CENTURY VII. 359 



last year, that there were seen, in divers ditches 

 and low grounds about London, many toads that 

 had tails two or three inches long at the least ; 

 whereas toads usually have no tails at all. Which 

 argueth a great disposition to putrefaction in the 

 soil and air. It is reported likewise, that roots, such 

 as carrots and parsnips, are more sweet and luscious 

 in infectious years than in other years. 



Experiment solitary touching special similes for 

 medicines. 



692. Wise physicians should with all diligence 

 inquire what simples nature yieldeth that have ex 

 treme subtile parts, without any mordication or acri 

 mony : for they undermine that which is hard, they 

 open that which is stopped and shut, and they ex 

 pel that which is offensive, gently, without too much 

 perturbation. Of this kind are elder-flowers, which 

 therefore are proper for the stone : of this kind is the 

 dwarf-pine, which is proper for the jaundice : of this 

 kind is hartshorn, which is proper for agues and in 

 fections : of this kind is piony, which is proper for 

 stoppings in the head : of this kind is fumitory, 

 which is proper for the spleen : and a number of 

 others. Generally, divers creatures bred of putrefac 

 tion, though they be somewhat lothsome to take, 

 are of this kind, as earth-worms, timber-sows, snails, 

 &c. And I conceive that the trochisks of vipers, 

 which are so much magnified, and the flesh of snakes 

 some ways condited and corrected, which of late are 

 grown into some credit, are of the same nature. So 



