I90 PARACELSUS 



ant-hill; the ants will eat it, and the patient recovers. 

 In atrophy of the limbs the Mumia is taken from the 

 upper and lower joints of the diseased limb, and planted 

 with an oak or cherry tree. Diseases can also be cured 

 by transplantation, if the diseased part is covered for a 

 while with a piece of fresh beef, until the sweat enters 

 into it, and the beef is then given to a cat to eat^ 



Occult Properties of Plants 



An especially favourite remedy of Paracelsus is the 

 Hypericum perforatum, which is used especially against 

 elementals, spirits, and larvae inimical to man. " The 

 veins upon its leaves are a signatum, and being per- 

 forated, they signify that this plant drives away all phan- 

 tasmata existing in the sphere of man. The phantasmata 

 produce spectra, in consequence of which a man will see 

 and hear ghosts and spooks, and from these are induced 

 diseases by which men are induced to kill themselves, or 

 to fall into epilepsy, madness, insanity, &c. The hyperi- 

 cum is almost an universal medicine " ^ {De Naturalibus). 



Another plant of great occult power is the Rosemary 

 {^Rosmarinus officinalis), which also has the quality of keep- 

 ing away evil influences, and is therefore a protection 

 against witchcraft, obsession, vampirism, and the influ- 

 ence of evil thoughts. 



The " Herbarium " of Paracelsus describes the occult 

 properties of thirty-six plants, and also of minerals and 

 precious stones ; but it would make this book too volumi- 

 nous to enter into details. 



^ An intelligent physician will neither accept nor reject the sympathetic 

 cures to which the directions given above refer, although they may seem 

 to be absurd and based upon superstition. The term " superstition " signi- 

 fies a belief in something of which we have no knowledge, but if we under- 

 stand the rationale of a thing the superstition ends. 



2 Have those who ridicule this statement ever employed the hypericum 

 in cases of ballucinution K 



