INTRODUCTORY LECTURE. 
609 
for the general treatment of their animals, given to them by 
the late Mr. Moorcroft during his residence there. He was, 
as many of you are aware, one of the first professors of this 
College. I merely mention this to show how general is the 
belief in that which is marvellous, and how prone the mind is 
to become impressed with anything that is mysterious. But we 
have to do with that which is similar nearer home, and of 
which I will cite a few illustrations. 
When the pulmonary epizootic was prevalent in Northum- 
berland, the following plan was resorted to to prevent its 
spreading : They kindled a fire by rubbing two pieces of 
hard wood together, and this they carried about in an old 
shoe, from one farm-house to another, and with it a bonfire 
being lighted, the cattle w ? ere made to pass through it. This 
they considered a perfect prophylactic. Here is something like 
the re vival of a heathen rite, itbeing derived from the worship of — 
“ Moloch, horrid king, besmeared with blood 
Of human sacrifice, and parent’s tears ; 
Though, for the noise of drums and timbrels loud. 
Their children’s cries unheard that 'passed through fire 
To his grim idols.” 
The Druids, too, lighted a fire on the eve of Midsummer- 
dav, which was called by them the Sacred Fire. When all 
other fires were put out, they were to be rekindled from this. 
The tops of the hills in most of the counties in England, 
where there are to be seen barrows and excavations, were 
usually the places chosen for these fires, so that they might 
be visible to a great distance. Around them the people 
danced, and the cattle were driven through them to keep 
away evil spirits and diseases. 
In some parts of Staffordshire, I am told, it is a common 
practice to dress the water of the cow, as they term it, when 
the animal is affected with red-water (Hcemo-albuminuria — 
Simonds). This is done by mixing the urine with sulphuric 
acid, and burying it. 
A charm to remove warts consists in cutting one of the 
warts off, tying it to a black snail, and then hanging the two 
together on the twig of a blackthorn. They believe, that as 
the wart and the snail decay, so will all the other warts. 
A plan to cure foot-rot in sheep in Sussex, is to watch the 
place where the animal rests his diseased foot ; then carefully 
cut the turf out, and hang it on a white thorn. As the turf 
moulders away, so they say the disease will as gradually dis- 
appear in the flock. 
The following account appeared in the ‘ Cornwall Gazette’ 
for 1848: — “ A farmer in the parish of Bodmin, believing that 
xxvji. 79 
