[Sca-cooks] The great Medieval water myth

[Terry Decker]

per ENHG: erhalten = obtain, sustain

**Erhalten can also mean "continue, go on" which I suspect is the meaning 
here in reference to being a cook.

therefor all the water/ which has a sour/ sharp/
over-salted taste/ as of sulphur and Nitro
(soda?)/ it is harmful and unhealthy to use as a
natural drink.


Ranvaig

If the word being used is "Natron," it's an obsolete reference to sodium in 
the general and sodium carbonate in the particular.  Modernly, he would 
likely use the word Alkali in reference to a mineralized water possibly 
containing such nasty alkalis as arsenic.  The tap water in Reno, while safe 
to drink, is an example.

Bear