The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1852-07-10
MISCELLANE ECU s.
From Dickeus's Household Words.
Old Household Words.

Certain persons can hardly believe,
although they live in the middle of the
nineteenth century, and to whom the
wonders of steam and electricity are
familiar. that we have distanced our re-
spectable ancestors in Scientific know
ledge. We purpose offering few
illustrations of the way in which that
knowledge was applied TO medical
uses-to quote, in short, few genuine
Old Household Words.
The science of judicial astrology has
few votaries now natural philosophy IS
based on rather surer principles than of
yore. and the healing ART depends upon
something more positive than spells
But exceptions may yet be found: there
are still a select few-the country read
ers of Sadkiel, we will suppose-who
prefer the charms Of Ashmole, and the
sympathetic powder of Sir kenelm
DiRby. to the operations of Lawrence
ar the adsEh Of Bright; and what
these iaysgs Of the temporfs dctt believe
in. or. al all events, what our ancestors
pinned their faiths to, we shall here
expose.
The idea was suggested to ns while
turning over some OF the Ayscough
Manuscripts in the British Museum: IN
which are preserved some very striking
specimens Of the pharmaceutical Wis
dom of our forefathers. We thought II
pity that knowledge so valuable
should be concealed any longer; and
although the handwriting bore no slight
resemblance TO that which puzzled
Tony Lumpkin. we patiently set to
work TO transcribe some of the most
remarkable q remedies !" contained IN
the precious volume.
Oliver Goldsmith has said, in the
"Citizeu of the World,n that the epi-
dernic of England is the fear of mad
dogs. The apprehension appears to be
of ancient date, for the receipt books of
our ancestors are filled with remedies
against their bite. The Ayscough
Manuscript gives US various examples,
two of which we select-one simply
medicinal, the other purely occult
"A cataplasm made of NUTS, with an
onion, salt, and honey, helpeth the
biting of a madd 1oggn We should
value this receipt more than we do if
we could feel quite certain who it is
intended TO benefit, for as the sentence
stands it appears doubtful whether the
object be to assist dogs in biting or
patients in recovering.
The charm receipt is not very ditti-
cult one to remember: g For the bite
of d uadd dogg. say Lemus, Lamus,
Remns Ramns, 0yiologepo II is to be
nresumed that this formula must be
Uttered before you are bitten few dogs,
we conceive, would be mad enough to
bite the person who repeated II
This view of the case IS confirmed by
what you are advised to do alter the
bile has actually been perpetrated.-
aChaftne for those who are madd, man
or beast. The haire being cult off, lay
betony to The mould Of The head. Then
write these words on peece Of cheese,
sAntanbragon, Tetragrammaton, and
give the party so diseased The ar
0f writing on cheese is one OF the
secrets which unfortunately our ances-
tors have not handed down to US. II
they had but left a receipt for that also,
we should at once have made large
investment-say in Single Gloucester
and sent it in tender to the govern.
ors Of St Luke's.
Having made our patient sane, let rs
see what the Ayscough Manuscript
recommends to keep him so: At such
time as men SOW beanes, take beane
and put Il into the harte of a black catt
beng teddy rosfed. Then bury it in q
dunghilI, and when they be ripe carry
one about thee, and thou shalt never
zoe Ynadd.a s
We regret to remark that in all these
simple and easy remedies there is
aIwsys some cbscurity as to the man.
.ser Of reducing them 10 Practice
What we want TO know here is, which
is 10 be roasted--th bean or the cats
hsaEs2 Roasting beans is very IA