HELICIDJi. — SNAIL. 211 



consumption ; others say that the Romans introduced 

 it ; but Dr. Jeffreys believes it to be indigenous, and 

 observes (in his ' British Conchology ') that it is not 

 found in many parts of England and Wales where the 

 Romans built cities or had important military stations. 



Archaeologists often find snail-shells in great abun- 

 dance, however, in excavating on the sites of Roman 

 stations, and at Lymne, in Kent (Portus Lemanis), 

 Mr. Wright has seen them dug up in masses almost as 

 large as ordinary buckets, and completely embedded 

 together ; * and I have seen in the Museum at Shrews- 

 bury, the shells of Helix aspersa, with those of Fitsus 

 antiquusj Buccinum undatum, Cardium echinatum, and 

 of the oyster, which had all been found at Wroxeter. 

 In France, also, empty shells of the Vine snail, Helix po- 

 matia have been met with amongst the ruins of Roman 

 villas, in the neighbourhood of Auch, Agen, and in 

 Provence ; and in the Danish " kjokkenmoddings," 

 Helix nemoralis has been found in small quantities. 



As a medicine, snails were recommended for other 

 diseases besides consumption, and Helix aspersa,, the 

 common garden snail, was generally used. 



In a quaint old book, entitled 'A Rich Storehouse or 

 Treasurie for the Diseased, wherein are many approved 

 medicines for divers and sundrie diseases which have 

 longe been hidden, and not come to light before this 

 time ; first set forth for the benefit of the poorer sorts of 

 people that are not of abilitie to goe to the Physicians,' 

 by Master Ralph Blower, we find : — ,f Snales which bee 

 in shells, beat together with bay salt and mallowes, 

 and laid to the bottomes of your feet, and to the wristes 

 of your hands, before the fit commeth, appeaseth the 

 * ' The Celt, the Roman, aud the Smoii.' 



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