186 IVORY AND THE ELEPHANT 



strange error that the elephant's legs were jointless, so that 

 they could not be bent.* 



The old English treatise on "four-footed beasts" by 

 Edward Topsell enlarges upon the curative value of the 

 flesh and blood of the elephant, gleaning his information 

 from various older authorities. As we can scarcely venture 

 any confirmation of Topsell's assertions, it seems best to 

 give the passage in his own words as follows:* 



"The medicinal virtues in this Beast are by Authors 

 observed to be these: The bloud of an elephant and the 

 ashes of a Weasil cure the great Leprosie: and the same 

 bloud is profitable against all Rheumatick fluxes, and the 

 Sciatica. The flesh dryed and cold, or heavy fat and cold, 

 is abominable; for if it be sod and steeped in Vinegar with 

 Fennel-seed, and given to a Woman with child, it maketh 

 her presently suffer abortion. But if a man taste thereof 

 saltal and steeped with the seed aforesaid, it cureth an old 

 cough. The fat is a good Antidote either by Ointment or 

 Perfume: it cureth also the pain in the head. 



"The Ivory or tooth is cold and dry in the first degree, 

 and the whole substance thereof corroborateth the heart 

 and helpeth conception. After a man is delivered from the 

 lethargy, Pestilence, or sudden forgetfulness, let him be 

 purged and take the powder of Ivory and Hiera Russi, 

 drunk out of sweet water. This powder with Hony-Attick 

 [Attic honey] taketh away the spots on the face. The pow- 

 der of Ivory burnt and drunk with Goats-bloud doth won- 

 derfully cure all the pains, and expell the little stones in the 

 veins and bladder. Combs made of Ivory are most whole- 

 some, the touching of the trunk cureth Headach." 



*From a MS. of the "De Proprietatibus Rerum," by Bartholomaeus Anglicus, dating 

 from the end of the thirteenth or the beginning of the fourteenth century; lib. XVIII, fol. 

 cexxiv recto and verso fol. ccxxv recto. This valuable MS. was originally in the Carthu- 

 sian monastery of the Trinity, near Dijon, France. 



*Edward Topsell, "History of Four-footed Beasts," London, 1658, p. 165. 



