774 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



veterinarian gave the animal some medicine, which the priest had 

 blessed, and benedictions were pronounced upon the entire build- 

 ing with all its inmates, men and cattle. Shortly afterward it 

 was found that the devil, instead of going back to hell as told to 

 do, had taken up his abode in the well, which was about half a 

 dozen yards from the house, for no sooner did the cows drink the 

 water than their hair bristled and stood on end ; also the woman 

 had a relapse after taking a sip of it. Dr. Bischofberger expelled 

 the devil from the well by throwing into it a little consecrated 

 salt, and, after chasing him with the weapons of the Church from 

 one nook and corner to another, finally succeeded in getting rid 

 of him and purgating the whole premises. " We thus see," he 

 concludes, " how the demon makes every effort to deceive, weary, 

 and discourage the officiating priest." 



Another important sacerdotal function is the cleansing of 

 milk pails, churns, and other vessels used in the dairy from demo- 

 niac infection, which is frequently caused by women touching such 

 vessels during menstruation. However excellent the cream may 

 appear to be, no amount of churning can convert it into butter. 

 In such cases the churn and all the other vessels connected with 

 the dairy should be scalded with hot water and then sprinkled 

 with holy water and dried in the sun, after which it would be 

 well to ward off the possible return of the evil spirit by pro- 

 nouncing over them the benedictio ad omnia. " The hot water 

 removes the natural hindrances and the holy water the demoniac 

 hindrances to the production of butter." 



The secret and inexplicable abduction of milk and eggs is also 

 the work of devils. " It is well known," says our author, " that 

 angels, at least some choirs or orders of them, have the power of 

 moving visible objects in an invisible manner from one place to 

 another." Ecclesiastical history, especially in the province of 

 hagiology, contains numerous instances of the exercise of this 

 power. Thus, in 1867, when St. Francisca of the Five Wounds 

 (or Stigmata) was canonized, her claims to sainthood were based 

 in part upon a legend of this kind. It was seriously related on 

 that occasion that while her pastor and confessor, Father Bianchi, 

 was celebrating mass, after the transubstantiation in the eucha- 

 rist had taken place, the cup suddenly disappeared for a moment 

 and returned to the altar. " This happened repeatedly, and it was 

 subsequently ascertained " (how, we are not informed) " that the 

 archangel Raphael had meanwhile carried the cup to Saint Fran- 

 cisca at times when she would otherwise have had to go without 

 the holy communion." (Leben der Heiligen (Francisca). Mainz : 

 Kirchheim, 1880, pp. 193 sqq). It is easy enough to explain how 

 a blear-eyed priest in a dark church might for a minute lose 

 sight of a small object on the altar, such as a goblet or a pyx, 



