Rooster
(From Manuscript 13th C., British Library, Harley 3244)Zoological name:
Gallus domesticus
Parts used:
Whole Bird, Blood
Uses:
BILE (Slightly Cool. Bitter):
-Heat-type Cough, Whooping Cough. (TCM, Asia)
-Gravel. (TCM)
-Applied to poor eyesight, conjunctivitis, ulcers and boils (TCM)
-applied to various eye problems and eye growths in the West.
BLOOD (Neutral, Salty):
The blood from a Cocks Comb is the best; It is dried and powdered for medicine.
1. Tonifies Yang:
-children overcome with fear, and for collapse from sudden fright (TCM)
-‘the Comb of a Cock’s head, with one grain of Olibanum, and a little Hartshorn, carried about one, averts all nocturnal Fear, and the meeting with any Evil, and it makes the bearer without fear’ (Magic of Kirani)
-Cocks blood is traditionally associated with coura˘ge in many cultures.
-Also taken for painful genitalia.
2. Resists Poison:
-as with Blood from various other sources, it is used as an Antidote to Poisons. (Salmon, other)
3. Externally:
-Dropped into the eyes for blindness, conjunctivitis etc.
-applied to ulcers, eczemas, erysipelas, chilblains, bites, carbuncles, boils and running sores.
BRAIN:
1. Ashed and given in wine for infantile convulsions, and to promote labor (TCM)
2. Resists Poison:
-Brains were taken taken with Vinegar (preferably that in which a Snake has been pickled) to those bitten by Snakes (Magic of Kirani)
-the Brains and Comb of a Cock were similarly given as a remedy for Mad Dog bites in European Folk Medicine.
3. Used in Aphrodisiac medicines
COCK STONES:
See Alectorius, Cock Stone
FAT (Cool, Sweet): Used similarly to Goose fat
1. Applied to the head for baldness and to prevent baldness.
2. Applied to soften hard swellings.
3. dropped into the ear for chronic deafness. (TCM, West)
FECES:
1. Has all the virtues of pigeon dung, but is slightly weaker.
2. ‘And its Dung drank with good wine, does wonderfully cure suffocation caused by cold’. (Magic of Kirani)
GIZZARD SKIN:
Used similarly to that of the Hens; TCM prefers that from Hens:
1. ‘the inner horny coat of the Gizzard… put into wine, and then dried and beaten with Salt, drunk with Wine or Syrup, perfectly cures the Stone in the Kidneys’ (Magic of Kirani)
2. Used for the Stomach and to promote Digestion (like Chicken Gizzard Skin)
3. Also for Hysteria
HEART or EYES (Dried and powdered):
Said to keep a man awake, and were therefore thought stimulant.
LIVER (Warm. Bitter, sweet.):
1. Aphrodisiac for men. A Kidney tonic,
2. used for poor eyesight from weakness (TCM).
MEAT (Warm. Meat from a Capon is best):
1. Strengthens the Kidneys
-nourishes and strengthens the Yin and Yang of the body.
-Consumption, Hectic fevers, weakness, and debility
-‘Of all tame Fowl, a Capon is best, is most nourishing, and is soonest digested’ (Culpeper)
-Also used in TCM for Insanity, Fear, chronic Coughs and Dropsy. (TCM, West, Ayurveda)
2. Settles Wind:
-used for sudden Heart pain. (TCM)
-used in Ayurveda for disorders of Wind including irregular fevers.
4. Resists Poison
-against Poison (especially that of a Snake: in Broth)
SKULL (of a Capon):
1. The powder was taken to promote Menstruation. (Wirtzung)
TESTICLES:
1. Strengthens the Kidneys:
-‘Stir up Lust, cause Fruitfulness, and help fevers’ (Salmon)
-‘Its testicles drunk with wine irritate Venus’. (Magic of Kirani)
THROAT:
1. Burnt to ashes is a specific for Incontinence of Urine in young or old. (Hartman)
WHITE DUNG from a COCK (Slightly Cool. Used in TCM):
1. Strengthen the Kidneys, promote Urine:
-for gravel, enuresis (including that coming after childbirth); also for constant thirst (diabetes insipidus).
2. Promotes Stool:
-constipation, flatulence, jaundice, ascites.
3. Clears Heat, Resists Poison:
-used for head colds, fever, sore and swollen throat and tetanus.
-The clear water extract is given as an antidote to the excessive use or overdose of Gold and Silver. (TCM)
4. Externally:
-Applied externally to sprains and rheumatism
-tubercular neck glands;
-to remove scars.
-Applied with Old Soy sauce to Baldness. (TCM)
Main Combinations:
Cautions:
None noted