Medieval women would consume juniper berries ... influence of midwives and healers who held knowledge of herbs and natural remedies, often equating their practices with witchcraft.

But remedies used by past kings of ... the other for clearing congestion. 'Imagine a medieval Vicks VapoRub,' she said. The recipes, for a herbal head poultice and a stale ale, mustard seed ...

Traditional treatments were based on a mixture of superstition, religion and herbal remedies. Some of them are still used today.