ANCIENT FROG REMEDIES. 186 



In the first place, then, there is, in addition to remedies of 

 other kinds, a couple of sovereign Frog remedies against the 

 poison of the Salamander '' the flesh of sea-tortoises, mixed and 

 incorporat with the flesh of frogs," and " the decoction of sea- 

 frogs sodden in wine and vinegrc," which last, it appears, is 

 " soueraine " also for the venom of the " hedge-toad." The 

 " broth " of fresh-water frogs is very good against the prick of 

 scorpions, the poison of the " sea-hare," and the sting of serpents. 

 If any reader should after this suffer from toothache, the following 

 remedies are highly recommended : If the pain proceed from 

 loose teeth, cut off the feet of two frogs, lay the bodies to steep in 

 wine, and then wash the teeth with the infusion ; or which is 

 doubtless still better, apply the frogs " whole as they be, legs and 

 all, outwardly, to the chawes, and keep them fast thereto." If 

 the entire side of the face be affected, " take the hearts of thirty- 

 six frogs, and bake or boile them in one sextar of old oile, vnder a 

 pan or ouen of brasse," and then pour the " grauie or liquour " 

 into the ear of the side affected. If the " grinders and great jaw 

 teeth do ake," a " spcciall medicine " for them may be had by 

 seething frogs in vinegar and then holding the liquor in the 

 mouth. " But," says our author, " because many a man's 

 stomack lothed and abhorred such a medicine, Sallustius 

 Dionysius found the means to hang many of them by the hinder 

 logs ouer a vessell or pan of seething vinegre, that out of their 

 mouth there might fall the humour within their bodies into the 

 said vinegre. But to those who had good stomackes, and were of 

 stronger complexions, he prescribed to eat the very frogs broth 

 and al wherein they were sodden." Oil in which frogs have been 

 boiled is a certain cure for the gout. "The fat of frogs dropt 

 into the cares allaicth their paine presently." But in truth, every 

 /art of the frog would appear to be wonderfully medicinal, and 

 that, too, not only when taken internally, but even when worn 

 about the person. The eye of the frog wrapped in russet cloth 

 and hung round the neck, cures an inflamed or bleared eye ; the 

 heart of a frog hung round the neck, or tied to the arm, 

 diminishes and shortens the cold fit of an ague ; while either frog 

 or toad (" the nails whereof have been clijij-r-d "), hung anywhere 

 about the body of " one that is sicke of a quartan ague, riddeth 

 away the disease for euer." But perhaps the most wonderful 

 cure after all, is that of an ordinary cough, in order to be rid of 



