Today’s remedies for winter bugs  include antibiotics, pain killers and various other  methods of dealing with symptoms such as hot lemon drinks or hot whiskey.  Of course it is not always possible to shorten the duration of an illness but at least we can make ourselves as comfortable as possible while it lasts.  I favour comfort food and  alcohol myself but  I recently came across an article, by Regina Sexton a food historian  which described some ancient Irish remedies that I found amusing.

Folk medicine offered a variety of cures for colds and flu.  Licking a young lizard or inhaling the breath of a gander were two rather interesting suggestions.  I imagine by the time you would find a young lizard to lick your cold would be well over!  Other suggestions include the consumption of whey, ass’s milk, mountain sage or scailt (this is a type of gruel).  An infusion of moss with honey and lemon juice was also recommended. To be honest this last one might be quite comforting.

There were also interesting options for tonsillitis and sore throat.  Rubbing a roast potato to the head was thought to transfer the sickness from the patient to the potato.  Similarly salt could be placed in the left foot sock and tied around the patients neck in order to draw out a sore throat.  If these attempts failed then pulling the hair at the top of the head was the next best option.

Preventative measures are also found in folk records.  Sipping forge water was thought to be beneficial.  Forge water was associated with iron which was thought to have curative properties especially  against diseases spread by fairies.  You could also try having three meals of young nettles in May.  This was thought to purify the blood and strengthen the stamina for the forthcoming year.

It’s interesting to look back and see what people believed in the past and how they tried to overcome disease.  Nevertheless I think I will stick to more modern remedies, no lizard hunting for me!