Medieval Parent Magazine – Childhood Illness

 

(Thought I forgot about this series, didn’t ya?)

 

Article – “How I cured my son’s colic with boar bile”  True Story!

 

I really couldn’t find much on this specific remedy. Enemas were apparently a big fad in those times and one was with pig bile. However, there were a lot of other remedies for infant colic.

 

Women could rub their nipples with opium lotion. Alcohol seemed to be another favorite. I imagine after several hours of a crying baby with colic both mother and child could use a drink. Other liquids recommended were boiled onion water, catnip tea, orange blossom water or olive oil.

 

And if none of those things worked…there was also exorcism.

 

If the woman in the article was able to cure it with boar bile, then good on her!

 

Random thought:

Shakespearean insult

“Villain, I have done thy mother.”