Helping to conquer CVI

摘要

THE game of conkers, played with the hard, shiny, dark brown fruit of the horse chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum), dates back to the mid-19th century, and since 1965 the second Sunday in October has been the date for the World Conker Championships, held in Northamptonshire. But the conker also has a long history in folk medicine, having been used for various conditions, including arthritis, rheumatism, pyrexia, diarrhoea, coughs, haemorrhoids, varicose veins, oedema, chilblains and bruises.