Want Hair - Go Find a Chicken
The Path-Way to Health by Peter Levens, written in the 17th Century, has just been discovered, and will be going to auction in October. This is a medical handbook, which offers bizarre advice on combating ailments.
Advice such as a cure for baldness can be reached by mixing the ashes of chicken dung with lye, and washing the head with it (where needed). Lots of other really strange remedies can be found as well.
If you are at all interested in old wives tales, this may be the book you have been looking for. It is scheduled to be auctioned off at Bonhams in London on October 9, 2007.
Tags: antiquarian-books, baldness-cure, Bonhams, chicken-dung, medical-handbook, old-wives-tales, Peter-Levens, The-Path-Way-to-HealthRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Bald Stuff, Hair Replacement, Head Care, Topic du Jour
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8 opinions for Want Hair - Go Find a Chicken
alicia
Aug 31, 2007 at 6:40 am
Ha! This is great. While I highly doubt I’ll be bidding, I’d love for these remedies to leak. Burnt chicken poo sounds safe enough to me (I mean, as long as it’s not ingested!)…I’m sure there will be someone out there who tries it :)
Laura
Aug 31, 2007 at 11:34 am
Someone is going to be a very lucky person, when they win that bid!
I wish that I could peak inside it…..however, I too will not be bidding.
Can you imagine, washing your head in chicken dung ….blech!
alicia
Aug 31, 2007 at 11:55 am
I have been really into “alternative” forms of doing stuff like that lately - well, not growing hair, but you know what I mean, haha. I’d like a peek in that book, too.
Laura
Aug 31, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Like what kind of alternative stuff?
Fill me in!
alicia
Sep 1, 2007 at 7:48 am
All kinds of stuff! Treatments/cures for certain female conditions sticks out the most in my mind because I was shocked. But after thinking about it a bit, it makes sense I guess. Actually, email me & I’ll pass it on.
Too, natural around-the-house cleaning products - so far, I can say salt is definitely a great abrasive! I’ve bookmarked a page that covers so many cleaning suggestions (http://www.marksdailyapple.com/natural-cleaners/).
Ten Reasons Why I May Be Bald By the Age of 40
Oct 16, 2007 at 12:33 am
[…] I don’t own any chickens […]
hmm
Nov 6, 2007 at 9:15 pm
anyone know if there are any other copies of this book for sale?? if so where it can be purchased from?
Laura
Nov 6, 2007 at 11:35 pm
I don’t think there are published copies out there. As far as I know, there was only 1 and it was to be auctioned off.
Sorry.
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