🏺 How Did They Cure Otitis in 1374 A.D.?

Ear infections are painful.

But imagine facing one in the year 1374 A.D. — no painkillers, no doctors, and definitely no antibiotics.

So what did people do?

They turned to monks, herbs, and sometimes, a little divine intervention.

📜 A Forgotten Remedy From the Monastery

In the dusty corner of history, we find a recipe from a fictional—but historically inspired—14th-century scroll: a natural treatment for otitis, or middle ear inflammation.

The recipe allegedly comes from a small monastery near Saint Giles in the year 1374. While its exact origin may be lost to time, its ingredients reflect the logic of medieval medicine, grounded in nature, ritual, and lived experience.

In a time when doctors were few and books were copied by hand, monasteries were the keepers of medical knowledge. Monks acted as herbalists, caregivers, and record-keepers—preserving and evolving treatments across generations.

🌿 The Monk’s Recipe

"To draw out pain and fever from the ear, prepare the following with care and reverence..."

1 handful of sage leaves

2 pinches of chamomile flowers

1 head of wild garlic

½ cup of olive or walnut oil

1 small spoon of May honey

1 grain of frankincense

Spring water, as needed

This mixture would be gently simmered over a low fire, strained, and applied in two ways:

As a warm compress behind the ear, or

As a few drops into the ear canal, provided there was no open wound or discharge.

If there was visible pus or bleeding, the monk warned to stop — and instead, perform a small cut behind the ear to “release the fever.” This, in today’s language, sounds eerily similar to draining an abscess.

🧠 But Did It Work?

Surprisingly… it may have.

Many of the ingredients have known antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects:

Garlic contains allicin, a natural antibiotic.

Honey is still used today in medical-grade wound dressings.

Chamomile and sage calm tissue inflammation.

Warmth relieves pressure and improves circulation.

Even more importantly: rest, warmth, and care—three things a monk could offer—are fundamental parts of healing, even today.

The method may sound strange, but it shows a deep observational wisdom. They knew not to put oil in a ruptured ear. They knew which plants brought relief. And they knew that pain, left unchecked, could worsen dramatically.

🖼 A Visual Rediscovery

This modern illustration, styled like a medieval manuscript, brings the scene to life:

A monk, robed in red-brown, offers a golden liquid to a suffering man in blue. A flame warms a small pot below them, and a flower blooms near their feet — representing the fusion of fire, earth, and spirit.

🔄 Echoes in Modern Remedies

Surprisingly, echoes of this medieval recipe still linger in our world.

A quick search reveals modern YouTube videos that describe natural treatments for ear infections — many involving garlic-infused oils, chamomile compresses, or warm honey mixtures. These may be simplified, but the core principles remain strikingly similar to this 14th-century monk’s version. This video from Dr. Berg reveals one of such "modern" recipes.

In fact, some ear oil blends sold in health stores today would not look out of place in a medieval apothecary.

🧬 Context: What Was “Medicine” in 1374?

It’s easy to think of the Middle Ages as a dark time medically. And yes, there were leeches, bloodletting, and a lot of superstition. But the reality is more nuanced.

• Medical texts were preserved in monasteries, many translated from ancient Greek, Arabic, and Latin.
• Herbals — books describing plants and their uses — were meticulously copied and illustrated.
• Islamic and Jewish physicians in Spain and North Africa were already doing surgery and eye treatments with great precision.

The Middle Ages weren’t devoid of reason — they simply lacked the tools and knowledge we have today. What they did have was observation, intuition, and a deep respect for nature’s power.

🌟 Final Thoughts

This recipe won’t replace antibiotics, and it’s not a medical recommendation. But it reminds us that healing has always been a human pursuit.

Even in 1374 A.D., someone sat beside a person in pain and tried — using what little they had — to make it better.

That effort, that creativity, that care...

It’s something we could all use a bit more of — even today.

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otitis, ear infection, medieval medicine, natural remedies, monk treatment, 14th century, herbal healing, historical health, ancient medicine, garlic oil