Oddities... (Was RE: [Sca-cooks] Good News from Drakey

[kingstaste at mindspring.com]

I am re-reading "The Journeyer" by Gary Jennings, which is the story of Marco
Polo told first-hand.  In it, he mentions a cure for hemmoroids that is an
onion, boiled soft, then bound in place with a cloth.  He then describes a
situation in which he gets to see this cure, but I won't go there.  The
section I'm in right now they are in Kithai(China), and he keeps describing
malegheta pepper, a red, hot pepper that is used in sauces and even in the
plaster in one inn to deter pests.  I have found Jenning's research to be
pretty good in the past (especially for historical fiction), but I keep
running up against this and wondering.  Any ideas?
Christianna

On Tue, 03 Sep 2002 10:44:22 +1000 "Jones, Craig"
<Craig.Jones at airservices.gov.au> wrote:

> It's from Digby's apothocary's manuscript.
>
> Take a fig and soak in brandy and herbs (I
> can't remember which ones).
> Flame the fig and let it burn for a pretty
> time.  Blow it out and apply
> it to the affected area 'for as long as the
> lord shall bear it'...
>
> Brings tears to my eyes...
>
> D.