Dropsy

Parsley was an old cure for dropsy, as was the root of the dock, both of these to be taken in the form of infusions. A mixture consisting of small quantities of foxglove and broom was recommended to be taken in the form of a tea.

Another suggested cure involved bruising artichoke leaves in a mortar, straining the resultant liquid and adding it to Madeira wine. This was to be taken in the morning and evening.

Wine was involved in another cure, but this time it was white wine. The tops of green broom were dried in an oven and burnt to ashes on a clean hearth. The ashes were mixed with the wine and mixture left to stand all night to allow it to settle. The clearest part of it was drunk in the morning, late afternoon and at night before retiring.

Any herbs with diuretic properties were also used in the treatment of dropsy, which was a disorder involving fluid retention. A tea made from the root of the elder was meant to be effective.

There were several old remedies that were to be applied externally. One of these involved crushing black snails with bay salt and applying the mixture to the soles of the feet. A more pleasant one involved the bruising of peppermint leaves and wormwood leaves and boiling them in cream until they formed an oil. This was then strained and smeared on any areas swollen with dropsy.

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