Medieval Living | Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Medicine in Healing Soil

For centuries, people believed the soil in Toneel North in Boho, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, could heal various common ailments. Toneel North is where ancient wisdom meets modern medicine. To clear up infection or relieve pain, a small lump of soil was put in a cloth and placed near the infected or painful area, or under the patient’s pillow, for nine days. Who would believe that it worked?

However, the UK’s Swansea University Medical School, the Ulster University School of Biomedical Sciences, and Croatia’s Laboratory for Molecular Genetics at Ruđer Bošković Institute! Researchers were looking for non-traditional and inventive new ways to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA.

It turns out that the soil contained an unknown strain of Streptomyces, a type of bacteria known for its complex secondary metabolism and producing over two-thirds of the clinically useful antibiotics of natural origin. It helped inhibit the growth of four of the top six multi-resistant pathogens causing superinfections. The four are VRE, MRSA, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and CARB. Medical settings frequently harbor these pathogens, which are extremely difficult to treat.

VRE infections can affect the bloodstream, urinary tract, brain, heart valves, and open wounds. MRSA is a bacterium that causes skin infections, pneumonia, and life-threatening bloodstream infections. It can also cause infection in community settings. Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria usually live in the intestines but can cause serious infections if spread to other body parts. It’s a significant cause of pneumonia, bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, and meningitis.

Part of the answer to current medical problems is to investigate past wisdom.