Puss-Drinking and
Scab-Eating--The
general populace scorned lepers for their appearance and disease.
As an act of humility and caring, many female saints such
as St. Catherine would care for these "untouchables" by licking
away the puss in their wounds then eating the scabs. People
considered these saints especially holy.
These men would take a ladder, climb up to the top of a ruined
Roman column, sit down, and then kick away the ladder, vowing
to remain there contemplating God until they died.