"This is how to keep your teeth: gather the grains of a leek, burn them with henbane, and direct the smoke thereof to your teeth with a funnel, as if smoking a pipe."
Regimen sanitatis Salernitanum (c. 13th century)
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| Ask your dentist about a commemorative tooth-necklace. BL, MS Royal 6 E.vi (c. 1360-75) |
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| Mary Magdalene 14th century, Les Enluminures |
"After leaving the bath, let her adorn her hair, and first of all let her wash it with a cleanser such as this. Take ashes of burnt vine, the chaff of barley nodes, and licorice wood (so that it may the more brightly shine), and sowbread... with this cleanser let the woman wash her head. After the washing, let her leave it to dry by itself, and her hair will be golden and shimmering... If the woman wishes to have long and black hair, take a green lizard and, having removed its head and tail, cook it in common oil. Anoint the head with this oil. It makes the hair long and black."
The Trotula (12th century)
"To cut the Nails of the Toes in the Water... You must hold your knife in your right hand (if you are right handed) and take up your left leg, and lay the foot on the right knee; there you may take it from the left hand, and with the right cut your Nails without any danger. Thus you may also pick your Toes; and if this has no other use or advantage yet the dexterity of the management may serve to recommend it."
Melchisédech Thévenot, The Art of Swimming (1789)Want to take your backstroke to the next level? Tired of spending valuable exercise time on grooming and vice versa? Here is the lifehack for you!
