大象传媒

Susan Morrison catches up with Dr Katie Barclay of Adelaide University to find out what life was like for Scotland鈥檚 travelling poor in the 18th century - were we more generous back then, and how hard a life was it for women tramping the road? But if it gave you sore feet, might there have been an ancient remedy for that? Dr Sharon Arbuthnot of Sabhal M貌r Ostaig, Scotland鈥檚 National Centre for Gaelic Language in the Isle of Skye has been digging into the Gaelic medical manuscripts of the middle ages. They鈥檙e a treasure trove of cures, charms and surprising uses for bits of bird and animal - all plugged into the learned culture of Europe, and we meet someone who might have used the services of the learned medical men who wrote the books - Christina MacRuairi - a key supporter of King Robert Bruce. Dr Callum Watson of National Trust for Scotland has the story.