#noabers

History /// For centuries, people relied on each other. In Drenthe the ‘noaberschap’ or ‘neighborliness’ was very common. Care for one another was very natural in the small, close-knit communities. The female neighbours helped women giving birth and cared for the sick. Moreover, the ‘noabers’ supported the old and weak villagers with food and clothing. In Drenthe ‘huismiddelen’, or ‘house resources’ were very common: self-made medicines whose efficacy was based on experience. Due to lack of medical care, especially in rural areas, selfmedication in Drenthe was fairly common. The ingredients of these medicines were easy available food resources, while the required spices, oils and alcoholic substances were to be found at the local pharmacist or in nature. For example, hemp seed boiled in skimmed milk was used against jaundice. To cure fever, sundew was mixed with clean sand. Painful ulceration to the fingers, also referred to as ‘Vyt’, one challenged with yarrow. And to prevent chest ailments you had to drink tea made out of lungwort. Sometimes people called on ‘wondhelers’, ‘ledenzetters’ and ‘breukmeesters’ or even “miracle healers”. #Drentshistory #naoberschap #noabers #huismiddelen #wondhelers #ledenzetters #breukmeesters