silver coins collected from five bachelors and forged by a 

 silversmith himself a bachelor, were especially efficacious. An 

 elk's hoof was also recommended, but much depended on the 

 way the hoof was obtained, for the virtue resided in only 

 one of the four legs; the animal was knocked down and 

 watched until he lifted a leg to scratch his ear, that leg was 

 then lopped off with a scimitar, and in its hoof lay the remedy. 



The elder-bush was another specific against the "falling 

 sickness" as epilepsy was appropriately called. In the month 

 of October, a little before the full moon, a twig of the elder 

 was plucked, cutting a portion between two knots into 

 nine pieces, and these pieces were wrapped in a piece- of 

 linen and hung by a thread about the neck so as to touch 

 the "spoon of the heart or the sword-formed cartilage ;" these 

 pieces were held in place by a silken bandage around the 

 body until the thread broke of itself, they were then removed 

 \vithout touching them with the hands, but with tongs or 

 pincers only, and buried in a secret place. 



Another amulet worn on the person as a preventive 

 against epilepsy contained the names of the three Magi who 

 came from the East to worship the Divine Babe at Bethlehem. 



"Jasper brings myrrh, and Melchior incense brings, 

 And gold Balthazar to the King of Kings ; 

 Whoso the names of these three monarchs bears 

 Is safe, through grace, of Epilepsy's fears." 



As chemical medicines came more into vogue nauseous 

 concoctions were administered for this disease of which the 

 following is a good example: "Calcine vitriol until it be- 

 comes yellow, add mistle-toe, hearts of peonies, elk's hoofs, 

 and the pulverized skull of a malefactor; distill all these dry, 

 rectify the distillate over castoreum and elephant's lice, then 

 mix with salt of peony, spirit of wine, liquor of pearls and 

 corals, oil of anisseed and oil of amber, and digest on a 

 water-bath one month." 



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