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Interesting historical trivia


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I'm sure that many of us, in addition to modeling, have an interest in military history, including firearms. I recently came across a bit of history regarding the 'powder horn', an animal horn repurposed as a container for gunpowder used in old muzzle-loading weapons. Here is an exquisitely decorated example from the Metropolitan Museum in New York City:

 

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A perusal of an old medical journal taught me that they often had a double usage. It appears that up until the late 19th century they were also used for all manner of medical complaints, when herbal medicine was still thought of as something bordering on magical, but allegedly effective. A preparation of 'dill water' was made from the dill plant, often used in Arab cuisine, for flavouring pickles, and in 'gripe water', sold to relieve stomach upsets in babies. The dill plant is shown below.

 

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In order to relieve problems like digestive complaints, migraines, chronic shortness of breath, and even heart trouble, the powder horn was filled with dill water, the small tip was inserted into the rectum, and the water was allowed to slowly drain into the colon. It is from this procedure that we get the well-known phrase...

 

 

...

 

 

...

 

 

On the horn of a dill enema. 

 

 

Okay, don't push, I'll see myself out. 

Edited by The Rat
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