How to Make "Vinegar of the Four Thieves" to Use as an Insect Repellent

When the Great Plague attacked London in 1665, over 7,000 people were dying every week. (It is estimated that the plague claimed around 100,000 lives or 20% of the population of London by the time it was finished.) At that time, no one knew the cause or the cure. Of course, many herbal remedies were concocted. One such concoction has survived to this day and is known as the "Vinegar of the Four Thieves."

There are different legends surrounding the origin of the Vinegar of the Four Thieves. One such legend is that during the Great Plague, people quite naturally tried to avoid those suffering from the plague as well as those places in which people had died from the plague. As a result, a large red "X" was painted on the doors of homes in which people had succumbed to the disease. The mark was meant as a warning; however, a small band of thieves viewed it as an opportunity to enrich themselves at the expense of the dead and chose to rob these homes. To protect themselves from contracting the plague, these fearless thieves made their own herbal vinegar. Some say that the thieves were indeed protected by this vinegar mixture and traded their recipe to the authorities for their freedom when they were finally apprehended. Whatever the truth of the matter, the Vinegar of the Four Thieves is anti-bacterial and anti-viral agent. It is reputed to offer protection against the flu and some say even small pox and other biological attacks. (I would not recommend, however, that you forego a smallpox vaccine in favor of ingesting this vinegar.) Whether or not these claims are true is probably up for debate. The Vinegar of the Four Thieves, nevertheless, does have its uses. For example, it is a very effective insect repellent, especially against ticks and mites and also a potent disinfectant.

There are several recipes for the Vinegar of the Four Thieves. Some say that garlic was not used in the original recipe, while others claim that it was. However, following is a version of the recipe for the Vinegar of the Four Thieves, which you can make yourself at home.