Medical Use of Honey in the 17th & 18th centuries. Documentation.

18th Century Medicinal Uses for Honey.

 ‘A poultis for a Swelling by My Aunt Dorothy Pates’, for example, used honey as a binding agent. Another recipe, said to be ‘approved by the best doctars [sic]’ used a clove of garlic saturated in fine English honey and put in the ear for eight days to cure pain and restore hearing.   

 Abigail Smith and others, ‘Collection of medical and cookery receipts’ (c. 1700).  Wellcome Library, London, MS 4631, f. 7r.

 Ibid., f. 23 v

https://recipes.hypotheses.org/tag/honey

“Cut the white heels from some red rose buds, and lay them to dry in a place where there is a draught of air; when they are dried, put half a pound of them into a stone jar, and pour on them three pints of boiling water; stir them well, and let them stand twelve hours; then press off the liquor (liquid) and when it has settled, add to it five pounds of honey; boil it well, and when it is of the consistence of thick syrup, put it by for use. It is good against mouth sores, and on many other occasions.”

‘Honey of Roses’ and The Family Herbal by Sir John Hill 1759.

The leaves being applied with honey to running sores or ulcers, do cleanse them.

SYRUPS MADE WITH VINEGAR AND HONEY.

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Complete Herbal, by Nicholas Culpeper

17th Century.

http://www.survivorlibrary.com/library/culpepers_complete_herbal_1880.pdf