August 3, 2012

Another idea for delaying aging.

At last night's open thread, the Coal Café, our beloved commenter Lem got inspired to look for updates on that story from a couple weeks ago about the burned fire walkers:
I was looking for news of the bed of hot coal walkers we had fun with and how they might be "getting over it"... when Google gave me this..

Bed warmer... The term is also commonly used in the United Kingdom and Australia for a temporary sexual partner, or a relationship of necessity.
This is not to be confused with Shunamitism, the practice of sharing a bed, but not necessarily engaging in sexual relations, with a young maiden, in hope that the shared warmth and moisture would delay aging.
Clicking through on Shunamitism, I see that the idea was that "the heat and moisture of the young woman would transfer to the old man and revitalize him." The term, Shunamitism, goes back to King David, who had a young woman from Shunem (named Abishag) brought to his bed to keep him warm. 1Kings 1,1. And: "Among scientific physicians, both Thomas Sydenham (17th century) and Herman Boerhaave (18th century) prescribed shunamitism for their patients." That's quite a prescription, if you can get it.

ADDED: I'm imagining Shunamitism as a New Age front for a prostitution business.

16 comments:

mariner said...

That's quite a prescription, if you can get it.

Filling it would be the hard part.

karrde said...

Never saw the phrase Shunamitism before, but I remembered the story about the Biblical David and Abishag of Shunem right away.

I wonder how many other commenters knew that without thinking?

Hoosier Daddy said...

I can testify this works. I'm 45 but don't look a day over 35. An enthusiastic young lady is the real fountain of youth.

Calypso Facto said...

Shunamitism. I think the modern translation is "trophy wife".

Ann Althouse said...

I think "Abishagging" would be a better term.

Mark O said...

He gat no heat.

Oso Negro said...

Shunamitism! Who knew? Tread lightly here, Ann, you will be seen as promoting pedophilia.

Darrell said...

It benefits older women more.
It's like hormone replacement therapy in a pair of Louboutins.

Ipso Fatso said...

Queens were screamin' up a storm

Want my young body to keep them warm!

In jail, in Jack-son-ville.

--the Late Great Root Boy Slim

jungatheart said...

It could be an Obamacare treatment.

Jose_K said...

Curcumin.it will aid slow aging
Lenght of life is realted with the lenght of telomeres. Supposedly telomere could be protected by it.
Anyawy remember Tales and what he did to live longer and how it ends. Also Tithonus

edutcher said...

Madame, you're a born entrepreneuse.

John henry said...

I saw that and my mind immediately went to R. Crumb's "Schuman the Human"

I thought it might be a movement to adapt him as the next god.

http://www.ronazajac.com/Wallpaper/_Shuman_the_Human.jpg

Seems like a natural for New Agers.

Mr Natural might make a pretty good god as well.

John Henry

Tarzan said...

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, so fine as a moist young woman. Just saying.

Tits?

PaulR said...

If we go to First Kings the text explicitly says that "the king knew her not." (verse 4 of the English Standard Version). Seems reasonable to me since he was old and it was pre-ED treatment days...but then I might just be bitterly clinging to my Bible....

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Cool..

I thought my comment was gone for ever.

Thanks.