HERB - Ickies & Lovely Things

[Elizabeth A. Metzger]

According to John M. Riddle, in either "Eve's Herbs" or "Contraception
and Abortion from the Ancient World to the Renaissance" (ahhhh-Eve's
Herbs, p 68) crocodile feces was mixed with fermented dough and, it
would appear, inserted into the vagina...for a contraceptive...but this
was in ancient Egypt, not sure if use continued into our period...I'd
think it would cause an infection that would be enough to cause
infertility, at least...

What do y'all think of Mr. Riddle?  His insistence that all the
population estimates, etc, (low birth rate) point exclusively to women
practicing herbal contraception and abortion seem shaky...haven't had a
good chance to thouroughly read the books yet...the extensive notes
sections at the end are very impressive, though...

Gaylin Walli wrote:
> 
> Caro asked:
> >Wasn't dung used for something, too?  My fevered brain was trying to tell
> >me something...
> 
> Dung was used for a lot of stuff. From what I've found so far, bird feces
> seems to be the most prevalent in late period medicine herbal preparations.
> But I've read sheep's dung in earlier ones and I know there are more in
> other references. (Plaintive cry: my notebook is at home!).
> 
> Jasmine
> Iasmin de Cordoba, gwalli at infoengine.com
> 
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