184 APPARENTLY SUCCESSFUL. [PART II. 



cabalistic words over the patient, counting the 

 warts, when warts are treated for, and placing 

 straws across the part affected, the straws being 

 subsequently deposited in a secret place known 

 only to the charmer. In cases where an arm is 

 affected, a string is also occasionally tied round 

 the wrist. 



Whether the effects ascribed to the virtues of 

 the charms are in fact attributable to the indirect 

 influence of the imagination, or otherwise, we need 

 not here inquire ; but the fact that the art, if it 

 may be so called, is still practised, is probably a 

 sufficient proof that the results derived from it 

 are occasionally, at any rate, considered satis- 

 factory. 



I myself know of one instance, in which the 

 cure was so rapid and perfect, that any doctor 

 might have pointed to it with pride as a con- 

 vincing proof of the efficacy of his treatment. It 

 was a case of warts ; the patient being a little 

 girl of about seven or eight years old, the daughter 

 of a servant in our family. She came up one day 

 to the house for some work, when the lady, who 

 was giving it to her, having remarked that her 

 hands were covered with bad warts, and noticed 

 the fact to her, she said, "Yes, ma'am, but I'm 



