VULGAR SPECIFICS 91 



majority of cases, pass in spite of any medicament. The layman, how- 

 ever, suffers with aches, takes a reputed remedy, gets well, and firmly 

 believes that it was the special mixture that he had taken which had 

 cured him. For example, they applied in Germany a special concoction 

 recommended by Dr. Christopher Guarnonius of the court of Itudolph 

 II. of Bavaria (1576-1612). It is rather interesting to know how many 

 people were able to obtain this remedy : 



Recipe 



The moss that had grown on the skull of a thief 2 ounces 



Man 's grease 2 ounces 



Grease of Mummy i ounce 



Man 's blood i ounce 



Linseed oil 2 ounces 



Oil of roses 1 ounce 



Sole armoniack 1 ounce 



Mix well and apply locally. 



For blows, wound and sores in children, the kissing of the injured 

 part was supposed to be efficacious. The ordinary intestinal colic had 

 quite a number of "specifics" for it. One cure which must have been 

 quite difficult of accomplishment, except by the professional clown, was 

 to stand on one's head for a quarter of an hour.^^ Perhaps after the 

 exertion of standing upon one's head not only the colic but more pain- 

 ful diseases might have been cured. Persons who were liable to the at- 

 tacks of colicky pains sometimes carried about with them wolf's dung. 

 In his " Diary," Pepy speaks about carrying about oneself a hare's foot. 

 Pepy also gives a prescription, which I shall here repeat : 



Balsam of sulphur 3 or 4 drops in a syrup of Coltesfotte, not eating or 

 drinking two hours before or after. The making of this balsam was as follows : 

 "two thirds of fine oyle, and one third of fine Brimstone, sett thirteen or four- 

 teen hours on ye fire, simpering till a thicke stuffe lyes at ye Bottome, and ye 

 Balsom at ye toppe. Take this off, etc. 



For cramps they used coffin rings dug out of a grave, bone of hare's 

 foot, the patella of a sheep or lamb, or the tying of a thread around the 

 limb below the thigh. It was also thought that if a rusty old sword were 

 hung near the bed, or if the shoes be placed T- or X-wise over the bed, 

 or if a pan of clean water were kept under the bed, the cramp would 

 leave the patient. 



Brimstone and vervain are no honey yet bind them to thine hand and thou 

 shalt have the cramp." 



Eating buns or bread baked on Good Friday was supposed to cure 

 diarrhoea.^'' 



Besides the cross bun, a small loaf of bread baked on Good Friday morning 

 and carefully preserved as a medicine is good for diarrhoea. It is considered 



'^E. Hunt, "Popular Superstition," 1865. 



«='B. Melbancke, " Philotimus, " 1583. 



'"G. F. Jackson, "Shropshire Folk Lore," 1883, p. 191. 



