John  Clarke, the eminent British homeopath of the early 20th century championed Gunpowder as a powerful medicine for blood poisoning.   In a monograph on that topic, he wrote about how he learned of its curative properties from an article in a homeopathic journal:

"For the last forty years, " wrote Mr. Upcher, "I have known and observed from personal experiment the effects of Black Gunpowder as a remedy for various kinds of blood - poisoning. The symptoms of poisoning which call for Black Gunpowder are almost invariably abscesses or boils or carbuncles, and frequently, though not always, exaggerated swelling of the poisoned limb, accompanied with discoloration of the skin, so that the arm from the tips of the fingers to the axillary glands is almost of a purple or black tint. In such cases I have found Black Gunpowder, whether in large or small doses, acts like magic. "1