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Warts
Veruca
Warts are small, fleshy, painless growths on the skin or mucus membranes, often with a black spot in the middle. There are several types of Warts including Common, Plantar, Filiform and venereal. They are caused by various strains of Papillomavirus and may infect different parts of the body. They are contagious, and may spread from one part of the body to another. They most commonly affect the hands and fingers. Sexually transmitted Warts may appear on the genitals or anus.
Warts are interesting in that more than almost any other disease, various "Magical" cures have long been used to cure Warts, and there is a long tradition of such cures being successful. In modern times Hypnotherapy has been claimed to be up to 80% effective in Wart treatment, confirming that there is a psychogenic component.
General treatment strategies usually involve cutting off the tops of the Warts, then applying some juice or tincture which should be applied regularly for a week or two. Burning (Cauterizing) the Warts has been done traditionally and is still used today in modern medicine, although Freezing with topical application of liquid nitrogen is now more common. Salicylic acid, acetic acid or a variety of other acids are used. Podophyllotoxin is also applied.
In severe cases, internal medication may also be required.
A recent study in Europe found that about one quarter of patients self-treated Warts with Folk treatments, and around half had used a combination of both Pharmacy and Folk remedies in their treatment. (See here)
Warts are interesting in that more than almost any other disease, various "Magical" cures have long been used to cure Warts, and there is a long tradition of such cures being successful. In modern times Hypnotherapy has been claimed to be up to 80% effective in Wart treatment, confirming that there is a psychogenic component.
General treatment strategies usually involve cutting off the tops of the Warts, then applying some juice or tincture which should be applied regularly for a week or two. Burning (Cauterizing) the Warts has been done traditionally and is still used today in modern medicine, although Freezing with topical application of liquid nitrogen is now more common. Salicylic acid, acetic acid or a variety of other acids are used. Podophyllotoxin is also applied.
In severe cases, internal medication may also be required.
A recent study in Europe found that about one quarter of patients self-treated Warts with Folk treatments, and around half had used a combination of both Pharmacy and Folk remedies in their treatment. (See here)
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Western Tradition
Simples
1. Epsom Salts: The Lancet (1909) stated: ‘1 dram doses twice or thrice daily successful in removing Warts’.
Topical:
1. Apply one of the following juices several times daily: Celandine, Dandelion, Fig, Lemon, Garlic, Aloe Vera 2. Topical application of Duct (or other) tape has been effective, this apparently starving the Wart of oxygen. 3. Topical application of Swedish Bitters has been effective when continued. 4. Thuja tincture can be applied topically. 5. The milky juice of various Spurges (Euphorbia spp.) has been applied. 6. Burn Willow bark, mix with vinegar and apply. (Culpeper) 7. Beat Agrimony with Vinegar to a paste and apply. 8. Rub fresh Purslane juice on the Warts. 9. Crush Sheep feces, boil with honey and apply. 10. Apply the Liver of a he-Goat while warm. |
Chinese Classification
Simples
Formulas
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Magical Wart Cures
1. Take a stick of Elder, cut 9 notches in it, rub the warts on the notches, then seal the stick in an envelope and leave at a crossroads. Supposedly, the person who picks up the envelope will get the Warts.
2. Count the Warts, collect as many grains of Wheat or Peas or Pebbles as there are Warts, and throw them one at a time over the left shoulder without looking back. A variation says to put them in a packet and throw the packet over the shoulder.
3. Rub the Warts with a Fig leaf, then bury the leaf. The Warts will disappear.
4. Rub the Warts with a live Snail, then bury the Snail. As the Snail withers, the Warts will disappear.
5. "Steal" a little bit of Beer or Pork fat, rub the Warts, then bury the Beef or Fat. AS it decays, the Warts will decay.
6. Take small pieces of freshly baker Bread, one piece for each Wart. Roll the pieces into balls the size of the Wart, and bury them.
7. Find a tree stump that is hollow and has collected water (traditionally called "Spunk Water"). Put the hand (or other part with Warts) into this Water. Some claimed it only worked with an Oak stump. Some said it must be done at midnight while repeating these words: “Barleycorn, barleycorn, cornmeal shorts, Spunk water, spunk water,
Swaller these warts!”
8. Go to a Crossroad at midnight, mark a cross on the ground and spit on it.
9. Take a Spider that crawls on walls, crush it while alive, put on a cloth and apply.
1. Take a stick of Elder, cut 9 notches in it, rub the warts on the notches, then seal the stick in an envelope and leave at a crossroads. Supposedly, the person who picks up the envelope will get the Warts.
2. Count the Warts, collect as many grains of Wheat or Peas or Pebbles as there are Warts, and throw them one at a time over the left shoulder without looking back. A variation says to put them in a packet and throw the packet over the shoulder.
3. Rub the Warts with a Fig leaf, then bury the leaf. The Warts will disappear.
4. Rub the Warts with a live Snail, then bury the Snail. As the Snail withers, the Warts will disappear.
5. "Steal" a little bit of Beer or Pork fat, rub the Warts, then bury the Beef or Fat. AS it decays, the Warts will decay.
6. Take small pieces of freshly baker Bread, one piece for each Wart. Roll the pieces into balls the size of the Wart, and bury them.
7. Find a tree stump that is hollow and has collected water (traditionally called "Spunk Water"). Put the hand (or other part with Warts) into this Water. Some claimed it only worked with an Oak stump. Some said it must be done at midnight while repeating these words: “Barleycorn, barleycorn, cornmeal shorts, Spunk water, spunk water,
Swaller these warts!”
8. Go to a Crossroad at midnight, mark a cross on the ground and spit on it.
9. Take a Spider that crawls on walls, crush it while alive, put on a cloth and apply.
Special Formula
Case History
When I was a teenager, one of my good friends was one of 4 brothers. The second eldest brother had many Warts all over his foot. The doctor tried to burn, then freeze them off, but more would grow back and they would multiply in number. Eventually he was referred to a specialist at the Children's hospital. Further intervention was tried, but with no effect. He ended up with dozens of Warts over his feet and between his toes. His parents at the time owned a hotel opposite the beach on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia. One of the regulars in the bar was an elderly European man who had heard of the problems the family had in treating the Warts. One day he looked at the boy and said "at Sunset, walk along the beach collecting one pebble for every Wart, and then one by one through them over your left shoulder and don't look back". He did as he was told and within a few weeks all Warts disappeared.
I knew the family well and was told the story by his mother, and it was confirmed by the boy and his brothers. This goes to show that such treatments can still be effective, even when Western medicine has failed.
I knew the family well and was told the story by his mother, and it was confirmed by the boy and his brothers. This goes to show that such treatments can still be effective, even when Western medicine has failed.