A 1797 set of the Encyclopaedia Britannica
As Encyclopaedia Britannica begins a hunt for the oldest privately-held edition, The Telegraph has published a list of 10 rather odd and wonderful “facts” about our world as written in 1768. (I checked AbeBooks listings and 1771 appears to be the oldest edition offered.)
For your amusement, here’s Encyclopaedia Britannica 1768: 10 weird facts courtesy of The Telegraph:
1. Humans and monsters
Homo sapiens were sub divided into five varieties: the American, the European, the Asiatic, the African and the monstrous.
2. Medicine
Cures for flatulence included drinking chamomile tea and blowing smoke from a pipe ‘through the anus.’
Visiting the dentist was, literally, a pain in the backside; cures for toothache include drinking laxatives, or bleeding in the foot. If the tooth is rotten ‘it will be best to burn the nervous cord which is the seat of the pain with a cautery; and then the cavity may be filled up with a mixture of wax and maslich’. Or, the French way was to fill the hole with another human/animal tooth of the right size.
Drinking tea or coffee was a common cure for heart-burn. Alternatively hot wine infused with camomile flowers and sugar was also thought to work.
3. Chocolate consumption
Chocolate was a luxury, and ready made chocolate and cacao paste were prohibited to be imported from overseas. It could, however, be made at home for private use ‘upon three days notice given to the officer of excise, and provided no less than half an hundred weight be made at one time.’
4. Aphrodisiacs
Vermicelli noodles were first brought from Italy, where the food was in ‘great vogue’; it was chiefly used in soups and pottages, ‘to provoke venery’ or sexual gratification.
5. Petrol
Petroleum was used as an ointment to treat pains of the limbs, and to try and cure paralysis.
6. Australia and New Zealand
Despite the fact that both lands had been discovered their existence was not recognised in the Encyclopaedia until they had been colonised.
7. California
The US state of Callifornia was spelt with two ‘L’s’ and is described as ‘a large country of the West Indies. Unknown whether it is an island or a peninsula.’
8. The solar system
The solar system was described as having six planets; Uranus, Neptune and Pluto have yet to be discovered.
9. New England
Boston, the capital of New England, had numerous English attributes. It was described as being defended by a castle and platform of guns.
10. Cheese
The cheese of Ireland was prohibited to be imported into the UK. Parmesan cheese was renowned abroad, especially in France.
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