i. p. 408, b 1). Goat-dung “Matrici fluxui conferunt,” “stercus caprarum
siccum” (vol. i. p. 388, a 15, and vol. i. p. 390, a 50).
For epilepsy, one of the remedies was “stercus cameli” (vol. i. p. 338,
a 6). Yellow jaundice, “Icteritias conferunt,” “urina mulieris cum aqua
mellis” (vol. i. p. 330, a 31); for burns, “Stercus caprarum et ovium cum
aceto” (vol. i. p. 389, b 62). Another remedy for burns was, “Stercus
columbarum cum melle et semine lini” (vol. i. p. 389, b 65).
“Impetigine conferunt,” “urina” (vol. i. p. 330, a 10); for ulcers,
“Stercus cameli et pecudis” (vol. i. p. 388, a 9); also for the same,
“stercus canis ab ossibus cum mellis” (vol. i. p. 390, a 2); also “urina
asini et hominis” (vol. i. p. 408, a 31); human urine again prescribed
for ulcers, in vol. i. p. 231, 646.
“Stercoris muris decoctio” alleviated difficulty in urination (vol. i.
p. 361, a 63). “Impetigine conferunt,” “stercus columbarum et turdorum”
(vol. i. p. 390, a 1).
As a cure for the wounds of Armenian arrows (9, “De sagittis Armenis”)
Avicenna says: “Jam parvenit ad me quod potus stercoris humani est
theriaca ad illud” (vol. i. p. 305, a 5). (“Theriaca” means literary a
remedy for the bites of serpents and wild beasts, but in the present case
it is used to mean a panacea.)
For poisonous bites, “ad morsum viperarum et omnium venenosorum
animalium” “et iterum quæ bonæ sunt” (“Medicinæ” understood) “est stercus
caprinum commixtum in vino et detur in potu” (vol. ii. p. 227, b 36);
“Urina hominis” also prescribed for the same in the same paragraph. The
dung of goats, mixed with pepper and cinnamon, a provocative of the
menses (vol. i. p. 390, a 49).
The dung of mice prescribed internally for the cure of running from the
ears, to aid in the expulsion of the after-birth, calculus, poison of
venomous reptiles, etc. (vol. i. pp. 361, a 58).
“Matrici fluxui conferunt,” “stercus caprarum siccum” (vol. i. p. 388, a
15, and vol. i. pp. 390, a 50).
“Spasma conferunt,” “Urina” (vol. i. p. 408, a 40); “Splenis duritiei
conferunt,” “Stercus caprarum” (vol. i. p. 30, a 50).
“Ano conferunt,” “Urina infantium lactentium” (vol. i. p. 408, a 55).
“Stercus pecudis adustum cum aceto” was prescribed for the bite of a mad
dog (vol. i. pp. 388, a 21); “Urina cum nitro” (idem, vol. i. p. 408, b
7); “Canis stercus pro anginæ curatione” (vol. i. p. 616, a 59).
MISCELLANEOUS.
Marco Polo mentions that in the province of Carazan (Khorassan?), the
common sort of people carried poison about their persons, so that if
taken prisoners by the Tartars, they might commit suicide; but the
Tartars compelled them to swallow dog’s dung as an antidote.—(See Marco
Polo, in Pinkerton, vol. vii. p. 143.)
“In cases of sickness, the Eskimo of Cumberland Sound are not allowed to
clean their chambers before sunrise.”—(“The Central Eskimo,” Boas, p.
593.)
The writings of the best medical authorities for the first two
centuries after the discovery of the art of printing teem with copious
dissertations upon the value of these medicaments in all diseases, and as
potent means of frustrating the maleficence of witches; the best of these
writings will be selected and arranged in chronological order.
“A dram of a shepe’s tyrdle,
And good Saint Francis gyrdle,
With the hamlet of a hyrdle,
Are wholsom for the pyppe.”
(Brand, “Pop. Ant.” vol. iii. p. 311, art. “Rural Charms,”
quoting Bale, “Interlude concerning the Laws of Nature,
Moses, and Christ.” 4to. 1562.)
“An oyle drawne out of the excrements of Chyldren” and “An Oyle drawne
out of Manne’s Ordure,” described as medicines in the “Newe Jewell of
Health,” by George Baker, Chirurgeon, London, 1576 (Black Letter), pp.
171, 172, was prescribed for fistula and several other ailments.
“Water distilled from Manne’s Ordure” was given internally for the
falling sickness, dropsy, etc.... There was also an “Oyle drawne out of
the Excrements of Chyldren,” as well as one from “Manne’s Ordure” (see
“Doctor Gesnerus, faithfully Englished,” p. 76). In the same work we
read of “Water of Doue’s dung ... which helpeth the stone” when taken
internally.—(Idem p. 77.)
Paracelsus seems to be entitled to more credit than is generally accorded
him; he was a chemist, in the early stages of that science, groping in
the dark, but he was not the mere quack so many are anxious to make him
out to have been. He condemns the old practice of medicine:—“The olde
Physitians made very many medicines of most filthy things, as of the
filth of the eares, sweat of the body, of women’s menstrues (and that
which it is horrible to be spoken), of the Dung of man and other beastes,
spittle, urine, flies, mice, the ashes of an owle’s head, etc.... Truly,
when I consider with myself the pride of these fooles which disdaine this
metalline part of Physicke (which after their manner, contumeliously they
call Chymerican, and therefore can neither helpe their owne nor many
other diseases), I call to mind a storie ... of Herachio Ephesio, which
being sick of a leprosie, despising the help of Physitians, anoynting
himself over with cow-dung, set himselfe in the sun to drie, and falling
asleepe was torn to pieces by dogges.”—(Paracelsus, “Experiments,”
translation of 1596, p. 59.)
This last statement should be compared with the description of the
suicides of the East Indian fanatics, given under “Ordeals and
Punishments.”
Dr. Fletcher, United States Army, states that in old medical practice in
England, from the time of Queen Elizabeth down to comparatively modern
days, consumptive patients were directed to inhale the fumes of ordure.
“Some physicians say that the smell of a jakes is good against the
plague.”—(“Ajax,” p. 74.)
Urine was one of the ingredients from which Paracelsus prepared his
“Crocus or Tincture of Metals.”—(See “Archidoxes,” English translation,
London, 1661, p. 59.)
Further on he says, “The salt of man’s urine hath an excellent quality
to cleanse; it is made thus,” etc. (p. 74). He also says: “Man’s dung,
or excrement, hath very great virtues, because it contains in it all the
noble essences, viz.: of the Food and Drink, concerning which wonderful
things might be written.”—(“Archidoxes,” lib. v. p. 74.)
“To distill Oyle of a Man’s Excrements, ... Take the Doung of a young,
sanguine child, or man, as much as you will.... This helpeth the Canker
and mollifieth fistulas; comforteth those that are troubled with
Alopecea.”—(“The Secrets of Physicke,” London, 1633, p. 98.)
“For any manner of Ache ... a plaister of Pigeon’s dung” (see “A Rich
Storehouse or Treasurie for the Diseased,” Ralph Blower, London, 1616,
black letter, p. 3); also, “Hen’s Dung” (idem, p. 4); to provoke urine, a
plaster of Horse dung was applied to the patient (p. 25.)
“For spitting of blood ... the dung of mice was drunk in wine” (idem, p.
29); for sore breasts of women, a plaster of Goose dung (p. 33); “for
Burns and Scalds ... a Plaster of Sheepe’s doung,” (p. 38); also, “the
Doung of Geese” (p. 39).
“For deafe ears ... the pisse of a pale Goat” was poured into them (p.
67); horse-dung was used as a face-lotion (p. 106); for the bloody flux
soak the feet in water in which “Doue’s Doung has been seethed” (p.
119). For the gout, “Stale pisse” was an ingredient in a composition
for external application (p. 119). For stitch in the side and back
“Pigeon’s Doung” was used externally (p. 172); for sciatica, “Oxe-Doung
and Pigeon’s Doung” in equal parts, were applied as a plaster (p. 173).
Cow-dung was used internally in hydrocele (“The Chyrurgeon’s Closet,”
London, 1632, p. 38); the urine of boys was used as an application to
ulcers in the legs (idem, p. 24); again, the urine of immaculate boys was
employed for the cure of all inveterate ulcers (p. 27); goat-dung was
applied externally for the cure of auricular abscesses and for ulcers
(pp. 35 and 42); cow-dung and dove-dung were used in the same manner
(idem p. 42); dove-dung was also used externally in the treatment of
sciatica (p. 48), and for “Shingles” (idem p. 51). Goat-dung, externally,
for tumors (p. 49); goose-dung, externally, for canker in the breasts of
women (p. 50); swallow-dung, externally, for angina; chicken-dung for the
same (p. 58); cow-dung, externally, for tumors in the feet (p. 56); cow
and goat dung, externally, in dropsy (p. 222); and many others throughout
the volume.
In a black letter copy of “The Englishman’s Treasure,” London, 1641, is
given a cure for wounds, in which it is directed “To wash the wounde
very cleane with urine.”—(In Toner Collection, Library of Congress,
Washington, D. C.)
To restrain excessive menstrual flow, apply hot plasters of horse-dung,
between the navel and the privy parts.—(See “The Englishman’s Treasure,”
by Thomas Vicary, Surgeon to King Henry VIII., Queen Mary, and Queen
Elizabeth; London, 1641, p. 184; this little volume contains nothing else
of value to this work.)
Horse-dung was used internally for pleurisy (“Secrets in Physicke,” by
the Comtesse of Kent, London, 1654, pp. 26, 27); goose-dung, internally,
for yellow jaundice (idem, p. 37); “Hound’s Turd,” externally, “to cure
the bleeding of a Wound” (idem, p. 46); peacock’s dung, internally, for
the falling sickness or convulsions (idem, p. 56); “The patient’s own
water,” externally, for pains in the breast (p. 64); pigeon’s dung, both
internally and externally, in child-birth pains (p. 68); goose-dung,
externally, for burns (p. 96); hen’s dung, externally, for burns (p.
152); and for sore eyes (p. 174); “stale urine,” externally, for sore
feet (p. 163).
“The stale of a cow and the furring of a chamber-pot” to be given,
applied locally and externally, for scald head (“Most excellent and
most approved Remedies,” London, 1652, p. 80). “The Urine of him that
is sick,” externally, for stitch in the side (p. 115); goose dung,
externally, for canker in woman’s breast (p. 129); “Urin of a Man Child
(he beeing not aboue 3 years of age)” was a component in a salve for the
king’s evil (p. 132). For patients sick of the plague, “Let them drink
twice a day a draught of their own urin” (p. 143).
“A certain countryman at Antwerp was an example of this, who, when he
came into a shop of sweet smells, he began to faint, but one presently
clapt some fresh smoking horse-dung under his nose and fetched him
to again.”—(Levinus Lemnius, “The Secret Miracles of Nature,” Eng.
translation, London, 1658, p. 107, speaking of the effects of sweet and
nasty smells upon different persons.)
“The urine of a Lizard, ... the dung of an elephant,” were in medical
use, according to Montaigne (“Essays,” Hazlitt’s translation, New York,
1859, vol. iii. p. 23; art. “On the Resemblance of Children to their
Parents”). Also, “the excrement of rats beaten to powder” (idem). The
above remedies were for the stone.
Doctor Garrett mentions “water of amber made by Paracelsus out of
cow-dung,” and gives the recipe for its distillation, as well as for that
of its near relative, “water of dung,” the formula for which begins with
the words, “Take any kind of dung you please.”[73]
The work of Daniel Beckherius, “Medicus Microcosmus,” published in
London, in 1660, is full of the value of excrementitious remedial agents.
Urine alone was applied to eradicate lice from the human head; but a
secondary application of dove’s dung was then plastered on (p. 62). Urine
was drunk as a remedy for epilepsy, used as an eye-wash, and various
other ocular affections, and dropped into the ears for various abscesses
and for deafness (pp. 63, 64).
A lotion of one’s own urine was good for the palsy; but where this had
been occasioned by venery, excessive drinking, or mercury, the urine of
a boy was preferable (p. 64). A drink of one’s own urine, taken while
fasting, was commended in obstructions of the liver and spleen, and in
dropsy and yellow jaundice (idem); but some preferred the urine of a
young boy (p. 65). For jaundice the remedy should be drunk every morning,
and the treatment continued for some time (idem).
For retention of urine the remedy was to drink the urine of a young girl
(p. 66). Urine was drunk as a remedy for long-continued constipation
(idem); for falling of the womb stale urine was applied as a fomentation
(idem); for hysteria human ordure and stale urine were applied to the
nostrils (idem); the urine of the patient was drunk as a cure for
worms (idem); urine was used as a wash for chapped hands, also for all
cutaneous disorders (idem); also for “ficus ani” (p. 67). For gout in
the feet the patient should bathe them in his own urine, also for travel
sores, as he would then be able to resume his journey next day (idem).
One’s own urine was drunk as a preservative from the plague. Beckherius
says he knew of his own knowledge that it had been used with wonderful
success between 1620 and 1630 for this purpose.
Urine was recommended as a drink in lues veneris; while a sufferer
from cancer was bathed in his own urine and Roman vitriol; ulcers were
likewise bathed with the patient’s own urine (p. 68). Urine was applied
as a lotion to wounds, bruises, and contusions (p. 69). Beckherius
recites the case of a laborer who was buried under a falling mass of
earth, in 1522, but, being protected by some obstruction, nourished
himself for seven days on his own urine. Besides being used alone in the
above cases, urine entered as an ingredient into medicines for old sores
(p. 72); against the growth of “wild hairs,” ocular affections, throat
troubles as gargle (p. 73), affections of the spleen (p. 74). The urine
of a boy was to be employed in paralysis and in erysipelas (idem); the
urine of a boy was also prescribed in suppression of the menses, and
the urine of a man in podagra (75). The urine of undefiled boys entered
into the composition of _aqua ophthalmica_, and was used externally in
rheumatism of the legs (p. 74).
The urine of boys was used as an ointment in some fevers; also as a
fomentation in tympanitis, as a plaster in dropsy, for gangrene and
podagra, in various clysters, in the cure of calculi and cachexy (pp.
78, 79); in some of the plasters cow and dove dung also entered. For
the treatment of anasarca there was a “spagyric preparation of urine.”
To make the spirit of urine by distillation, some took the urine of
a healthy man, some that of a wine-drinking boy of twelve years (pp.
81, 82). This spirit was administered in lung troubles, in dropsy,
suppression of the menses, all kinds of fevers, retention of urine,
calculus, etc. (p. 85); also in eye troubles, strangury, diabetes,
podagra, catarrh, melancholia, phrensy, cardialgia, syncope, dysentery,
plague, malignant fevers (p. 86).
The “spirit of urine” was again distilled with vitriol to make an
anti-podagric remedy (85).
Salt of urine was made by distilling the urine of a boy and collecting
the saline residuum; it was administered in cardiac troubles and to aid
in the expulsion of the dead fœtus; from it were made various empirical
remedies,—moon salt, the salt of Jove, salt of Mercury, spirit of Orion,
mercurius microcosmicus, which were used for all kinds of physical
infirmities (p. 87). The quintessence of urine was distilled from the
urine of a strong, healthy, chaste man of thirty years, who had drunk
heavily of wine for the occasion; by another authority it is recommended
that this happen while the sun and Jupiter may be in “Piscibus.” This
was used in calculi of the kidneys and bladder and in all ulcerations of
those parts; externally, as a lotion in gonorrhæa and external ulcers of
the private parts, for wounds and lesions of all sorts, urinary troubles,
worms, putrid fevers, and as a preservative against the plague, for hard
tumors, etc. (p. 97).
An “anti-epileptic spirit” had the urine of boys as its main component
(p. 95); there was an “anti-epileptic extract of the moon” (p. 96); an
“anti-podagric medicament” of the same components almost. A “panacea
solaris” had for its principal ingredient the urine of a boy who had been
drinking freely of wine (p. 97).
HUMAN ORDURE.
Beckherius cites a case where its use for three days cured a man of
yellow jaundice; dried, powdered, and drunk in wine, it cured febrile
paroxysms (p. 112); it was recommended to be that of a boy fed for some
time on bread and beans.
To smell human ordure in the morning, fasting, protected from plague (pp.
112, 113).
He also gives the mode of preparing “zibethum,” or “occidental sulphur”
(p. 116).
As a cure for angina a mixture was prescribed containing the white dung
of dogs; also human ordure, swallow-dung, licorice, and candy (p. 113).
In cancer, human ordure was applied as a plaster, mixed with turpentine,
tobacco, antimony, powdered litharge, powdered crabs, etc. (pp. 113, 114).
He also gives the formulas for preparing _aqua_ and _oleum ex stercore
humano_ (p. 114). In other places the use of ordure and urine in medicine
is mentioned as a matter of course.—(See p. 274; also under the headings
of “Ass,” “Mouse,” “Horse,” etc.; again, pp. 114, 192 _et seq._)
Beckherius gives a list of a number of preparations which to our more
enlightened view of such things must appear trivial, and need not be
repeated here in detail,—such as one for “extracting the vitriol of
metals,” etc. Into the preparation of all these human urine entered.
Potable gold was made with a menstruum of spirits of wine and human
urine, half and half (pp. 100-102); there was an “oil of sulphur”
prepared from human urine (103); there was a “precipitate of mercury and
urine” (idem); there was finally a _ludum urinæ_, the residuum after the
distillation of the _aqua_ or the _spiritus_ respectively, which was
prescribed medicinally in the same way as these were (pp. 109, 110).
Von Helmont called the salt obtained by the distillation of human urine
“duelech.” (See “Oritrike, or Physicke Refined,” John Baptist von
Helmont, English translation, London, 1662, pp. 847-849.) This was the
name generally given by Paracelsus to the stone in the bladder. Von
Helmont instances a cure of tympanitis or dropsy by a belly-plaster of
hot cow-dung, and adds, “Neither, therefore, doth Paracelsus vainly
commend dungs, seeing that they are the salts of putrefied meats” (p.
520).
Petræus (Henricus) Nosolog. Harmon. lib. i. dissertat. 13, p. 252, et
Joh. Schæderas, pharmacop. med. chym. lib. v. p. 829, “stercus siccatum
tritum et cum melle illitum ad anguinam curandam magni usus esse
dicunt.”—(“Bib. Scatalogica,” p. 84.)
The ponderous tomes of Michael Etmuller contain all that was known or
believed in on this subject at the time of their publication, A.D. 1690.
He gives reasons for the employment of each excrement, solid or liquid,
human or animal, which need not be detailed at this moment.
Human urine. “Urina calif. exsiccat, resolvit, abstergit, discutit,
mundificat, putredini resistit, ideoque usus est præcipue intrinsecus
in obstructione epatis, lienis, vesicæ, biliaræ, pestis preservatione,
hydrope, ictero.... Exstrinsecus siccat scabiem, resolvit tumores,
mundificat vulnera etiam venenata, arcet gangrænam, solvit alvum (in
clysmata) abstergit furfures capitis.... compescit febriles insullus
(pulsui applicata) exulceratas aures sanat (instillata pueri urina)
oculorum tubedine subvenit (instillata) artuum tremorem tollit (lotione)
uvulæ tumorem discutit (gargas), lienis dolores sedat (cum cinere
cataplasmata).”
From the urine of a wine-drinking boy, “urina pueri (ann. 12) vinum
bibentis,” distilled over human ordure, was made “spiritus urinæ” of
great value in the expulsion of calculi, although it stunk abominably,
“sed valde fœtet.” This was employed in the treatment of gout, asthma,
calculi, and diseases of the bladder. (Etmuller, “Schroderi Diluc.,” vol.
ii. p. 265.) There are several other methods given of obtaining this
“spiritus urinæ per distillationem.”
Then there was a “spiritus urinæ per putrefactionem.” To make this, the
urine of a boy twelve years old, who had been drinking wine, was placed
in a receptacle, surrounded by horse-dung for forty days, allowed to
putrefy, then decanted upon human ordure, and distilled in an alembic,
etc. There were other methods for making this also, but this one will
suffice. The resulting fluid was looked upon as a great “anodyne” for all
sorts of pains, and given both internally and externally, as well as in
scurvy, hypochondria, cachexy, yellow and black jaundice, calculi of the
kidneys and bladder, epilepsy, and mania.
“Potable gold” was made from this spirit. “Idem spiritus optime
purificatus (scil. aliquoties) in aqua pluvia solvendo et distillando
cumque spiritus vini analytice unitus solvit aurum, unde aurum potabile”
(vol ii. p. 266).
A urine bath was good for gout in the feet. A drink of one’s own urine
was highly praised as a preservative from the plague. “Urinæ: Potus urinæ
propriæ laudatur in preservanda et curanda peste.” Such a draught was
also used by women in labor. “Urinæ hausta a mulieribus parturientibus
partum facilitat.” Clysters of urine were administered in tympanites, or
dropsy of the belly. Urine was applied in ulcerations of the ears.
Saltpetre was formerly made from earth, lime, etc., saturated with human
urine, ordure, etc.
The “spiritus urinæ” obtained by the distillation of urine, removed
obstructions from the bladder, meatus, etc., expelled calculi, and was a
diaphoretic and an anti-scorbutic; it was likewise used in the cure of
hypochondria, cachexy, chlorosis, etc., taken internally.
From the distillation of vitriol and urine an anti-epileptic medicine was
obtained.—(Idem, vol. ii. p. 271.)
From the above-mentioned “spiritus urinæ per distillationem” was prepared
“magisterium urinæ seu microcosmi,” useful in cases of atrophy; it
also prevented the pains of the stone, if taken monthly before the new
moon.—(Etmuller, vol. ii. p. 266.)
Human ordure. “Stercus (carbon humanum Paracelsi, aliis sulph. occiden.)
emollit, maturat, anodynum est. Ea propter magni usus ad mitigandum
dolores incantatione introductos (impositum) ad anthraces pestilentiales
maturandos, ad phlegmonem, v. g. gutturis seu anginam curandam (siccatum,
tritum et cum melle illitum) ad inflammationem vulnerum arcendam. Quin et
intrinsecus a nonnullis adhibetur in angina (crematum et potui datum), in
febribus ad paroxysmos profligandos (eodem modo propinatum dos. 32), in
epilepsia, quam stercus primum infantuli siccatum et pulverisatum, et ad
complures dies exhibitum, radicitus evellere aiunt” (vol. ii. p. 266).
He alludes to the “aqua” and the “oleum” “ex stercore distillatum,”
both used in ophthalmic diseases, as cosmetics to restore color to the
face, to restore and produce hair, to cure tumors and fistulas, and
remove cicatrices, and for the cure of epilepsy. “Interne prodesse
aiunt comitialibus et hydropicis, lapidemque renum et vesicæ pellere,
morsibusque canis rabidi, venenatorumque animalium subvenire.” The “oleum
ex stercore” had to be prepared from the ordure of a young man, not a
boy, “juvenis, non pueri” (vol. ii. p. 266).
Etmuller tells the same story we have already had from so many other
sources, in regard to the medicinal properties ascribed to human ordure.
It was looked upon as a valuable remedy, applied as a poultice for all
inflammations and suppurations, carbuncles and pest buboes, administered
for the cure of bites of serpents, and all venomous animals. It should
be taken raw, dried, or in drink. It was the only specific against the
bites of the serpents of India, especially the “napellus,” whose bite
kills in four hours unless the patient adopts this method of cure. It was
considered a specific against the plague, and of great use in effecting
“magico-magnetic” or “sympathetic or transplantation” cures. It was also
in high repute for baffling the efforts of witches.
“Water distilled from ordure was good for sore eyes, especially if the
man whose ordure was used had been fed only on bread and wine. This was
administered internally for dropsy, calculus, epilepsy, bites of mad
dogs, carbuncles, etc.” (vol. ii. p. 272).