Bezoars: From Magical Cures to Modern Medical Insights

https://www.ihadnoclue.com/article/1072789706432151553

Bezoars are compact masses of undigested material found in animal digestive tracts that have played a fascinating role in human history. Derived from the Persian word "antidote," these concretions were once highly valued as universal remedies against poisoning, particularly in medieval Europe and royal courts. Bezoars form when indigestible materials like hair (trichobezoars), plant fibers (phytobezoars), medications, or milk products accumulate in layers within the stomach, sometimes growing for years to substantial sizes. Their perceived medicinal properties made them extremely valuable—Emperor Rudolf II reportedly paid 600 imperial thalers for a single specimen. Modern science has revealed that some bezoars, especially those from Persian wild goats, contain minerals with detoxifying properties that can neutralize certain poisons, lending credibility to their historical use. While now recognized primarily as pathological formations requiring medical intervention, bezoars represent humanity's evolving understanding from mysticism to science, showing how even strange historical medical practices often contained elements of observation that anticipated modern discoveries.