Treatment for epilepsy has varied greatly throughout history. In the earliest times, when people generally believed the illness was brought about by the gods, treatment consisted of sacrifices, offerings to the gods, and other religious acts. Similar practices were utilized in the Middle Ages by Christians, who often prayed to saints, fasted, and undertook pilgrimages seeking relief. Other types of early treatment included dietetic therapy, consumption of mugwort, peony, absinth, or castoreum, and superstitious practices, such as the casting of spells and the wearing of protective amulets. It was not until the latter half of the nineteenth century that more effective medical means of treating epilepsy were developed. Today, however, more than 20 chemical substances are known to effectively combat epileptic seizures, including succinimide, which was first utilized in the United States during the 1960s.