HUNTING DIRECTORY. 91 



Urmskirk Medicine. 



cessful quackery in the avidity with which the Ormskirk 

 Medicine was purchased, till within these few years that 

 the imposture has been exposed. This compound of 

 calcined oyster shells, elecampane, roach alum, and bole 

 ammoniac, was originally administered gratis ; but no 

 sooner was it discovered that the medicine was eagerly 

 sought after, than the sale of it was advertised ; agents 

 were appointed in different parts ; and many hundreds 

 purchased and took the medicine who had been bitten, 

 but not by mad dogs. A dog accustomed to the country, 

 is generally alarmed when he approaches a town or vil- 

 lage — the shaking of a cobler's apron, or some such 

 thing, is frequently resorted to by the lower orders — the 

 terrified animal takes to his heels, and will most likely 

 snap at any person who attempts to impede his progress. 

 Nothing is heard but the cry of mad dog ! and many who 

 have been bitten under such circumstances, have called 

 in the assistance of the Ormskirk medicine, and have 

 thus been willing to suppose a disorder prevented, which 

 did not exist in the dog, and which, of course, could not 

 be communicated. 



The venders of the Ormskirk medicine, however, 

 made the most of the matter — its infallibihty Wiis23njfed 

 upon the public in the most barefaced manner ; and it 

 was even publicly stated, that such Avas the virtue of the 

 medicine, that even after the hydrophobia had made its 

 appearance, the disease could be removed by takhig it. 

 Cases, with fictitious names, were stated, and the grossest 

 falsehoods resorted to, in order to levy contributions 

 with more plausibility upon the credulity of the unthink- 

 ing. I believe, at present, no person who wishes to 



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