Medicinal Cannibalism – Eating Ancient Mummies
From the Middle Ages to the 19th Century, a strange and very popular medicinal practice captivated Europe.
Europeans were hooked on a miracle drug, believed to cure everything from headaches to the bubonic plague. This drug was the ground-up remains of Egyptian mummies.
This “medicinal cannibalism” was popular with the rich and poor alike, who bought bottles of “Mumia” from apothecaries like we buy panadol today.
Professor Marcus Harmes from the University of Southern Queensland joined 2SER to talk about this bizarre cultural practice.
