What common condition was once treated with cow dung? How might oyster shells relieve heartburn? Can eels really cure deafness? Is the secret to stopping a stubborn case of hiccups a simple ingredient found in most pantries? If you were struck by illness or injury in the late eighteenth century, you would most likely have been referred to Scottish physician William Buchan's Domestic Medicine--and, as a result, you may have found yourself administering urine to your ears or drinking a broth made from sheep's brains.

Originally published in 1769, Domestic Medicine was produced...