Healing the burn

Due to being a bit of a klutz, I've managed to give myself a spectacular burn in the crook of my elbow in the past week. It's a special talent of mine, what can I say.

Everyday is a learning day so what treatment could I have expected in the eleventh century?

I could start by applying the Pentafilon plant (creeping cinquefoil/buttercup) or some Greater Celandine (another type of buttercup) which I should pound together with some goose grease before applying this to the burn.



Not keen on this treatment so far due to the fact I'll be smelling like prepped roast potatoes.

   

Next up, a suggestion that I take wild thyme, a stalk of verbena, an ounce of silver shavings (which I of course have at hand at all times) and 2 ounces of roses. I need to pound these together with some wax before adding half a pound of bear and deer grease.

I should then simmer this before applying it on the burn.


Again, not keen. My local Tesco doesn't sell bear grease.



Finally, it is suggested I pick the roots of Alkanet (type of borage, used as a red dye) during March and soak them in oil before adding was to make a poultice. Applied to the burn, this will apparently "heal it in a wonderful manner".

As it's a dye, I suspect I won't know if the burn is healing or not as the whole area will be stained red.





I think I'll stick to Germolene for now, but more or less the treatment has changed very little. Keep the wound clean, cover it with a grease that promotes healing, and Bob's your uncle.

Notes

Arsdall, A., Medieval Herbal Remedies, The old English herbarium and Anglo-Saxon medicine (London, Routledge: 2002)
pp. 120, 194, 222