Honey As Medicine In The Middle Ages

Honey As Medicine In The Middle Ages


The population of the Middle Ages had great faith in honey. This is best illustrated by the statement of Charles Butler in the History of Bees, 1623: "Hoonni cleareth all the obstructions of the body, lossenth the belly, purgeth the foulness of the body and provoketh urine. It cutteth and casteth up Flegmatic matter and therefore sharpneth the stomachs of them, which by reason thereof have little appetite; it purgeth those things which hurt the clearness of the eyes and nourisheth very much. It breedeth good blood it sturreth up and preserveth natural heat and prolongeth old age; physicians do temper therewith such medicines as they mean keep long; yea the bodys of the dead, being enbalmed with Hoonni, have been thereby preserved from putrefaction. It is drunk against the biting of a Serpent or mad Dog and it is good for them, which have eaten mushrooms or drunk Poppy; against which evil Rosed-hoonni is taken warm. It is also good for falling sickness and better than wine because it can-not arise to the head as wine doeth. Hoonni is most fit for old men, women and children, for such as rheumatic and flegmatic and generally for all that are of cold temperature. To young men and that of a hot constitution is not so good because it easily turned into kholer."

The climax of Butler's statement is "Hoonni is altered by distillation into a water which Raimundus Lullius (that excellent Kymist) called the Quintessence of Hoonni. This quintessence dissolveth gold and makes it potable; likewise any sort of precious stone that is put therein. It is of such virtue that if any be dying and drink two or three drams thereof, presently he will revive. If you wash any wound therewith, it will heal quickly. It is good also against cough, catarrh and pains of the melt and against many other diseases. It helpeth also falling sickness and preserveth the body from putrefaction. Of so marvellous efficacy is this water." Butler thought that honey "comforts and strength-ens the stomach in the wise."

Samuel Purchas, pastor of Sutton, Essex (1657), claimed that it would require "a good day's work" to enumerate the worth and benefits of honey. Don Juan Manuel, from the royal house of Castile and Leon, the 13th century Spanish writer of stories, in his El Conde Lucanor still uses the old Spanish word melezina (mel=honey) instead of medicina (medicine).

Hieronymus Bock, in Teutsche Speiszkammer, Strassburg, 1539, made the same comments about honey as Charles Butler and both seem to quote the writings of Dioscorides (Libr. II), who believed that honey was best for weak and old people and for those of cold temperament. In young and "hot" people honey turns into gall. Old people obtain from honey good food and new blood. Dioscorides advocated the inhaling of honey for coughs, and its internal use as a good diuretic. Honey, he thought, was good for those who were poisoned by opium and mushrooms or were bitten by snakes and mad dogs. Dioscorides recommended that honey should be rubbed into the hair to kill lice and nits.

Jos. Roach, in Parnassus medicinalis, Ulm, 1663, eulogized honey in verses. For instance,

"Der Honig treibt den Harn
Und ist zur Lunge gut,
Von Husten, Faulung auch
Es stark bewahren tut."

(Honey drives the urine, is good to the lungs and a strong protector against cough and decay.)

An old English chronicle remarks: "Honey is still our chief sweetness, favorite salve and indispensable medicine."

(The German women for centuries had great faith in a popular remedy called Salvemet, made from honey and crushed bees. This was taken on St. Catherine's day and was supposed to have a beautifying and strengthening effect, besides regulating the menstrual flow.)

We find evidence in the folklore of almost all nations of the faith the rural population had in the curative, even magic power of honey. Youthful America is no exception. In the Journal of American Folklore (II Vol.) there is an illustrative tale told by an old woman. The story is about Mark Flaherty who was riding home once after sunset when he heard a voice behind him. Turning around, he could see no one. Arriving home he heard the same mysterious voice but was unable to trace its source. After retiring he could not sleep and had a feeling that somebody was sitting on his chest. Next morning he noticed that his hair had turned gray overnight. Towards evening he distinctly heard the same voice again and noticed that a man was crawling in his direction. Trying to nab the figure it vanished. Flaherty there-after was afraid to go out in the dark, became ill and emaciated.

A beggar called on him one day and when he learned of his predicament advised him to get some honey and rub his entire body with it. The bees suck the strength of flowers which they mix with their own honey and that would cure him, turn his hair dark again and his cheeks rosy. Flaherty followed the suggestion and he fully recovered. He never heard the weird voice again.