Nightmare, to be treated with human advised even the famous Paracelsus. A little more than two hundred years ago - until the end of the XVIII century - European doctors widely used and human meat, and preparations made from corpses. With such a dark page in the history of Western enlightened society introduces the new issue of the German weekly Der Spiegel.

Here is just one of the recipes of the German pharmacologist Johann Schroeder. It is not clear why, but in the XVII century it was prescribed: "Human meat should be cut into small pieces, add a bit of myrrh and aloes, some days to withstand in the wine alcohol, and then prevalite in a dry premise".

According to the historian of medicine Richard Sarry of the University of Durham (UK), the XVI - XVIII centuries, like "medicines" European doctors used as often as herbs, roots and bark.

- Part of the corpse and the blood were necessities that were present in every drug store, the scholar maintains. - The most diligent cannibals were not residents of the New world, and the Europeans.

Medical cannibalism - old tradition. Ancient Romans used the blood of gladiators as a remedy for epilepsy. In the Renaissance feeble actively used the powder of Egyptian mummies. In the hammer as they - mummy - was considered an almost "elixir of life".

Specifically skull served to stop the bleeding. Fat - allegedly helped rheumatism and arthritis. And if people did not die a natural death, it was considered that, having tasted of his flesh, you can get yourself not doetoe them.

In Europe, three centuries ago, the drug were the remains of executed criminals, the corpses of the poor. And even the lepers. The most famous advocate of such treatment was famous Paracelsus.

By the way, today in Tibet drink tea with milk, adding a Cup fat deceased relative. But not cured. And in a sign of respect. Such here in Nepal custom. When in 1492 Pope innocent VIII was dying, his doctors took blood of three boys and gave him to drink, tells the magazine Richard ZAGG. According to him, the boys died. Daddy too. This is cannibalism, no doubt scientist.

Medical cannibalism retired from medical practice in Europe only in the end of XVIII century. But still one of the latest recipes, which left dead in 1754 British preacher John CEOP. For dizziness he recommended human heart pounded "a pinch in the morning on an empty stomach".

Thank God, now, even in Europe, dizziness cure pills.