Recently, I have noticed fewer pigeons at Cardiff station. This probably mean that there has been a cull, which even though I’m no fan of pigeons, made me feel rather melancholy. So, in honour of the humble pigeon, here is, fresh from our archives, a fab post by Caroline Petit on pigeon excrement in Galen’s … Continue reading Tales from the archives: the torture of therapeutics in Rome: Galen on pigeon dung
In working through the Mymer manuscripts, I have been struck on more than one occasion by their repeated references to dung. While calculating his expenses, for instance, Georg Mymer lists horse manure and coal alongside the various flasks he needs for his tinctures. [1] Like coal, dried horse manure was used for heating. Maintaining constant … Continue reading Dung? Alchemy is full of it
By Caroline Petit Although Galen is more than reluctant to use disgusting ingredients and remedies wherever possible (De simpl. med. ac fac., X, 1), his catalogue of simple remedies, his recipes and case histories show that animal and even human dung and urine are not absent from his therapeutic arsenal. But this is not as … Continue reading The Torture of Therapeutics in Rome: Galen on Pigeon Dung
By GJ Sevillano “Through my family’s many moves to many different cities, I began to connect the dots of my life. Every single dot I connected was a pot…that form[s] a picture of my life, my family, my calling, and my home.” -Malou Perez-Nievera, Connecting the Pots: Charting Stories and Filipino Recipes to Find Home … Continue reading Transpacific Kitchens: The Makings of the Diasporic Kusinera
