Known for her treatment of kidney stones in the 1730s. She claimed to have infallible treatments and in 1738 advertised in The Gentleman\u2019s Magazine that she would reveal her secret if she were to receive \u00a35000 in recompense. Five thousand pounds (roughly the equivalent of 7-8 million dollars today) was a sum beyond the means of almost any individual and could only be raised by setting up a fund for public subscription. At first, the fund did not go too well, but after a parliamentary inquiry had declared that Stephens\u2019 claims were sufficiently credible to justify public support, the sum was raised and paid to her.<\/p>\n
She then published three prescriptions to be used in succession, should the first and then the second not effect a cure. The first was produced by boiling a mixture of herbs, soap, and honey; the second, a powder of snails and burnt eggshells; the third, a pill made from burnt snails, wild seeds, hips, and haws. It was soon realized that none of these was effective, but Joanna Stephens had disappeared with the proceeds! Nonetheless for many years thereafter, sufferers, including Sir Robert Walpole, continued to use her remedies.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Known for her treatment of kidney stones in the 1730s. She claimed to have infallible treatments and in 1738 advertised in The Gentleman\u2019s Magazine that she would reveal her secret if she were to receive \u00a35000 in recompense. Five thousand pounds (roughly the equivalent of 7-8 million dollars today) was a sum beyond the means […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-211384","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-j"],"yoast_head":"\n