La ST RE A. 
153 
nor a Feme in a wet. Pliny in his 24. booke and 4. Chapter saith that the roote of the Reede 
laid to the Feme driveth it forth, as the roote of the Feme in like manner doth the Reede : 
and Celsus before him sheweth that each of them is a remedy against the other, and Theo- 
phrastus sheweth that whereas corne and other herbes doe delight and are furthered by dung, 
the Feme onely perisheth thereby.” * 
According to Schkuhr, the rhizome of the Male Fern was in 
Germany associated with superstitious beliefs and practices in 
quite recent times. This author states that in former days the 
so-called Lucky-hands, or St. John’s-hands, were made out of the 
rhizome and unexpanded fronds of this species, and sold to cre- 
dulous people as preservations against sorcery and witchcraft. 
Writing in 1809, Schkuhr says that quite recently a clergyman’s 
wife in his neighbourhood bought one of these “hands;” others 
purchased for a few groschen small pieces cut off from such a 
hand, which they gave to their cattle in their drink, believing 
they would thus be preserved from magic and witchcraft. The 
accompanying figure of one of these hands is copied from that 
given by the author quoted. He adds that a similar deceit is 
practised with the root of Pteris aquilina, which is called St. 
John’s-root; and also with the so-called “lucky dwarf,” which 
is made from the root of the Plantain ( Plantago major). In 
our own country it has been customary since the time of Gerard, 
and probably long before it, to manufacture rough figures of 
men out of the large fleshy root of the White Bryony ( Bryonia 
divica ), and to sell them as Mandrakes, although, of course, they 
have no affinity with the true Mandrake (Mandr agora officinal is). 
Gerardf says that “the idle drones that have little or nothing to 
do but eate and drinke, have bestowed some of their time in 
carving the roots of Brionie, forming them to the shape of men 
and women ; which falsifying practise hath confirmed the errour 
amongst the simple and unlearned people, who have taken them 
upon their report to be the true Mandrakes.” These things are 
made and sold to country-people at the present day, and the 
Bryony is on this account known by the name of Mandrake in 
many English counties. 
The Male Fern is, probably, the only representative of the 
order which has received official recognition as a remedial agent, 
“ st. john’s-hand.” 
the ethereal extract of the rhizome being a recognised prepara- 
tion which is employed, with satisfactory results, in cases of tapeworm. The rhizome is 
collected between late autumn and early spring, and, the dead portions having been removed 
is split open and dried at a gentle heat ; it is then reduced to a coarse powder, and exhausted 
with ether. The rhizome has but little odour, and a sweet astringent taste. Although the 
anthelmintic properties of the Male Fern were known to such early writers as Theophrastus 
and Pliny, the plant had, until a comparatively recent period, fallen into disuse. Towards 
# “Theatrum Botanicum,” p. 1037 (1640). 
f p. 281. 
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