Page 51 - The Flickering Cauldron Magazine - May 2022

The formula eventually was displayed in the museum of Old Marseilles, France. In 1937 French chemist and scholar Rene-Maurice Gattefosse published this formula in his book ‘Gattefosee’s Aromatherapy’
“Take three pints of strong white wine vinegar, add a handful of wormwood, one of meadowsweet, fifty clover, two ounces of bellflower, two ounces of angelica, rosemary and horehound malroig and three large measures of camphor. Place the mixture in a container for fifteen days, filter, and then put in the bottle. Rub on the hands, ears and temples occasionally approaching an infected''
(Museum of Old Marseilles)
Now let us look at the facts, to see if we can confirm the story...
The Black Death in France was during the 14th Century, and the Plague of Marseille in the 18th Century, not as it is proposed in the various stories
The Black Death was brought to France by it arriving on one of the Caffa ships that docked in Marseille in November 1347, and it persisted for about two years, killing about 30-50% of the population.
Then in 1720 to 1722 the plague reared its ugly head again in Marseille!
In 1998, s plague pit was unearthed in Marseille, France and scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Science of Human History in Germany used teeth from the skeleton corpses, confirming that this plague was caused by the same bacterium as the Black Death ‘Version pestis’ which exists in the parasitic fleas that carried it.
The date was also backed up by scholars from the Université de la Méditerranée, who confirms the date of the pit through the skeleton remains was around 1722.
Now we have some historical facts on dates. We can see that the Black Death in France was during the 14th Century, and the Plague of Marseille in the 18th Century, not as it was proposed in the various story lines... But perhaps, we can forgive that small
transgression over the time of the story being told, getting their century’s out.
So let’s look at some other aspects of the story to verify it...
After researching till falling asleep at the desk, looking at the ingredients for this formula, it was all rather sketchy, and without taking weeks to investigate each one, it is quite hard to say for sure if these ingredients were available to them or not.
They were all around, that’s for sure, in Europe, some at a premium price.
There is no record of wormwood to be found in France until the 19th Century as an ingredient. It was used in Absinthe, invented by the Swiss, but does not mean it did not exist there.
In fact, all of the ingredients used in the formula, (some older than others), were around throughout Europe, but could or would these guys be able to get their hands on them? I do not think this could be verified either way without a lengthy investigation.
What strikes us as strange is why go robbing? With what they thought to be such an effective potion, it must have been worth its weight in gold.
People rich and poor would have come from miles and miles to purchase it from them, making them rich, more so than robbing. This must have crossed their minds, surely! So it makes me question this part of the story.
Another questionable aspect is the punishment for the crime!
In France during the 14th and early 18th century, burning as the death penalty would have been kept for heresy, sodomy, bestiality, arson and witchcraft. Even though stealing from the dead was a hideous crime, being put to death this way does not ring true. The death penalty at that time would only be given if you stole from the crown or church, and even then it would have only been a hanging.
Could it be that the authorities wanted to get their hands on the formula so badly, that they changed the
Some interesting information
The Flickering Cauldron® Magazine - Four Thieves Vinegar | 51