Home Remedies – Facts or Quacks?
In a previous article we looked at several possible definitions of a home remedy, and patched together a definition that met our mental image of such a remedy. If you missed it, heres the definition we derived.
A home remedy is an experience-based or even accidental remedy or cure prepared from herbs, plants, or other available ingredients by common folk when modern medical help was unavailable (or hadnt been devised yet).
But Home Remedies Are From The Dark Ages, Right?
Not so fast! Countless myths, legends, and superstitions have survived for centuries, so why not home remedies too? Think about it: we bless someone after sneezing to ward off evil spirits, throw a pinch of spilled salt over the shoulder to prevent bad luck, say that breaking a mirror brings bad luck, and we knock on wood or find four-leaf clovers to bring luck.
How Many Times Have You Used These Folk Remedies?
Home remedies from The Dark Ages are all around us. Quick: name three ways to cure hiccups. No doubt you immediately thought of scaring the victim, holding your breath while drinking a glass of water, and breathing through a...