I Feel Better with a Frog in My Throat: History's Strangest Cures (review)

Maladies such as coughs, colds, stomachaches, and fever have always been with humanity, and various treatments, some stranger than others, have evolved over the millennia. Beccia, author/illustrator of Raucous Royals (BCCB 10/08), takes a look at seven health complaints and a handful of colorful treatments, some of which are likely to have some effect and some of which aren't, for each. The picture-book-style volume is cleverly formatted: each section opens with a multiple-choice quiz ("Did any of these cures help?") that provides time and place for the cure's use and then expands into an explanation of each remedy with a yes, no, or maybe verdict on their efficacy. The explanations get somewhat muddy, though, and the scientific details are often lacking (what about chicken soup makes it effective?) or inconsistent (placebo effect is credited for some cures and not for others), so the book often relies on the same kind of faith that its more outrageous cures once demanded. The point is handily made, though, that some old cures have stood up well to scientific scrutiny, and a few are still quite viable today. Beccia's art demonstrates the same blend of period flavor and humorous irreverence as she showed in Raucous Royals; the layout makes the most of old manuscript flourishes, such as illuminated letters and border inscriptions, adding to the old-fashioned air, while the touches of grotesquerie fit neatly with both ancient and modern sensibilities. This will add some flair to a health or history unit, and it may help students appreciate the comparative clarity of the school nurse's office. A brief note and a select bibliography close the book.