More Beetles 



the patient can see neither the remedy nor 

 him that applied it; and many other extrav- 

 agances. We close the book, alarmed by 

 the slough of absurdities whence the art of 

 healing has come down to us. 



In this medley of inanities, the forerunner 

 of medicine, the fuller makes his appearance. 

 The text says : 



^'Tertium qui vacatur fullo, albis guttis^ 

 dissectum utrique lacerto adalligant/' 



To treat fevers, we must divide the Ful- 

 ler Beetle into two parts and fasten one half 

 to the right arm and the other half to the 

 left. 



Now what did the ancient naturalist mean 

 by this term Fuller Beetle? We do not 

 know exactly. The description albis guttis, 

 white spots, would fit the white-flecked Pine- 

 chafer pretty well, but it is not enough to 

 make us certain. Pliny himself seems to 

 have been none too sure of his wonderful 

 cure. In his time, men's eyes had not yet 

 learnt how to look at the insect. The crea- 

 tures were too small; they were fit amuse- 

 ment for children, who would tie them to 

 the end of a long thread and make them run 

 196 



