Laudanum
Posted by Lynne on March 07, 1998 at 15:42:00:
If I am remembering correctly, in the book, Marianne's illness seems to last several days, but the movie seems to indicate a much shorter passage of time. I always wondered what kind of illness she may have had...influenza? pneumonia? strep throat? Willoughby-itis?
And it always bothered me that the doctor chooses to treat her with laudanum--isn't that a narcotic, akin to heroin? I think it is a testament to Marianne's physical strength that she survived the doctor's treatment....obviously, in that time period, the cure could be worse than the disease!
But I don't mean to kick around the doctor...he worked with what he knew and what treatments were available. I recently attended Daniel Boone Days here in Mo...and this time period in our state's history corresponds to the Regency period (late 1700s-early 1800s). Anyway, a medical historian had a booth at this fair, displaying surgical instruments, and bottles of medicines they might have used (like the bottle of leeches he showed us). The bottle of leeches was probably the most benign treatment they used. I cannot recall all he said (and perhaps that is just as well), but I could not help but think how grateful I was to have been born after the age of antibiotics and antiseptics!
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