Britain had no idea that it would not see another plague after the horrors of 1666, and for a century and a half the fear of epidemic disease gripped and shaped British society. Plague doctors had long asserted that the bodies of the poor were especi...

"For a zitty face. Take urine eight days old and heat it over the fire; wash your face with it morning and night". In late medieval England, ordinary people, apothecaries and physicians gathered up practical medical tips for everyday use. While some...