How to Cure a Nosebleed, 1561

Ortus Sanitatis (1499)"Beat egges shales to pouder and syft them through a linnen cloth and blewe them into his nose: if the shales were of egges whereout yonge chickens are hatched, it were so much the better. Or els take the dounge of an...

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How to Prevent Pregnancy, c. 1260

British Library Sloane MS 75, f. 87r"A weasel placed on a scorpion bite helps greatly... if its heel is taken from it while it still lives and is placed on a woman, she will not get pregnant as long as it is there." Albertus Magnus, De...

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How to Enchant Your Lover, c. 1470

BL Stowe 17 f. 143"When a woman wants to be well loved by her husband or her lover, she must give him catnip to eat: he will be so much in love with her that he will not rest unless she is close to him."The Distaff GospelsEven if this man-enchanting...

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How to Maintain Facial Hair, 1609

John Bulwer, Anthropometamorphosis (1650)"It is most true that a man is to be commended, if he be cleanly... his haire well dressed, his beard well brushed, and alwayes his vpper lip well curled... as if every haire would threaten to pull out...

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