The curious English remedy from the High Middle Ages that scientists have reconstructed for its effectiveness against bacteria
A mixture that is now being put to the test
Centuries ago, human beings did not have the medical and technological advances of today and, therefore, diagnosing and treating certain illnesses was an almost impossible task. In the search for a product that could relieve a patient, all around the world remedies were created that, in a way, helped those affected, and based on this a cure was developed.
In the High Middle Ages , an English remedy became very popular due to its supposed effectiveness against bacteria . Now, the scientific community has come together to recreate that mixture and thus be able to verify firsthand whether, in fact, it lives up to that medical premise or not and can be used in the future.
The main objective of this medieval remedy against bacteria
It is the Bald's eye ointment . An English physician was the original author of this recipe, which mixed wine, garlic, onion, and ox bile . Its aim was to combat styes and, according to today’s experts, its laboratory results were surprising: it was able to damage the membranes of dangerous bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus .
Over two weeks, the bacteria became more resistant to antibiotics than to the medieval remedy , so this ointment could now be used as a basis for the development of future mixtures that can be employed in the antibacterial fight and that represent an alternative to already known remedies.
One alarming figure is that, for example in 2021, antibiotic resistance could be associated with more than 4.5 million deaths worldwide . Remedies like this one from the High Middle Ages could serve as an example so that the medical community has more tools within reach and patients have more and better options when it comes to combating certain ailments.
