Pertinax

Apart from materia medica my abiding passion is for the Triclinium, and I will keep members informed of any particularly outre gustatory experiences.I will also endeavour to gather a little more material regarding medieval recipes and pass these on from time to time. You will all be amused to hear that I have succumbed to a stomach bug today, but as I hold to the virtue of plant medicine I have mixed the inner bark of the Red Elm (native to N.America) with Manuka honey.It seems to have done the trick. The Elm is also called Ulmus fulva , I wonder do any American mamber's have information regarding its use by Native people's? I believe it may be called Moose Elm or Indian Elm in the western USA where it is more plentiful. note: I see it was used to treat gunshot wounds by pioneers I shall be eating very plainly today.

I 4th it-you can also get "CC cleaner" with the "ad-aware freebies". I run both and they keep the place clean.

This ties in with the ubiquity of medical equipment finds in and around major Roman sites, and as ive remarked elsewhere this shows that one must be very careful in attempting to define a particular site or building as a dedicated valetudinarium. Stoves for the preparation of medicines seem to have been commonplace as well I would add. A snippet which comes from Cruse's book shows that wine and/ or acetum was oftn the medium for medication-the presence of wine amphora with "horehound" annotation showed someone was treating chesty coughs in the wet hinterlands of Britannia.

The very period that fascinates so many Romanists (Fall of the Republic and the subsequent conflict) is the one which lead to great advances in military medicine.Given the clash of Legions and the efficiency of these men in combat, the infliction of wounds and deadly injuries was greatly multiplied amongst the soldiery. Augustus realised that combat medicine and medical attention generally were key strategies in keeping armies well, in good morale and efficient. The establishment of thorough Doctor's training for military and civil use dates from this time.The lowliness of "physical" doctoring as a slaves task (versus a good bedside manner and counselling role of a freeborn doctor) is pushed aside to deliver effective care and combat worthiness of the soldiery. Once again I note that acetum was used as a first wound cleansing medium, actually more effective than Lister's carbolic wash two millenia later-and probably like many things Roman not truly surpassed to this day( British hospitals are presently very concerned to find that soap is actually more effective than the liquid handwashes used by staff in preference to it as they panic about MRSA infections in dirty hospitals). I was hoping to put a medical thread in to hold the " roman herbal" gallery in context

Thank you very much.I am working on "Galen on Health and Diet " by Mark Grant at present ,(and sorting out my black bile from my yellow ).

Well wait a second here... just who is in command of the Orcs? One known only as 'The Master.' I'll think you a great mind if anyone can tell me where that one is from... Ok Monty Burns and some Ice Warriors

Well wait a second here... just who is in command of the Orcs? Montgomery Burns

Greetings all! I would like to use the blog feature to co-ordinate additional information on herbal medicines with the plant illustrations in my album. I am awaiting the "Pompeiian Herbal" to read and review, I hope I can make a small contribution towards the modern understanding of the use of plant medicines by the Greeks and Romans. I am aware that Yarrow "The soldier's herb" has not made an appearence yet , but im biding my time till I can take a worthy photo.(note: this herb followed the legions everywhere and followed the redcoats into north america, not only is it a useful direct wound dressing but it is a true heamostatic with a huge range of chemical constituents )Yarrow was in antiquity called Herba Militaris but is now known as Achillea millefolium (as it is said Achilles bound his men's wound's with it).Its common name's are Knight's Milefoil and Nosebleed. As I travel I will post photos of Roman and Medieval remains.Im not a big diary keeper so I wont be posting too many entries, save perhaps to let Pantagathus know if ive found a particularly interesting European Beer.

An unusual whelk perhaps?

I prostrate myself before the Magnificence of Germanicus :notworthy:

Good , no more Orcs versus Caesar posts. or Selma and Patti versus Atia of the Julli :fish:

On a prosaic note , many powerful people have undertaken great things but been blind to a spouses' shortcomings, and not the first to be deceived by a friend.

64,000 tools -thats a lot of human effort

I suppose there is only so much to say about men wearing makeup. or drains hmm I dont think my Ernest Borgnine "Ragnor" avatar is too good. No back to the Secutor

Roman lead pipes used to transport water developed a thick layer of calcification on the inside of the pipes in a matter of weeks, protecting the water from contacting the lead. More on the topic - I think Roman men, or at least some, would have definately indulged in makeup. Actors and people referred to by the likes of Cicero as "Degenerates" particularly. Calcification would have occured in areas with a high mineral content (water from limestone) but not in soft water areas -hence the problems in Brittania. I have no fixed opinion on the lead "debate" I just find it fascinating. and this really is a diverging thread now, is it not?

Well in the manner of Frankie Howerd ( no introduction needed to British members) "woe ,woe and thrice woe". "Woe to the Romans". We are all doomed. Take comfort in Marcus Aurelius and Lao-Tzu. The EU is useless and will perish.

I feel better about my photos now you have posted these stats! lies, damned lies and statistics(metrics)?