The Stinging Power 



without pursuing this botanical survey further, 

 I remain convinced, with Reaumur, that any 

 tender juicy foliage would possess a certain 

 efficacy. 



As for the mode of action of this specific, I 

 admit that I do not understand it, any more 

 than I can perceive the mode of action of the 

 caterpillar's virus. Moliere's medical student 

 explained the soporific properties of opium by 

 saying : 



"Quia est in eo virtus dormitava cujus est 

 proprietas sensus assoupire." 



Let us say likewise : the crushed herb calms 

 the burning itch because it possesses a calm- 

 ing virtue whose property is to assuage 

 itching. 



The quip is a good deal more philosophical 

 than it looks. What do we know of our 

 remedies or of anything? We perceive 

 effects, but we cannot get back to their 

 causes. 



In my village and for some distance around 

 it, there is a popular belief that to relieve the 

 pain of a Wasp's or Bee's sting all that we 

 need do is to rub the part stung with three 

 sorts of herbs. Take, they say, three kinds of 

 herbs, the first that come to hand, make them 



147 



