been devoted to an investigation of poisons and a search for anti- 

 dotes. The doctrine of " similia similibuscurantur " was apparently 

 firmly believed and from the most venomous animals and poisonous 

 plants, materials for panaceas, charms and talismans were commonly 

 sought, their efficacy varying directly with the faith of the possessor. 

 It is impossible to state who first promulgated the idea that the toad 

 was the possessor of a stone or jewel that would detect poisons, but 

 it is evident that the belief was current at an early date, as is shown 

 by the following quotation from Brand : " Dr. Bell pointed out that 

 in a translation from Pliny entitled 'Wonders of Nature,' 1569, there 

 is this passage : ' There is found in the heades of old and gvea-ttoades 

 a stone, which they call borax or stolon ; it is most commonly found 

 in the head of a hee toade, of power to repulse poisons ....'" 

 Boetius writing in the latter part of the fifth century, though skepti- 

 cal as to the nature of the toad-stone, gives many interesting theo- 

 ries concerning it. Lyly states that " the foule toad hath a faire 

 stone in its head " while contemporary writers make reference to the 

 same subject. Perhaps the most interesting treatises on this subject 

 are those of Browne and of Topsell. The first writer after a full 

 discussion of the beliefs pro and con, decides that " we must with 

 circumspection receive those stones which commonly bear this name, 

 much less believe the traditions that in envy to mankind they are cast 

 out or swallowed down by the toad." He shows how many a vener- 

 able fossil fish tooth probably had been "palmed off" upon unsus- 

 pecting purchasers and concludes that while a bona fide Bufonite 

 might be possible, the probability of the occurrence was very doubt- 

 ful. Topsell states "that there be many that ware these stones in 

 Ringes, beeing verily perswadt d that they keep them from all man- 

 ner of grypings and paines of ibe belly " and describes carefully how 

 a toad-stone was said to be obtained, a process, by the way, involv- 

 ing much strategy. The actual fact of the occurrence of the toad- 

 stone is handled in the following very diplomatic manner: "There- 

 fore they beeing in sundry opinions, the hearing whereof might con- 

 found the reader, I will refer him for his satisfaction unto a toade 

 which hee may easily every day kill ; and if the stone be found there 

 in substance then is the question at an end." Doubtless had the 

 ancients applied this very simple test, much controversy and brain- 

 fag could have been avoided. 



The toad had an important place in the pharmacopoeia of the 

 early days. Pliny states that " it yeelds many good things med- 



