Things You Could Die From……In 1600-1700 London

The list includes:

Bleach and of Blast
Cramp and of Itch
Sciatica of Lethargy
Cut of Stone
Kings Evil
Planet-struck
Rising of the Lights
Overjoy
Devoured by lice
Stopping of the Stomach
Chin Cough
Horseshoe Head
Lunatick
Found dead in the streets.

This not a complete list. If you have any of these symptoms, consult a physician.

New Yorker, April

10 Responses to “Things You Could Die From……In 1600-1700 London”

  1. I’m sure we still have all these things around somewhere in the World…. Maybe with new names, but, I’m sure people are still getting kicked in the head by Horses, and, being “found dead in the streets” is almost a daily thing in most big cities….. We, as a people, haven’t changed much…. Yep, pretty sad….

  2. I’m guessing that it wasn’t until the 1800s that “Death By Misadventure” was added. (omage to Mistors Holmes and Hiatt.)

  3. Good call, Mr. J. …. “Death by Misadventure” is one of my favorite John Hiatt songs, and, Sherlock, well, everybody should read all of the original canon by Sir Arthur at a minimum, and, the later ones by his son and other authors, along with the “Sherlock Holmes” movies with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce….. Cool stuff…. It may be old, but, you would be surprised that most of it still applies to today’s World….. Time advances, Man doesn’t (Well, maybe a little)…..

  4. The above is taken from an article in the New Yorker………”Final Forms, What death certificates can tell us, and what they can’t.”

    First form was a document from London in 1512.

  5. anon, i have had all these symptoms, but still here. BTW, my real name is Keith Richard.

  6. Keith,
    Brush off those lice and go see your doctor.

  7. Yeah, Keith is the reason there is a drug shortage in the world…… Just asj any Junkie (Ha!)…… Knows his music, though, Like Brown Sugar – You didn’t think that song was about Black chicks, did you?……

  8. Anon, don’t you need hair to have lice?

  9. Nope. There are many kinds of lice I read on the bottle.

  10. Guess I had best grab a bottle, before it’s too late.

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