Gone Medieval Lizard Shampoo, Potions & Remedies
Nov 11, 2025
Join Professor James Palmer, a medievalist from the University of St. Andrews, as he reveals fascinating findings on medieval health practices. Discover unique remedies like lizard shampoo and the healing powers of vultures' eyes wrapped in fox pelts. Learn about the significance of leeches, seasonal wellness regimens, and the surprising blend of astrology in medicine. Delve into how monks contributed to healthcare and the cultural exchanges that shaped medical knowledge in the medieval era.
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Medicine Hidden In Margins
- Early medieval people cared deeply about beauty, health, and practical remedies across social groups.
- Medical notes appear in unexpected books, showing everyday, networked knowledge exchange.
Digital Searches Doubled The Evidence
- The project found 198 previously uncatalogued early medieval manuscripts with medical material.
- Digitization and wider searches revealed far more medical evidence than mid-20th-century catalogs recorded.
Medicine Was Practical And Mobile
- Medical recipes turn up in calendars, astronomy books, and Virgil annotations, not only in dedicated treatises.
- This distribution shows medicine was practical, ad hoc, and used by travelers and communities.