Old English Medical Remedies: Mandrake, Wormwood and Raven's Eye

An extensive exploration of medical and psychological treatments from the Anglo-Saxons.

Format: Hardback
Length: 172 pages
Publication date: 05 February 2018
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

In the 9th century, England's Bishop Alfeah the Bald delved into the realm of magic, seeking remedies from pagan women. Despite the risk to his reputation, his legacy lives on through the pages of his book, which holds a cure for the superbug MRSA, where modern antibiotics have failed. This groundbreaking discovery sparked the creation of Ancientbiotics, a new field of medical research dedicated to exploring the potential applications of these ancient remedies.

However, the book's pages also contain references to elves, hags, and nightwalkers, urging prescriptions of a different and unsettling nature. Cures for moon madness and hysteria are intertwined with directives to drink sheep's dung and jump across dead men's graves.

Old English Medical Remedies delves into the herbal efficacy of these ancient remedies while also examining the supernatural and magical elements. It suggests that these elements provide a powerful psychological narrative, revealing an approach to healthcare far more sophisticated than previously believed. The book brings to life the voices of the wise women who created and used these remedies, after centuries of demonization by the Church.

Through its exploration of the intersection of medicine, magic, and spirituality, Old English Medical Remedies offers a fresh perspective on the history and legacy of ancient healing practices. It challenges the notion that these remedies were primitive and superstitious, instead revealing them as a sophisticated and effective form of healthcare that was deeply intertwined with the spiritual and cultural beliefs of the time.

Weight: 480g
Dimension: 240 x 164 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526711700