THE EUROPEAN BEAVER 195 



supposed when rubbed on the hand to induce sleep ; 

 to benefit epilepsy and sciatica, dyspepsia and 

 paralysis, earache and toothache. As late as 1866 

 a druggist bought the castor pouch of a beaver 

 taken in Transylvania for ^36 ! Castoreum was 

 then selling in Vienna at is. 6d. per grain, so that 

 the proceeds of the transaction would amount to 

 ^261. Modern research has shown that castoreum 

 really has some therapeutic action, being moderately 

 stimulating and antispasmodic. It is occasionally 

 used in hysteria, either as a powder or made up into a 

 tincture with rectified spirit. 



The flesh of the beaver was formerly eaten, the 

 beast on fast days being reckoned a canonical "fish." 

 In Holland the paws and tail only were used; but 

 the worthy monks of Chartreux not only accounted 

 the whole animal as maigre, but made the flesh into 

 sausages, which they sold in considerable quantities! 

 Albertus Magnus states that the whole flesh, save 

 the tail, was abominable ; but Gesner describes a 

 Swiss method of rendering the animal savoury, and 

 states that the choicer portions were sweet and 

 tender. The Lorrainers of the sixteenth century 

 ate beaver tail in Lent ; Belon states that 

 this delicacy, which often weighed four pounds, 

 resembled in flavour a well-dressed eel. The flesh 

 of the American animal, wastefully cooked Indian 

 fashion by roasting in the skin and thus singeing off 

 all the valuable fur, is said to resemble pork ; the 



