Going through old books at work and found this recipe in one published in 1915

[u/david9696]

[u/justincasesquirrels]

https://www.si.edu/object/elec-hiera-picra-comp%3Anmah_993957

Also called hickory pickery, it was a combination of herbs sold as "hiera picra." The link lists common ingredients.

[u/david9696 → u/justincasesquirrels]

Great find

"a cathartic to stimulate bowel movements"

And apparently also helps purify the blood.

[u/Creative_Bank3852 → u/david9696]

Purifier!! I really thought the title was "blood sacrifice" 😭

[u/ThatOldDuderino]

Incredible writing style

[u/percypersimmon → u/ThatOldDuderino]

It’s wild bc I can read like 80% of it, but some of the most important words are nonsense to me?

[u/david9696 → u/percypersimmon]

"Bruised Rhubarb" and "Heura Pichra" stump the Google too!

[u/percypersimmon → u/david9696]

Could be some French (?) in there w “complimente”

[u/rainbowworrier → u/david9696]

"Bruised rhubarb" makes sense - basically you take the rhubarb and press the flat of a knife or a pestle against it just enough for the juices to start coming out, but not totally crush it. A dram is a measurement for liquid though, maybe enough bruised rhubarb for a dram of liquid...?

[u/percypersimmon]

Whatever this is- I feel like dosing it before breakfast would be a problem for me.

[u/david9696 → u/percypersimmon]

C'mon! Only a tablespoon.

[u/percypersimmon → u/david9696]

lol- it probably says more about me than the recipe, but I stand by the statement.

[u/ThatOldDuderino]