ON THE TOAD. 50? 



The animal is put into a linen bag, all but its 

 head, and that is held to the part. It has, 

 generally, instantly laid hold of the foulest 

 part of the sore, and sucked with greediness 

 until it dropped off dead. It has frequently 

 happened that the creature has swollen im- 

 mensely, and from its agonies appeared to 

 be in great pain. I have weighed them for 

 several days together, before and after the 

 application, and found their increase of 

 weight, in the different degrees, from a 

 drachm to near an ounce. They frequently 

 sweat exceedingly, and turn quite pale : 

 sometimes they disgorge, recover, and be- 

 come lively again. I think the whole scene 

 is surprising, and a very remarkable piece of 

 natural history. From the constant inof- 

 fensiveness which I have observed in them, I 

 almost question the truth of their poisonous 

 spitting. Many people here expect no great 

 good from the application of toads to can- 

 cers ; and where the disorder is not abso- 

 lutely local, none is to be expected ; where 

 it is, and seated in any part, not to be well 

 come at for extirpation, I think it is hardly 

 to be imagined, but that the having it sucked 

 clean as often as you please, must give great 

 relief. Every body knows, that dogs licking 



