Curious Cures: From Disembowelled Snails to Strapped-On Fish
John Aubrey (1626-1697) was somewhat preoccupied with his health. The polymath was not alone among fellow founder members of the Royal Society to note down remedies of his own devising or those he collected from others. Seth Ward, Bishop of Salisbury, was another. One of the good bishop's noted recipes was for a tonic that comprised the roots of dandelion, couch grass, fennel root, asparagus, chicory, eight grey snails without shells 'unbowelled and cleansed', some deer antler and half a skinless cockerel. I do wonder how one disembowels a snail.
Medicinal recipes pepper Aubrey's natural history of Wiltshire, arguably his most important 'scientific' work, a work that has never been published in full. It is a pity, as these provide a fascinating insight into folk remedies of the period, but also into the latest scientific understanding, albeit at times skewed by Aubrey's interest in magic. Recommendations include broom for swollen ankles and stopping sheep from getting 'rot'; 'Pigges Parsley' (probably ground alder) for poultices, germander speedwell for the 'green sickness'; meadow saffron and spindle tree berries for killing head lice; wild clary for eyes; liverwort for rabies; oak tree sap for diarrhoea and birch tree sap for scurvy. Elderberries were good for prolonging life, and honey for bruises. An Elder stick in a pocket was a charm for preventing saddle sores, Mugwort in shoes was good for stamina and old shoes thrown in a pond would keep toads away. Also, although he had probably never seen one, Aubrey suggested that eating three to four pineapples in four hours could cure a deadly fever.
One of my personal favourites was a recipe to cure jaundice. Aubrey advised taking a tench, slitting it in half, and applying it to the soles of the patient's feet or stomach for 12 hours, and then using a fresh one. This was to be repeated five times. Aubrey admits that living with a fish strapped to your feet or stomach for three days would 'stink', but it was a good cure.
This aspect of Aubrey's work is endlessly fascinating, as it draws together many of his interests, and it is odd. The topic will be explored in a new exhibition at Chippenham Museum, opening in June 2026, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of his birth. It is part of our celebrations of Wiltshire VCH Volume XX on Chippenham and the surrounding area. I hope you'll join us to discover more of Aubrey's curious world – fish, snails, and all.
Louise Ryland-Epton