[Sca-cooks] Beets and backfiles was Beets

[Laura C. Minnick]

At 08:05 AM 2/2/2004, you wrote:
>While Johnnae quotes the OED for the word "beet",
>here is the OED entry for the word "beetroot":
>
>The root of the beet ... 1579 Langham 'Gard.
>Health' "Strake a little salt on a beete roote,
>and plant it into the fundament."
>
>I am not sure what that means, but I present it
>anyway. :-)

***grossout meter warning***

It's a remedy for hemorrhoids. Potatoes used to be used the same way. 
Carved into a little 'plug', they not only push the nasty buggers back in 
for awhile (in hopes the swelling will go down a bit) but they were felt to 
have an astringent property, which also helps get the swelling down.

Don't remember where I got that bit of arcane wisdom, but there is it.

'Lainie
-sad that I didn't make any of the 'top ten' lists! *sob!*
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