The Worlds of Katherine Kurtz

Sorry if this is a bit OT, but given the interests of members of this forum I thought this was were I'd most likely get a helpful answer:

I've repeatedly crossed over the years the idea that before modern time keepers, timing in cooking and other forms of chemistry would handled by reciting songs, prayers or other rhymes a given number of times to ensure that the process would be for the exact required time: hence the importance of chants in 'magic'.
I even crossed a reference to an early (successful!) effort to measure gravity by using music when dropping items.

Sadly, googling something like this fails hard, simply because time is so fundamental to music that any search term related to time will simply revert to musical theory!
Does anyone else crossed this concept, and if so, do you have any useful links?

Thanks!

I think I have seen references in medieval recipes to doing certain steps in cooking for the length of time it takes to say a certain number of Paternosters (The Lord's Prayer), which would have been a familiar prayer for pretty much anyone in the intended readership at that time.  Some of those recipes may well be found online, although unfortunately I don't know any specific links to point you to.  I'll keep my eyes open for such references, though.

Just thought of another one, this one from a recent conversation between Facebook friends who have had First Responder training.  Apparently the correct rhythm for doing CPR can be measured by either singing "Staying Alive" in your mind or "Another One Bites the Dust."  As you can imagine, the first song is the more popular choice under the circumstances!   ;D

Yes we are taught to sing "Staying Alive" while doing CPR.

I would hesitate to sing "Another one bites the dust" if anyone else was in hearing. That is just awful :o

Quote from: Laurna on March 22, 2017, 12:47:44 PM
Yes we are taught to sing "Staying Alive" while doing CPR.

I would hesitate to sing "Another one bites the dust" if anyone else was in hearing. That is just awful :o

Well, yeah, that's why I said "in your mind."  LOL!

:)
thanks!