CURIOUS PRESCRIPTIONS 



This prescription is not so preposterous as it sounds. Box 

 and Pennyroyal both contain essences which would be in all 

 probability fatal to the germ of hydrophobia, and the soap 

 and hog's suet would keep air from the wound. 



Other prescriptions read like our modern patent medi- 

 cines. 



" Good Cloves comfort the Brain and the Virtue of Feel- 

 ing, and help also against Indigestion and Ache of the 

 Stomach " (Bartholomew). 



" Senvey " (the old name of mustard) " healeth smiting of 

 Serpents and overcometh venom of the Scorpions and 

 abateth Toothache and cleanseth the Hair and letteth" 

 (that is, prevents or tends to prevent) "the falling thereof. 

 If it be drunk fasting, it makes the Intellect good." 



Even in those days the people can scarcely have believed 

 that drinking mustard improved the intellect. Many of the 

 remedies and cures are obviously false, for example the 

 following : — 



" A man crowned with Ivy cannot get drunk." 



" Powder of dry Roses comforteth wagging Teeth that be 

 in point to fall." 



The fact that the surgeon was also a barber, and also a 

 " face-specialist," appears from the two following : — 



" Leaves of Chestnut burnt to powder and tempered with 

 Vinegar and laid to a man''s Head plaisterwise maketh Hair 

 increase and keepeth hair from falling." 



Those whose hair turned grey could employ the following 

 prescription : — 



'•Leaves of Mulberry sod in rainwater maketh black 

 hair." 



If a doctor was not quite sure of the endurance of a 

 patient under these heroic remedies, he could easily find out 



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