6 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 65 



Amulets and charms. — Aniulets are material charms whose purpose 

 is to jDrotect the wearer against real or imagined dangers — witch- 

 craft, evil eye, sickness, disease, acccidents, etc. They are of various 

 kinds and formed of different substances: Natural, as stones of a 

 peculiar shape, roots, leaves, seeds, horns, teeth and claws of animals, 

 various metals, etc., or artificial, as rings, strings, representations of 

 the hand, eye, crescent, beads, etc., and written charms, quotations 

 from sacred writings. The use of charms is practically world-wide, 

 wherever the belief in witchcraft, evil eye, and demons is specially 

 pronounced. But they are in special favor with the eastern nations and 

 are very common in ISIohammedan countries. The Mohammedans 

 frequently use as amulets either a small copy of the whole Koran, 

 the sacred book of the ^Mohammedan religion, or certain portions of 

 it. The writing is covered with waxed cloth to preserve it from ac- 

 cidental pollution, and inclosed in a case of gold or silver, which 

 is attached to a silk string, or a chain. 



Peony root. — Carried in tlie poclvet as a preventive of insanit.v. Tlie root. 

 or a necl^Iace of beads, is suspended from tlie neclis of children to prevent 

 convulsions, and to cure epilepsy. Cat. No. 143,069, U.S.N.M. 



Chestnut. — A horse-chestnut (begged or stolen) carried habitually in the 

 pocket, as a preventive of rheumatism. A widely spread superstition among 

 all classes of society. Cat No. 143,070, U.S.N.M. 



Scarlet silk.~A skein, of scarlet silk thread, tied with nine knots, worn 

 around the neck to prevent bleeding at the nose. Cat. No. 143,071, U.S.N.M. 



Rat)bit's foot. — The right forefoot worn in the pocket to prevent rheumatism. 

 Cat. No. 143,068, U.S.N.M. 



Mistletoe. — Small branches of the mistletoe, Viscum oHudi, worn suspended 

 from the neck as a specific against epilepsy, and an antidote for poisons. It 

 should be cut with a gold knife, and when the moon is only six days old. 

 Cat. No. 143,102, U.S.N.M. 



Amulet. — A leather strap, with buckle, made from a part of a harness 

 which has been worn by a horse. Firmly buckled around the wrist, and worn 

 constantly, It greatly strengthens the muscles and ligaments, and cures sprains 

 and other local affections. Cat. No. 143.111, U.S.N.M. 



Amulet. — A spider put in a nutshell, and worn around the neck, was an 

 ancient and famous remedy for ague, from the time of Dioscorides. Its fame 

 has descended to recent times. 



" Only beware of the fever, my friends, 



beware of the fever ! 



For it is not like that of our 



Acadian climate. 



Cured by wearing a spider hung around 



one's neck in a nutshell !" 



Longfellow's " Evangeline." 



Cat. No. 143,110, U.S.N.M. 



Cramp hone. — The patella, or " kneecap," of a sheep. To cure cramp. Worn 

 next to the skin during the day. and laid beneath tlie pillow at night. Cat. 

 No. 143,112, U.S.N.M. 



