Tips and tricks from
Ask the Past

How to Cure a Headache, ninth century

“Take some earth, touch your breast three times and say: My head hurts, why does it hurt? It does not hurt.”

How to Grow a Beard, 1544

“Take honeybees in quantity and dry them in a basket by the fire, then make a powder of them, which you moisten with olive oil, and with this ointment, dab several times the place where you would like to have hair, and you will see miracles.”

How to Dress for Bathing, 1881

“Flannel is the best material for a bathing costume, and gray is regarded as the most suitable color… an oilskin cap to protect the hair from the water, and merino socks to match the dress, complete the costume.”

How to Pack for a Journey, 1480

“[A traveler] should carry with him two bags: one very full of patience, the other containing two hundred Venetian ducats, or at least one hundred and fifty.”