The Nun Salves.

No, I really don't think that Hildegard von Bingen made ginseng salves.

So I'm in one or the other business directory. Wherever possible I've said "no advertisements".

Still, there's hopefuls. Like the ad I got by snail mail last week, selling Dr Sacher's "Hildegard von Bingen Nun Salves".

Hildegard lived from 1098 to 1179, which they helpfully state right on the front page of their little brochure.

And among these "Nun Salves", supposedly from Hildegard herself, these jokers sell ginseng salve, vaseline salve (with added vitamin E), tea tree salve, and sea buckthorn salve (with carotene).

And they state that the healing powers of these herbs against illness and disease was known already 900 years ago. (Vaseline a herb? Learn something new every day.)

Sorry, I don't think so.

Your arnica salve might be OK, but 900 years ago they didn't have a clue about the oil of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), ginseng, or vaseline (which is made from mineral oil...). Your Aesculus salve includes menthol ... honest, do some research into the history of herbs and salve bases before you try to sell things as pre-medieval European.

And stop sending me your fancy advertisements. I'm not interested. At all.