Medieval Parasites

We often think of the people of the medieval era as filthy. In reality, all social classes did the best they could to stay clean within the limitations of the time. Everyday people made note to wash their hands frequently, bathe regularly, and change their underwear (with the exception of the clergy). Staying clean wasn’t easy without the running water, sewage systems, and pest control products we enjoy today. Worse, even the most educated physicians of the day didn’t understand how worms and other parasites infected people. But the battle raged on.  

Listen beautiful relax classics on our Youtube channel.

According to much popular late-medieval belief, lice and other parasites were generated ‘out of the filthy and unclean skin’. The best way to avoid them was frequent washing and changing of clothes. Most medieval combs had broad teeth for combing the hair, but also fine teeth for removing lice and dirt. In 825, an Irish clergyman visited Iceland and was amazed by the light summer nights, when ‘whatever task a man wishes to perform, even picking lice from his shirt, he can manage as well as in clear daylight’. In the 13th-century Saga of the People of Laxardal, the outlaw Stigandi is betrayed by a woman who offers to search his hair for lice, only to report him to the authorities when he falls asleep. When the Inquisition came to Montaillou in the early 14th century, several deponents mentioned delousing in their testimonies. Pierre Clergue, the priest, was regularly deloused by his mistresses, both in public and in private; one of them also publicly deloused the priest’s mother.

There were other remedies that produced lesser results, but they were tried anyway. Read how medieval folks dealt with parasites at Aeon. That part about the clergy is explained, too.  -via Damn Interesting

Source: neatorama

Rating Medieval Parasites is 5.0 / 5 Votes: 2
Please wait...
Loading...