cookery, written by Hannah Woolley. It was published in London in 1685.
The chapter on healing contains some rather unusual remedies. For pleurisy, it recommends boiling horse dung in white wine, straining it, sweetening it with sugar, and having the patient drink it.
Another is a salve claimed to be effective against pain, sores, scalds, cuts, and burns. It’s made by boiling beeswax, olive oil, and the highly toxic substance red lead until the mixture turns dark.
For an earache, readers are advised eardrops made from the juice of wild cucumbers.
These curious cures offer a glimpse into the medical practices of the past and highlight the value of rare books in preserving historical knowledge, even when the remedies seem odd or even dangerous by modern standards.
Visit the Toppan Rare Book Library at UW’s American Heritage Center to learn more.