The answer offers a glimpse into the zaniest crannies of European history, at a time when Europeans were obsessed with Egyptian mummies. Mummy maniaFaith that mummies could cure illness drove people for centuries to ingest something that tasted awful. By the 12th century apothecaries were using ground up mummies for their otherworldly medicinal properties. Félix Bonfils/ WikimediaVictorians held private parties dedicated to unwrapping the remains of ancient Egyptian mummies. But the lure of the mummy remains strong.