History of cod liver oil

Cod-liver oil has been used since very early times by the Greenlanders, Laplanders and Eskimos.

In the 15th century the English physician Howel, in his formulary, recommended ‘cod oil’ in the preparation of a ‘cere cloth’ a kind of cerate to be used on wounds.

About 1730, Norwegian fishermen and farmers found that cod-liver oil cured rickets. In 1766 it was recorded that the oil was been used for treatment of rickets in Manchester, England.

Cod liver oil seems to have been used in Germany from a remote period as a domestic remedy in various forms of disease. It was first introduced into the Materia Medica by Dr. Thomas Percival, of London, in 1771 as a remedy for chronic rheumatism.

In 1841, Dr J. H Bennet of London published a treatise on Oleum Fecoris Aselli, in which he set forth its great value as a remedy in tubercular disease. From 1820 until 1920, there are numerous reports of clinical improvements in pulmonary and lymphatic tuberculosis with cod-liver oil therapy.

In 1854 the pharmacist Peter Moller introduced the new method of heating up the cod liver with steam resulting in golden tran that ‘tasted fresh’.

During 1860s the oil was largely viewed as a dietetic aid, and it is significant that the oil’s principal reputation in Newfoundland became as a general tonic, strengthener and preventive.

In 1918, Mellanby reported that he could produce rickets in dogs by feeding them oatmeal and could cure the disease by adding cod-liver oil to the diet.
History of cod liver oil

History of Asparagus

History of Asparagus
Asparagus name is derived from Greek word asparagos. It’s native to the East Mediterranean area, cultivated form antiquity and now grown in much of the world. Asparagus cultivation began 2000 years ago in eastern Mediterranean region. Greeks and Romans ate it fresh when in season and dried the vegetable for use in winter.

Having appeared in England as early as the year 1000, it was known as sperage and sperach. Asparagus has been used as a vegetable and medicine, owing to its delicate flavor and diuretic properties.

The Emperor Augustus coined the phrase ‘velocius quam asparagi conquantur’, meaning to do something faster than you can cook asparagus. Julius Caesar first ate it in Lombardy and wanted it served with melted butter. And in the time of King Louis XIV asparagus was dubbed ‘The King of Vegetables’.

In the 16th century, asparagus gained popularity in France and England. From there, the early colonists brought it to America and often called the “Food of Kings”. King Louis XVI of France, who did indeed dress in silken splendor when he dined, was so in love with asparagus that his gardeners were instructed to grow it in hothouses for his year round pleasure.
History of Asparagus