How to Slim Down, 12th century

illumination of woman bathing man in tub in a capital letter B Look like this guy in no time!
BL Royal 6 E VI, f. 179

If, however, the woman is fat and seemingly dropsical, let us mix cow dung with very good wine and with such a mixture we afterward anoint her. Then let her enter a steambath up to the neck, which steambath should be very hot from a fire made of elder [wood], and in it, while she is covered, let her emit a lot of sweat… We also treat fat men in another way. We make for them a grave next to the shore of the sea in the sand, and in the described manner you will anoint them, and when the heat is very great we place them halfway into the grave, halfway covered with hot sand poured over. And there we make them sweat very much. And afterward we wash them very well with the water of the previous bath.

The Trotula (trans. Monica H. Green)

You’re planning a trip to the seashore, but you’re feeling a bit dropsical. No problem: this manure wrap will help you achieve your beach body in no time. And if that isn’t enough, you can always bury yourself in the sand.

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Anonymous
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11 years ago

Misspell..

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Anonymous
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10 years ago

Oh for the love of Pete, can't we just come here and have fun instead of calling each other stupid?

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Anonymous
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11 years ago

This is beautiful.

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Anonymous
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11 years ago

they are not drinking the wine the are pouring on there body that is what anoint means
silly girl

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Anonymous
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11 years ago

Not to mention Stupid people who do not spell the word "lose" correctly and spell it "loose". Surely an excellent example of stupid!

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Anonymous
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11 years ago

Funny, doesn't help with being "fat" but it is a good way to cut out water weight. Yay for dehydration!. lol

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Anonymous
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11 years ago

Wow, nothing like putting cow shit in your wine to loose weight! I'm not surprised stupid people then and stupid people now. Haha and we are evolutionary creatures.

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Anonymous
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11 years ago

That's what "dropsical" means. They've got edema.

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Anonymous
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11 years ago

It sounds crazy, but, hot/cold therapy is indeed good for edema or being "dropsical".

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Anonymous
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11 years ago

People who mispell aren't usually stupid. A minor example would be my husband, who is a brilliant mathematician but has atrocious spelling. I pride myself with my typically brilliant spelling but sometimes, I, too, have typed too fast to realize any errors. So, Anonymous, lay off the previous comment by miss leah s., although a bit ignorant.