

I'm interested in books or magazine articles that look at the history of infection, as long as it's actually about what people did, and not just a OMG History Is Horrible list of awful things.



Antibiotics are not that old; there must still be useful information passed from person to person. (When I was 5 or 6, I remember the doctor coming to my house (!) to give me a shot of a new wonder drug, penicillin, because I had a very high fever after getting my tonsils out.



Many years ago a friend with an abscessed tooth went to a very old dentist, who said if she couldn't afford an antibiotic, to rinse with either very hot water and salt, or very hot alcohol, such as brandy or port. Any other anecdotes like that one also welcome.

The future of antibiotic-resistent bacteria is not good news for us. So what other ways to specifically combat dangerous bacteria have people in distant times and/or distant lands used? Assuming I'm already eating a good diet, getting enough sleep, living in a fairly hygienic situation, praying to God, and washing my hands a lot.