Question for those history buffs.

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Question for those history buffs.

Posted: 12/22/2005 5:39:24 PM EDT

During the old west days, when a cowboy went to town and had a drink at the local saloon, he would usually make a trip upstairs. Now a week later how did the local doc "cure" him of the burning sensation when he was urinating? Or was there really a cure at all?

Posted: 12/22/2005 5:45:10 PM EDT

[#1]

They had all kinds of "cures," some of which probably relieved some symptoms. IIRC, mercury (no idea how it was administered) was one "cure." They could claim that almost anything they did worked, since the symptoms that alert the sufferer go away on their own in a couple of weeks.

Posted: 12/22/2005 5:52:55 PM EDT

[#2]

Mercury was the most common. Cleaning out the tube with something like a chimney sweep was another. Mainly they would hope that the symptoms would go away after a while.

Posted: 12/22/2005 5:55:21 PM EDT

[#3]

I don't know how it was done in the wild west, but in Chinese medicine, bread mold and crushed green leaves of a certain plant (angelica? not sure) was used.

Bread mold is penicillin and the chlorophyll from the leaves is the same as some modern medicine.

Posted: 12/22/2005 5:55:53 PM EDT

[#4]

Next time wear a raincoat cowboy, then you won't have to post hypothetical questions on the internet

Posted: 12/22/2005 6:25:54 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Next time wear a raincoat cowboy, then you won't have to post hypothetical questions on the internet

I would but your sister likes it bareback and me hollering 'Giddy up cowgirl!"

Posted: 12/23/2005 4:40:25 AM EDT

[#6]

One method used to track the Lewis & Clark expedition campsites is vapor analysis to find latrines contaminated with a large amount of mercury.

Whenever they felt ill, soldiers on the 1804-06 expedition took laxatives known as Dr. Rush's Thunder Clappers. The pills were 60 percent mercury, which does not decompose.

http://www.matr.net/article-9599.html

Posted: 12/23/2005 4:44:52 AM EDT

[#7]

The cure was worse then the disease. But yes, mercury was used all the time to treat STDs. Not always effective. Remember penicillin was not available until WWII. Also the Lewis and Clark things is real. They caught all sorts diseases from native HOs.

Ancient Chinese secrets were sometimes very effective. Women in labor would be given the bark of the Yew tree to chew while in labor. It took the pain away. The main active chemical in that bark is Aspirin.

Posted: 12/23/2005 4:49:54 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
I don't know how it was done in the wild west, but in Chinese medicine, bread mold and crushed green leaves of a certain plant (angelica? not sure) was used.

Bread mold is penicillin and the chlorophyll from the leaves is the same as some modern medicine.

Bread mold is NOT penicillin. Penicillin is made from bread mold . . . very concentrated. The amount of bread mold you would have to eat to have significant benefits? Got me . . . but it would be more likely to do harm than good.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Question for those history buffs.

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