Astragalus (ankle) bone carried against rheumatism, Suffolk, 1880-1916

The growing influence of biomedicine in the 1800s did not necessarily replace established forms of treatment based on belief and superstition. What could be referred to as folk medicine – customs that often went back generations – continued to be practised. For example, carrying around a piece of ankle bone was believed to be a cure for rheumatism (aches and pains in the joints), transferring the pain from the person to the stone.

The piece of flint was a gift in 1916 from Edward Lovett (1852-1933), a collector of British amulets and charms. It is pictured here with two other bones used as a ‘cure’ for aching joints, (A79937 and A79960).