Orcs and healing - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Bard the Bowman · 02-10-2014, 12:48 AM

(this is my first post and thread so go easy on me)

i was just wondering,did orcs rescue their fellow wounded orcs and try to heal them?

Zigûr · 02-10-2014, 03:28 AM

We know from The Lord of the Rings that Orcs were quite skilled healers. When the Uruk-hai need Pippin to walk, "Uglúk thrust a flask between his teeth and poured some burning liquid down his throat: he felt a fierce glow flow through him. The pain in his legs and ankles vanished. He could stand."
Merry receives slightly further care:
"Uglúk pulled him into a sitting position, and tore the bandage off his head. Then he smeared the wound with some dark stuff out of a small wooden box."
It goes on to say:
"He was healing Merry in orc-fashion; and his treatment worked swiftly. When he had forced a drink from his flask down the hobbit's throat, cut his leg-bonds, and dragged him to his feet, Merry stood up, looking pale but grim and defiant, and very much alive. The gash in his forehead gave him no more trouble, but he bore a brown scar to the end of his days."
As we are told in The Hobbit, Orcs "make no beautiful things, but they make many clever ones." I would argue from Merry and Pippin's treatment that such a description extends very accurately to their medicine.
How they treated their wounded fellows is something I will leave to others.

mhagain · 02-10-2014, 07:55 AM

I would guess that this is more pragmatic than altruistic. A fellow Orc soldier is a valuable resource that you may get into trouble for jeopardizing; knowledge of healing for light wounds, or those not immediately life-threatening, is therefore important, but I'd expect that an incapacitated Orc would be quite a different story.

Mithalwen · 02-10-2014, 03:14 PM

Yes they certainly wouldn't risk crossing Shelob. To rescuecthose of their fellows who ended up in her larder. Otherwise yes I agree tht those who could be returned to useful service with a bit of salve and firewater would be, others not..

Bard the Bowman · 02-10-2014, 08:26 PM

but wernt the hobbits a special case?

Galadriel55 · 02-10-2014, 09:24 PM

Welcome to the Downs, Bard!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bard the Bowman

but wernt the hobbits a special case?

They didn't drag that medicine all the way with them just in case some hobbits got hurt, though. I think it's safe to assume that such medicine was common practice among the orcs. I doubt many of them really tried to save each others' lives, being orcs and all, but I could see them healing the more minor wounds with ease.

02-10-2014, 12:48 AM	#1
Bard the Bowman Newly Deceased Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: somewhere over the rainbow Posts: 9	Orcs and healing (this is my first post and thread so go easy on me) i was just wondering,did orcs rescue their fellow wounded orcs and try to heal them?

02-10-2014, 03:28 AM	#2
Zigûr Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 785	We know from The Lord of the Rings that Orcs were quite skilled healers. When the Uruk-hai need Pippin to walk, "Uglúk thrust a flask between his teeth and poured some burning liquid down his throat: he felt a fierce glow flow through him. The pain in his legs and ankles vanished. He could stand." Merry receives slightly further care: "Uglúk pulled him into a sitting position, and tore the bandage off his head. Then he smeared the wound with some dark stuff out of a small wooden box." It goes on to say: "He was healing Merry in orc-fashion; and his treatment worked swiftly. When he had forced a drink from his flask down the hobbit's throat, cut his leg-bonds, and dragged him to his feet, Merry stood up, looking pale but grim and defiant, and very much alive. The gash in his forehead gave him no more trouble, but he bore a brown scar to the end of his days." As we are told in The Hobbit, Orcs "make no beautiful things, but they make many clever ones." I would argue from Merry and Pippin's treatment that such a description extends very accurately to their medicine. How they treated their wounded fellows is something I will leave to others. __________________ "Since the evening of that day we have journeyed from the shadow of Tol Brandir." "On foot?" cried Éomer. Last edited by Zigûr; 02-10-2014 at 04:46 AM. Reason: spelling

02-10-2014, 07:55 AM	#3
mhagain Wight Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: The best seat in the Golden Perch Posts: 219	I would guess that this is more pragmatic than altruistic. A fellow Orc soldier is a valuable resource that you may get into trouble for jeopardizing; knowledge of healing for light wounds, or those not immediately life-threatening, is therefore important, but I'd expect that an incapacitated Orc would be quite a different story. __________________ Then one appeared among us, in our own form visible, but greater and more beautiful; and he said that he had come out of pity.

02-10-2014, 03:14 PM	#4
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,458	Yes they certainly wouldn't risk crossing Shelob. To rescuecthose of their fellows who ended up in her larder. Otherwise yes I agree tht those who could be returned to useful service with a bit of salve and firewater would be, others not.. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

02-10-2014, 08:26 PM	#5
Bard the Bowman Newly Deceased Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: somewhere over the rainbow Posts: 9	but wernt the hobbits a special case?