142 THE SWALLOW 



ing. still were the other uses to which it was 

 put. It was ground fine and taken as a 

 powder to heal tumors, to soothe con- 

 vulsions, and to cure " falling sickness," 

 as the disease called epilepsy was then 

 known. 



A learned man of the Middle Ages styled 

 the stone a •' noble and efficacious stone," 

 and said that it might be taken internally or 

 else wrapped in a little piece of cotton or silk 

 and worn in the armpit, around the neck, or 

 upon other parts of the body which needed 

 healing. Others recommended that it be 

 done up in the skin of a raven or of a calf, 

 and tied under the left arm as a talisman 

 against dizziness, falling sickness, melan- 

 cholia, or fainting spells. Physicians bound 

 the stone upon the insane and upon children 



suffering from croup. When they wished to 



relieve a baby in convulsions, they wrapped 

 the stone in a piece of cloth and tied it 

 around its neck like a charm, at the same 

 time saying prayers over the child — "three 



