Researching an upcoming event that emphasizes roman medicine, we came across the idea that wool had healing properties. Does anyone know the source for this? Maybe a reason why wool was a preferred fabric for tunics? <p>Legio XX<br>
Caupona Asellinae</p><i></i>
Wool was used because it takes the sweat away from the body leaving you feeling cool in the summer, even in the desert and warm in the winter. It was used on wounds as the protien in wool is the same as skin. The wool becomes part of the scab and wicks away the moisture from the wound. This makes the wounds heal faster. Today both the british and US militaries use wool in clothing for the above reasons and that wool is flame resistant. It doesn't melt like synthetic fibres.
Wow! 8-) 8 years later... I think his event is over and done with LOL
It seem there are references to research on wool in bed sore prevention. Couldn't find anything else in a quick search. Interesting topic and deserving of resurrection.
Quote:All kinds of wool, when not freed from the grease, possess certain medicinal properties.
Pliny, Natural History, 8.73
Unfortunately, if he says elsewhere what those "medicinal properties" are, I can't find them.
...."Penaten-Creme", a cream which used e.g. Wools-Grease, Hamamelis and Zinc,had been granted a german patent for Max Riese as early as in 1904. The recent ingredients (as required by the applicable laws) seems to be listed here (I don't know whether they still use sheeps wool grease as in the original recipe, you can't tell from the list of ingedient IIRC) :
http://www.penaten.de/produkte/R/3/8/penaten-creme.htm
click on : "Inhaltsstoffe" (>In German)
Greez
Simplex
The brand name is suggesting "roman roots" IMHO.
Quote:[quote]Unfortunately, if he says elsewhere what those "medicinal properties" are, I can't find them.
Columella, upon whom Pliny bases his discussion on wool according to the footnote at Perseus, suggests in VII.5 that "broken legs of cattle are not cured otherwise than those of men, being wrapped in wool, soaked in oil and wine."
It is also useful to check Celsus (
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Ro.../home.html) and search for "wool" with CTRL-F. For instance, Celsus advises to use "greasy wool to which has been added oil with vinegar or wine, crushed dates, bran boiled in salt water or vinegar" to repress and mollify (II.33), for treatment of scabrous tongue and headache by wool soaked in rose oil and vinegar (III.10), and to agglutinate wounds (V.2); often, it seems to be used as a support for other medication (salves, liquids) rather than on its own: at VI.6. he treats eyes with wool or linen to spread a medication, claiming it does not really make a difference which one to use.