Medieval Medicine: You Want Me To Do What?

 The Old Ways: Remedies of Earth and Body

A Glimpse into Medieval Healing Practices

 In doing research for my next book which includes some bit of Medieval medicine, I came across a marvelous website from the Univeristy of Cambridge which includes the case notes of Doctor Simon Forman and Dr. Richard Napier. Both practiced in the late 1500s-early 1600s and recorded the details of their assesments and treatments. 

Alongside complex astrological readings are an array of medicinal treatments that both stagger and horrify in equal measure. From the ordinary-white wine- to the macabre-the caul from the face of a first born female infant, the list includes: the hides of black sheep; boiled, cat blood, radish juice, broth made from the testicles of a boar pig, liver of a frog, leeches, bezoar stones and more. 

One of the most frequent ingredients is dung. Pigeon dung, mice dung, cow dung, smoked hog dung, dog dung and yes, even human dung. Ewww! My first reaction was horror but then I decided to dive deeper and if there was any rational reason for such a gross treatment. Here's what I found.

From the Hedgerow

The use of human and animal waste in healing may seem unsettling to modern eyes, yet in the medieval world it was woven into the fabric of everyday medicine. Wise women, cunning folk (like my Midsummer Women), and learned physicians alike drew upon all that the natural world offered—nothing was wasted, and everything held potential power.

Ancient Roots

Much of this knowledge flowed down from earlier authorities such as Pliny the Elder and Galen. In his writings, Pliny recorded remedies using animal dung—dog dung for throat ailments, pigeon droppings for inflammation—each chosen for its perceived properties within the balance of the body.

Turkish archeologist, Cenker Atila, found a brown reside in several ancient Roman glass bottles. When studied it was found to be human feces, thyme and olive oil, the same combination as recommended by Galen. 

The Balance of Humors

Medieval healers believed the body was governed by four humors: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. Substances with heat, dryness, or strong odor—such as dung or urine—were thought to restore imbalance. Dried animal waste might be used to draw out infection or excess moisture from wounds.

From the Manuscripts

Texts such as the Trotula (13th century texts on female medicine) and various Anglo-Saxon leechbooks preserve these practices. Remedies often combined herbs with animal byproducts. One preparation calls for cow dung mixed with honey and herbs to cleanse wounds—a blend both earthy and symbolic, binding decay with sweetness and life.

Water of Life

Urine held a special place in medieval medicine. It was used to diagnose illness through uroscopy, but also as a treatment for burns, wounds, and eye ailments. Though not understood in modern terms, its properties were believed to cleanse and protect.

A Living Tradition

These practices were not born of ignorance, but of observation, tradition, and a deep connection to the natural world. Even the most unlikely substances were seen as part of a greater whole—each carrying hidden virtues waiting to be called upon.

Closing Thoughts

In the old ways, healing was not separate from the earth—it was of it. What we turn away from today once held a place in the healer’s craft, a reminder that knowledge is ever changing, and that even the humblest materials may hold forgotten power.

"Nothing in nature is without virtue, if one knows how to see it."