# Garlic and vampires **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 26, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/garlic-and-vampires/469594 "2008-10-26T02:08:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/garlic-and-vampires/469594/21 "2008-10-27T13:41:27Z")
> [@Telperion](#): > > Kingsfoil, I believe it was called. Might be a bit hard to find a grocery store that keeps it in stock, though. “Pass me some athelas, please?” “Some WHAT? There’s gotta be 10,000 herbs in this greengrocers!”…AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGG ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/garlic-and-vampires/469594/22 "2008-10-27T14:09:35Z")
> [@Telperion](#): > > Kingsfoil, I believe it was called. Might be a bit hard to find a grocery store that keeps it in stock, though. Also called Athelas or asëa aranion. It was difficult to get even back in the day in Middle-Earth. > [@](#): > > ‘It is also called kingsfoil,’ said Aragorn; ‘and maybe you know it > by that name, for so the country-folk call it in these latter days.’ ‘Oh > that!’ said Ioreth. 'Well, if your lordship had named it at first I could > have told you. **No, we have none of it, I am sure**. Why, I have never heard > that it had any great virtue; and indeed I have often said to my sisters > when we came upon it growing in the woods: “kingsfoil” I said, " 'tis a > strange name, and I wonder why ‘tis called so; for if I were a king, I would > have plants more bright in my garden". Still it smells sweet when bruised, > does it not? If sweet is the right word: wholesome, maybe, is nearer.’ > ‘Wholesome verily,’ said Aragorn. ‘And now, dame, if you love the Lord > Faramir, run as quick as your tongue and get me kingsfoil, if there is a > leaf in the City.’ > ‘And if not,’ said Gandalf, ‘I will ride to Lossarnach with Ioreth > behind me, and she shall take me to the woods, but not to her sisters. And > Shadowfax shall show her the meaning of haste.’ However, I don’t believe it had any special properties for keeping vampires or the undead away. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/garlic-and-vampires/469594/23 "2008-10-27T15:55:59Z")
There is a school of thought that [porphyria](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porphyria) sufferers were thought to be vampires. And often, they were sensitive to strong herbs such as garlic (or so I’ve heard). Of course, this could be complete bullshit. Anyone else familiar with this theory? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/garlic-and-vampires/469594/24 "2008-10-27T16:01:20Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > There is a school of thought that [porphyria](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porphyria) sufferers were thought to be vampires. And often, they were sensitive to strong herbs such as garlic (or so I’ve heard). > Of course, this could be complete bullshit. Anyone else familiar with this theory? [Cecil is](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1321/did-vampires-suffer-from-the-disease-porphyria-or-not) And it is complete bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/garlic-and-vampires/469594/25 "2008-10-27T16:16:13Z")
> [@Telperion](#): > > Kingsfoil, I believe it was called. Might be a bit hard to find a grocery store that keeps it in stock, though. And it needs a king to be able to cure more than a cough, so unless you keep one in your back pocket, not very useful. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/garlic-and-vampires/469594/26 "2008-10-27T16:30:03Z")
In my Grandmother’s stories of Vampire back in the Old Country, garlic was not mentioned. Crosses and such backed by strong faith of a true holy person worked, as did the more gory methods. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/garlic-and-vampires/469594.md?page=1)