Three Thousand Years of Mental Healing Part 12

_Melancholy._--Burton has treated much under the name of melancholy, and in respect of cure mentions several "amulets and things to be borne about." He recommends for head melancholy such things as hypericon, or St. John's-wort, gathered on a Friday in the hour of Jupiter, "... borne or hung about the neck, it mightily helps this affection, and drives away all fantastical spirits."[116]

_Plague._--During the visitations of the plague, the inhabitants of London wore, in the region of the heart, amulets composed of a.r.s.enic, probably on account of the theory that one poison would neutralize the power of the other. Concerning this, however, Herring, in writing concerning preservatives against the pestilence, says: "Perceiving many in this Citie to weare about their Necks, upon the region of the Heart, certaine Placents or Amulets, (as preservatives against the pestilence,) confected of a.r.s.enicke, my opinion is that they are so farre from effecting any good in that kinde, as a preservative, that they are very dangerous and hurtfull, if not pernitious, to those that weare them." Quills of quicksilver were commonly worn about the neck for the same purpose, and the powder of toad was employed in a similar way.

Pope Adrian is reported to have continually carried an amulet composed of dried toad, a.r.s.enic, tormental, pearl, coral, hyacinth, smarag, and tragacanth. Among the Harleian Ma.n.u.scripts is a letter from Lord Chancellor Hatton to Sir Thomas Smith written at a time of an alarming epidemic. Among other things he writes: "I am likewise bold to recommend my most humble duty to our dear mistress (Queen Elizabeth) by this LETTER AND RING, which hath the virtue to expell infectious airs, and is _to be worn betwixt the sweet duggs_, the chaste nest of pure constancy. I trust, sir, when the virtue is known, it shall not be refused for the value."[117]

_Safety from Wounds._--Pettigrew gives us the two following examples: "De Barros, the historian, says that the Portuguese in vain attempted to destroy a Malay so long as he wore a bracelet containing a bone set in gold, which rendered him proof against their swords. This amulet was afterward transmitted to the Viceroy Alfonso d'Alboquerque, as a valuable present.

"In the travels of Marco Polo, we read that in an attempt by Kublai Khan to make a conquest of the island of Zipangu, a jealousy arose between the two commanders of the expedition, which led to an order for putting the whole of the inhabitants of the garrison to the sword; and that in obedience thereto, the heads of all were cut off, excepting of eight persons, who, by the efficacy of a diabolical charm, consisting of a jewel or amulet introduced into the right arm, between the skin and the flesh, were rendered secure from the effects of iron, either to kill or wound. Upon this discovery being made, they were beaten with a heavy wooden club, and presently died."[118]

_Scrofula._--Lupton says: "The Root of Vervin hanged at the neck of such as have the King's Evil, it brings a marvellous and unhoped help." To this Brand adds: "Squire Morley of Ess.e.x used to say a Prayer which he hoped would do no harm when he hung a bit of vervain root from a scrophulous person's neck. My aunt Freeman had a very high opinion of a baked Toad in a silk Bag, hung round the neck."[119]

_Toothache._--People in North Hampshire, England, sometimes wore a tooth taken from a corpse, kept in a bag and hung around the neck, as a remedy for toothache.

_Whooping-Cough._--About the middle of the last century there appeared the following in the _London Athenaeum_: "The popular belief as to the origin of the mark across the back of the a.s.s is mentioned by Sir Thomas Browne, in his 'Vulgar Errors,' and from whatever cause it may have arisen it is certain that the hairs taken from the part of the animal so marked are held in high estimation as a cure for the hooping-cough. In this metropolis, at least so lately as 1842, an elderly lady advised a friend who had a child dangerously ill with that complaint, to procure three such hairs, and hang them round the neck of the sufferer in a muslin bag. It was added that the animal from whom the hairs are taken for this purpose is never worth anything afterwards, and, consequently, great difficulty would be experienced in procuring them; and further, that it was essential to the success of the charm that the s.e.x of the animal, from whom the hairs were to be procured, should be the contrary to that of the party to be cured by them."

The _Worcester Journal_ (England), in one of its issues for 1845, had this astounding item: "A party from the city, being on a visit to a friend who lived at a village about four miles distant, had occasion to go into the cottage of a poor woman, who had a child afflicted with the hooping-cough. In reply to some inquiries as to her treatment of the child, the mother pointed to its neck, on which was a string fastened, having nine knots tied in it. The poor woman stated that it was the stay-lace of the child's G.o.dmother which, if applied exactly in that manner about the neck, would be sure to charm away the most troublesome cough! Thus it may be seen that, with all the educational efforts of the present day, the monster Superst.i.tion still lurks here and there in his caves and secret places."[120]

We find that not only human beings but animals profited by amulets. An amulet is used in the cure of a blind horse which could hardly have helped on the cure by his faith in it. "The root of cut Malowe hanged about the neck driveth away blemishes of the eyen, whether it be in a man or a horse, as I, Jerome of Brunsweig, have seene myselfe. I have myselfe done it to a blind horse that I bought for X crounes, and was sold agayn for XL crounes."[121] That was a trick worth knowing.

Brockett tells us that "Holy-stones, or _holed-stones_, are hung on the heads of horses as a charm against Diseases--such as sweat in their stalls are supposed to be cured by this application." The efficacy of the elder also extended to animals, for a lame pig was formerly cured by boring a hole in his ear and putting a small peg into it. We are also told that "wood night-shade, or bitter-sweet, being hung about the neck of Cattell that have the Staggers, helpeth them."

[89] T. J. Pettigrew, _Superst.i.tions Connected with ...

Medicine and Surgery_, pp. 51 and 66 f.

[90] R. Burton, _Anatomy of Melancholy_, pt. II, sec. V.

[91] J. Brand, _Popular Antiquities_, III, pp. 281 f.

[92] T. J. Pettigrew, _Superst.i.tions Connected with ...

Medicine and Surgery_, p. 70.

[93] G. F. Fort, _History of Medical Economy During the Middle Ages_, pp. 94-100.

[94] T. J. Pettigrew, _Superst.i.tions Connected with ...

Medicine and Surgery_, pp. 74 f.

[95] J. Brand, _Popular Antiquities_, III, pp. 278 f.

[96] E. Berdoe, _Origin and Growth of the Healing Art_, pp. 262 f.

[97] T. J. Pettigrew, _Superst.i.tions Connected with ...

Medicine and Surgery_, pp. 68 f.

[98] G. F. Fort, _History of Medical Economy During the Middle Ages_, p. 182.

[99] J. Brand, _Popular Antiquities_, III, p. 242.

[100] E. Berdoe, _Origin and Growth of the Healing Art_, p. 252.

[101] E. A. King, "Medieval Medicine," _Nineteenth Century_, x.x.xIV, p. 147.

[102] R. Boyle, _Usefulness of Natural Philosophy_, II, p. 157.

[103] R. Burton, _Anatomy of Melancholy_, pt. II, sec.

V.

[104] T. J. Pettigrew, _Superst.i.tions Connected with ...

Medicine and Surgery_, pp. 96-98.

[105] R. Boyle, _Usefulness of Natural Philosophy_, Works II, p. 156.

[106] E. Berdoe, _The Origin and Growth of the Healing Art_, pp. 257 and 259.

[107] _Ibid._, pp. 251 f and 254.

[108] _Anatomie of the Elder_, p. 52.

[109] J. Brand, _Popular Antiquities_, III, p. 231.

[110] _Gentleman's Magazine_, 1794, p. 889.

[111] _London Medical and Physical Journal_, 1815.

[112] _Book of Notable Things_, p. 92.

[113] E. Berdoe, _Origin and Growth of the Healing Art_, pp. 253 f and 256.

[114] _Ill.u.s.trations of Shakespeare_, I, p. 493.

[115] E. A. King, "Medieval Medicine," _Nineteenth Century_, x.x.xIV, p. 147.

[116] R. Burton, _Anatomy of Melancholy_, pt. II, sec.

V.

[117] T. J. Pettigrew, _Superst.i.tions Connected with ...

Surgery and Medicine_, p. 91.

[118] _Ibid._, p. 79.

[119] J. Brand, _Popular Antiquities_, III, p. 256.

[120] _Ibid._, III, p. 238.

[121] E. A. King, "Medieval Medicine," _Nineteenth Century_, x.x.xIV, p. 148.