Double, Double Toil & Trouble: Pick Your Poison from the Apothecary Collection
Calling all witches! All Hallows’ Eve is just around the corner and the Witching Hour is upon us. It’s time to set out on your broomsticks and start gathering supplies for those spooky potions, charms, and tinctures. You don’t want to find yourself without an essential ingredient like eye of newt or toe of frog this Halloween.
We’ve even heard rumors that there might be a shortage of your favorite ingredients like wool of bat and tongue of dog this year too. Gasp! Your potions just won’t have the same kick if you can’t make the secret recipe just right. So, we recommend that you get a head start on your Halloween by visiting the new DBH Apothecary Collection for all the best potion supplies this year!
In honor of the new Apothecary Collection, we’re taking a look back on some of the weirdest medieval remedies from around the world. And — all we can say is — thank goodness for modern medicine!
1) Boiled Frog
Are you suffering from all sorts of aches and pains? Well — you’re in luck — we have the cure for you!
According to a remedy from the 1800s, all you need to do is find a “good sized live toad”, season it with some butter, and then boil it in water.
We’re not exactly sure if you’re supposed to eat it or just rub it on your sprained ankle; both sound equally unpleasant to us though.
2) Get Yourself Some Pigs
Are you suffering from lack of sleep? Were you up all night finishing your favorite television series or writing that important report for work?
Lucky for you, we just read up on some of the best cures for fatigue from the fourteenth century! Nope, it’s not a jar filled with magical dreams and relaxation.
In the medieval era, people who suffered from lethargy were instructed to pull their hair, nose, or just “cause pigs to squeal in their ears.”
There are some other suggestions as well, but we just can’t imagine how that whole pig thing won’t help. Who needs other suggestions when you can have pigs screaming in your ears all day?
3) Carrots All Day, Every Day
Don’t worry about your asthma anymore because we have just the thing for you!
According to John Wesley’s book, Primitive Physic, published in 1747, all you need to do is “live a fortnight on boiled carrots only. It seldom fails.”
Well that seems simply enough... Eat more carrots. Actually, eat only carrots.
4) Sleep Tight, Little Mouse
Is someone you know still struggling with wetting the bed? There’s no need to be embarrassed anymore because — according to John Partridge’s The Widow’s Treasure published in 1595 — all you need to know is that “a mouse rotted and given to children to eat remedieth pissing the bed.”
Whoa... we were not expecting that one. I guess it makes sense? Forcing someone to eat a rotting mouse would certainly make them take notice. Fear is one heck of a deterrent. We’ll do whatever you want, please just don’t make us eat that mouse!
5) Snail Blazer
If you accidentally burned yourself, then we have the perfect remedy for you! Go out, find yourself a snail, and then rub that little sucker all over your burn.
*Shudder* Apparently, snail slime contains ant-inflammatory properties. Who knew?
We knew we loved snails for a reason. Those guys are lifesavers; plus they’re adorable.
Phew. So we’ve learned that if you were alive during the medieval era, it was better to pretend that you did not have asthma, you were never tired, and you most definitely did not wet the bed.
However, if you were hoping to make a few remedies of your own this Halloween (hopefully better than the ones we found), then be sure to visit the Design By Humans’ Apothecary Collection for spooky tees to inspire your poisons, spells, and magical potions!
