In Egypt of the yore, medicines were usually mixed with beer, wine, or honey, and each of these had their own medicinal properties. Beer was the most popular drink, frequently serving as one’s wages, and was considered a gift from the gods for the people’s health and enjoyment. It was thought to ‘gladden the heart’ in general, but when one was ill, medicines mixed with beer – and combined with spells – were thought particularly effective. Beer and wine were also prescribed for children and nursing mothers. A prescription from the Ebers Papyrus for childhood incontinence calls for the mother to drink a cup of beer mixed with grass seeds and cyperus grass for four days while breastfeeding the child.
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