Bald’s Eye Salve is a 1,000-year-old Anglo-Saxon remedy found in the 10th-century manuscript Bald’s Leechbook. Recreated and tested by researchers at the University of Nottingham, this combination of garlic, onion or leeks, wine, and bovine bile has been found to kill up to 90% of MRSA bacteria.
Recipe:
Finely crush the garlic and alliums (onions or leeks), mix with the wine and bile and store the mixture in a brass or bronze container.
Brewing: Leave to stand in a cool place (approximately 4°C) for 9 days.
Mechanism: Studies indicate that no single ingredient works on its own. The combined effect of the ingredients and the chemical reaction with the metal container is required to break down bacterial biofilms.
While we don’t fully know the effects of this, onions and garlic are known to be good for one’s health. Mayhap medieval people knew more than we previously thought.