Press Release: Deadly Diseases @EdinDungeon

OLDE EDINBURGH’S MOST CURIOUS CURES

With a burgeoning population living in insanitary conditions, the residents of olde Britain faced a multitude of illnesses; and the city of Edinburgh with its cramped living conditions and fetid closes were no exception.Thank goodness then for the doctors able to prescribe remedies for the more common ailments. These antidotes were adopted feverishly by patients, although even these slightly maverick physicians wouldn’t claim to be able to rescue the masses from epidemics of the most deadly diseases…

Here, we take a look at the top ten curious cures recommended to the people of our fair capital in the 17^th century – we’ll leave it up to you decide which you would risk giving a try…

To cure asthma: Tar water, sea water, nettle juice and quicksilver are all acceptable cures, but a method that seldom fails is living a fortnight on boiled carrots only.

To cure ‘A Cold in the Head’: Pare very thin the rind of an orange. Roll it up inside out and thrust inside each nostril.

To cure toothache: Try rubbing the cheek every quarter of an hour, or putting a clove of garlic into the ear.

For burns and scalds: Take a live snail and rub its slime against the burn and it will heal.

To cure gout: Take an owl and pluck it clean and open it, clean and salt it. Put it in a new pot and cover it with a stone and put it in an oven and let it stand till it be burnt. And then stamp [pound] it with boar’s grease and anoint the gout therewith.

To cure a cough: Boil a pan of onions, allow it to cool and then drink the lukewarm broth to treat tickly coughs.

To cure bed wetting: A mouse rotted and given to children to eat remedies wetting the bed.

To cure syphilis: One of the more deadly of the curious cures, highly toxic mercury was often used to attempt to cure Syphilis – and could be administered by mouth, by rubbing it on the skin, or by injection.

To cure a migraine: The technique of Trepanning – first used thousands of years ago – had something of a revival in the 16^th century. Often used to treat migraine, it involved great holes being bored into brain-bearing skulls to prevent the pain.

And to cure just about anything else: Visit your friendly barber surgeon for a ‘blood-letting’ session. Ask for an incision to be made - usually in the arm - and a tourniquet applied and allow the blood to flow. (The red and white pole that we still see outside barber shops today represents this practice.)

Deadly Diseases began on 18th March 2016 and, due to popular demand, has been extended until 29^th May 2016, with shows running from 10am – 5pm daily.  Ticket prices start from £11.75 for adults, and £9.95 for concessions (online saver rate). For more information or to book tickets please visit www.thedungeons.com/edinburgh or follow @EdinDungeon for updates

References:  An Easy and Natural Method of Curing Most Disease, John Wesley, 1747 Dragon’s Blood & Willow Bark: The Mysteries of Medieval Medicine, Toni Mount, 2015& The Widow's Treasure (1595).