21
Witch Drugs
According to Weyer, there were other ointments, but the essential ingredients remained the same in all. The preparations, when applied to the upper thighs or genitals, were said to induce the sensation of rising into the air of flying.Witches were thought to anoint a chair or broomstick with the devil’s ointment, and after self‐application, would fly through the air to meet for devil worship at the sabbat.
What! Sixteenth-century "witches" did bikini-line drugs that made them hallucinate broomsticks. [Via]
Is this an appropriate place to bring up Wise Child?
Because I'm bringing it up.
@Lucienne My first thought as well. Except that was all-over ointment, not just swimsuit-area ointment, right?
@figwiggin YES. All-over ointment. But mostly I just love that you love that book. Because, me too.
No #SIGTEMPOIGTCYFT ?
@Hot mayonnaise Hm. SIGTRMGWDOOIGTCYFT?
Yeah, flying ointment. But I think the thing about them rubbing it on their business has been disproved…one of the main ingredients (according to some medieval type's ingredient list) causes serious inflammation to sensitive or thin tissue, and would really wreak havoc on the mucous membranes of the genital area.
@DH@twitter: Oh please! That's boring.
@Hot mayonnaise
I knoooow the minute I hit post I was like, Hmm, this is buzzkill-y. :B
With this flying genitals and a broomstick outcome, I can't believe this practice was limited to whitches.
@Kneetoe Lisa Hanawalt, please do a colorful illustration of flying genitals for us!
Oh man, weird museums, tiny houses and witch ointments all on the same day??? THE HAIRPIN RUNNETH OVER.
@Jolie Kerr God, the Hairpin is really going downhill. It used to be about makeup tutorials and links to Marie Claire and now it's all just sorcery and architecture. I'm really disappointed.
@melis I sort of miss Rich though, don't you guys?
When all mentions of something that generations of grad students would kill to write a thesis on and at least three huge comic book writers would incorporate in every story line their editors let them if it were true trace back to one person, it's probably not true. But then we can all be mad at that person for telling us such fabulous things that turn out not to be true.
@wharrgarbl
I'm imagining a universe in which Morrison writes Voodoo, Madame Xanadu, and Zatanna cooking up flying ointment and Guillem March does the art.
@DH@twitter With little asterisks all linking back to "Yes, I know this isn't a real thing, but it fucking should be, so write your snotty letters to reality, not me.–Ed."
@wharrgarbl
Now that I think about it, reality deserves any number of snotty letters.
Edith, your article on Chris Evans (GQ July 2011) was a hoot. I've never read an article such as yours on a celebrity. You were so honest (as much as you could be, hehe) and forthright that it made the article real, come to life. It was, no sugar in the coffee. Thanks, Please contribute again. As a subscriber to GQ it would behoove them to do so. Best, Joey in KC, MO.
@instantkarma Thank you, Joey!
Seriously?
This late in the day and I'm the first person to say "ointment that makes you feel like you're flying – can I have some please?"
Seriously.
Now I know what's wrong with the youth of today.
@Emily L. Hauser@twitter Mmm, we already have meth, so.