medicinal days
Preserved but no longer current.
In ancient practice the sixth, eighth, tenth, twelfth, sixteenth, eighteenth, etc., of a disease; so called because, according to Hippocrates, no "crisis" (#.v.) occurs on these days, and medicine may be safely administered.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “medicinal days” mean?
In ancient practice the sixth, eighth, tenth, twelfth, sixteenth, eighteenth, etc., of a disease; so called because, according to Hippocrates, no "crisis" (#.v.) occurs on these days, and medicine may be safely administered.
Is “medicinal days” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.