# - 

 Chap. 8.] REMEDIES FOB TOOTH-ACHE. 431 



introduced^ into a hollow tooth ; and as to the cabbage cater- 

 pillar, it will make hollow teeth come out, by the mere contact 

 only. The bugs^ that are found upon mallows, are injected 

 into the ears, beaten up with oil of roses. 



The small grits of sand that are found in the horns of snails, 

 introduced into hollow teeth, remove the pain instantaneously. 

 Ashes of empty snail-shells, mixed with myrrh,^^ are good for 

 the gums ; the ashes also of a serpent, burnt with salt in an 

 earthen pot, and injected, with oil of roses, into the ear opposite 

 to the side affected ; or else the slough of a snake, warmed with 

 oil and torch-pine resin,^''' and injected into either ear. Some 

 persons add frankincense and oil of roses, a preparation which, 

 of itself, introduced into hollow teeth, makes them come out 

 without pain. It is all a fiction, in my opinion, to say that 

 white snakes cast this slough about the rising of the Dog-star ; 

 for such a thing has never been seen in Italy, and it is still 

 more improbable that sloughing should take place at so late 

 a period in the warmer climates. We find it stated also, that this 

 slough, even when it has been kept for some time, mixed with 

 wax, will extract a tooth very expeditiously, if applied there- 

 to : a snake's tooth, also, attached to the body as an amulet, 

 allays tooth-ache. Some persons think that it is a good remedy 

 to catch a spider with the left hand, to beat it up with oil of 

 roses, and then to inject it into the ear on the side affected. 



The small bones of poultry, preserved in a hole in a wall, 

 the medullary channel being left intact, will immediately cure 

 tooth-ache, they say, if the tooth is touched or the gum 

 scarified therewith, care being taken to throw away the bone 

 the moment the operation is performed. A similar result is 

 obtained by using raven's dung, wrapped in wool and attached 

 to the body, or else sparrow's dung, warmed with oil and in- 

 jected into the ear on the side affected. This last remedy, 

 however, is productive of an intolerable itching, for which 

 reason it is considered a better plan to rub the part with the 

 ashes of young sparrows burnt upon twigs, mixed with vinegar 

 for the purpose. 



^ It is a singular thing that we still hear of the maggots found in filherts 

 being used for tiie smiie puipose. 

 ^■' See li. xxix. c. 17. 

 ^•^ Marcus Eiiipiricus says, honey. *^ See B. xvi. c. 19. 



