Lant was also recommended to freshen the breath, to flavor ale (as in "lanted-" or "double-lanted ale") and to glaze hard pastries. In larger cottage industries, lant was used in wool-processing and as a source of saltpeter for gunpowder. In times of urgent need and in districts where these were the chief industries, the whole town was expected to contribute to its supply.
Yuk...no wonder those folks lived such short life spans.