1S89.1 331 



[Hofifman. 



iiient. One of the chief reasons pertaining to the last-named may be on 

 account of the difference of llie flora of Western Europe and that of Penn- 

 sylvania. 



A number of charms and recipes appear also to have been selected from 

 old works alleged to contain valuable secrets. One of these, known as 

 the "Sixth Book of Moses." is said to be of great value in that it contains 

 formulae for casting bullets, which never fail to strike the object thouqlit 

 of; compelling game to return, before sunset, to the footprint over which 

 the operator pronounces certain mystic words, etc. I have thus far been 

 unable to see a copy of this work, although its possession by certain per- 

 sons has been reported to me from time to time. 



Another purports to be a reprint of a work bv Albertus Tifao-nus a 

 learned philosopher of the thirteenth century, in which are given a lar-e 

 number of formulte. recipes, charms and other secrets for exorcisino- evil 

 spirits from man and beast.* ° 



A third work, a copy of which, as in the case of the last named in the 

 possession of the writer, is unfortunately without title page, and it is only 

 from the mtroduction of one short article that it becomes apparent that the 

 work was printed in America sometime during the earlier portion of the 

 present century. Much of the information contained in this little volume 

 appears to have been selected from "Albertus Magnus," thouo-h there are 

 a number of charms and recipes entirely new, and quite unknown to the 

 people under discussion. 



Before detailing some of the methods of procedure in the cure of dis- 

 ease, it may be of interest to note several superstitions pertaining to the 

 mdication and prevention of disease, and the avoidance of bad luck. 



By many it is still considered a forerunner of illness for one to sneeze 

 and the usual " helf Golt " or "Amen " is uttered by some one present' 

 This IS a very old custom, and Brandf remarks, "In Lano-ley's Abridg- 

 ment of Polydore Vergil, fol. 130, it is said: 'There was a plague whereby 

 many as they neezed dyed sodeyuly, werof it grew into a custome that 

 they that were present when any man neezed should say, "God heipe 

 y.m." A like deadly plage was sometyme in yawning, wherfore menne 

 used to fence themselves with the signe of the crosse : bothe which cus- 

 lomes we reteyne styl at this day.' " 



The writer has discovered the survival of a belief-prevalent in many 

 portions of the Old World-in regard to the position of sleeping "nonh 



* Albertus Magnus bewahrte imd approbirte sympathetisclae und natiirliche e?>-pti«che 

 GeheimuissefiirMenschenuudVieh. Fiir Stadter und Laiidleute. Neueste AuflaU In 

 3 Theilen. Brabant, 172.3. sm. Svo., pp. 71, 8i, 70. Although bearing the abov^ date, 

 this IS a recent repnut, issued in New York. 



Albertus Magnus was born at Lauingen in Bavaria, about 1200. He occupies the first 

 rank among philosophers and theologians of the Middle Ages. He became a Dominican 

 friar in his youth, and lectured later in life both at Paris and Cologne. He died in l'>80 

 and leftagreat number of works, which treat of logic, theology, physics and metaphysics. 

 Ihomas Aquinas was his disciple. 



t Popular Antiquities. London, iii, 1S82, p. 125. 



