Chap. 47.] EEMEDIES ton THE DISEASES OE INFANTS. 465 
of the milk. It is believed, too, that by anointing a woman's 
breasts with goose-grease, pains therein may be allayed ; that 
moles formed in the uterus may be dispersed thereby; and 
that itch of the uterus may be dispelled by the application of 
a liniment made of crushed bugs. 
CHAP. 46. TARIOUS KINDS OF DEPILATORIES. 
Eats' blood has all the virtues of a depilatory : but if applied 
to the cheeks of youths, it will not be found sufficiently effica- 
cious, unless it is immediately followed up by an application 
of verdigrease or hemlock-seed j this method having the effect 
of entirely removing the hair, or at least reducing it to the 
state of a fine down. It is generally thought, too, that bats' 
brains are productive of a similar effect ; there being two kinds 
of these brains, the red and the white. Some persons mix 
with the brains the blood and liver of the same animal: others, 
again, boil down a viper in three semisextarii of oil, and, after 
boning it, use it as a depilatory, first pulling out the hairs 
that are wanted not to grow. The gall of a hedgehog is a 
depilatory, more particularly if mixed with bats' brains and 
goats' milk : the ashes, too, of a burnt hedgehog are used for , a 
similar purpose. If, after plucking out the hairs that are 
wanted not to grow, or if, before they make their appearance, 
the parts are well rubbed with the milk of a bitch with her 
first litter, no hairs will grow there. The same result is en- 
sured, it is said, by using the blood of a tick taken from ofi" a 
dog, or else the blood or gall of a swallow. 
(15.) Ants' eggs, they say, beaten up with flies, impart a , 
black colour ^2 to the eyebrows. If it is considered desirable 
that the colour of the infant's eyes should be black, the preg- 
nant woman must eat a rat.*^^ Ashes of burnt earth-worms, 
applied with oil, prevent the hair from turning white. 
CHAP. 47. REMEDIES FOR THE DISEASES OF INFANTS. 
For infants that are troubled with coagulation of the milk, 
a grand preservative is lamb's rennet, taken in water ; and in 
cases where the milk has so coagulated, it may be remedied 
by administering rennet in vinegar. For the pains incident 
" Scabiem vul varum." 
■^2 Ajasson queries whether ^*denigrare" may not mean here to render 
pale.'' 
73 ^-Sorex." 
VOL. V. n H 
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