Sat, 10th Sep.: On imodium and Stourbridge Fair

Digestive disruption continues, so finally succumbed and took two imodium tablets which seemed to have the right effect. Imodium is a trade name for the active ingredient, Loperamide, originally developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals. It is an opiate that does not cross the blood/brain barrier and therefore does not cause the same effect as other opiates. Acting on receptors in the intestines, it reduces the activity of the longitudinal muscles and increases that of the circular muscles. As a result, material is held for a longer time, allowing more water to be removed. However, whilst useful for mild diarrhoea, it has no benefit with cholera, shigella or campylobacter infections.

Mrs Hales-Tooke dropped by in the morning to pick up a box of her book “The Lost Priory”, in preparation for her sales table at the Stourbridge Fair today. We therefore decided to go to the fair for the first time since living in Cambridge. Stourbridge fair now fills a small field around the Leper Chapel off Newmarket Road. There were stalls giving information about historical groups, beekeepers selling beeswax candles and honey, a story teller enthralling children and of course Mrs Hales-Tooke, selling her cards and books. Many dressed up in mediaeval clothes and with the sun breaking through, the Capriol Society dancers performed mediaeval dances to the applause of the surrounding spectators.

Apparently, Stourbridge Fair used to be the largest of it's kind in Europe, originating from a special dispensation by King John in 1199 to hold a three day fair at the Leper Chapel in aid of the lepers. It rose to a peak in the 1500 and 1600s, it income becoming a battle ground between town and gown, then with increasing technology and canalisation, it declined in the eighteenth century and finally ceased in 1933. However, it was recently revived (probably 2004 according to Wikipedia) and Mrs Hales-Tooke had been participating for a number of years, successfully selling her books and cards there.

The evening spent stitching panorama sequences using Hugin. News developing about Egyptian protests in Cairo outside Israeli embassy in response to the earlier killing of Egyptian policeman in a raid chasing terrorists. The television pictures are of a new wall being torn down and the consulate offices being raided and trashed.