The Nevada journal. [volume] (Nevada City, Calif.) 1851-18??, 1857-07-10
THE NEVADA JOURNAL.

BLOOD BATHs-A belief in the
cleansing and purifying virtues of ha-
man blood appears to have existed from
very remote times, until, comparative
ly, recent period. That it prevailed
amongst the Egyptians we learn from
Pliny, and the idea seems to have been
borrowed from them by Moses, although
it became modified in his code, the
blood of animals being substituted for
that of human beings. In the twenty
eighth book of the Natural History"
of the Roman author, we find curious
account of leprosy, which concludes
thus "A peculiar malady is this, and
natural to the Egyptians; but when any
of their kings fell into it, woe to their
subjects and poor people, for then were
the tubs and bathing vessels, wherein
they sat in the bath, filled aoiM mems
blo0d FIR Meir cure"
But the remedial powers of human
blood were not supposed to be confined
to eases of leprosE,eione; it was med
icine of universal application, fancy
which probably grew out of some vague
notion that the vital principle resided in
this fluid.
1t is singular fact that while the
Jewish legislator impaired a sacrifcial
virtue to the blood of animals, the Ro-
mans should, on the contrary, have
adopted a belief the very reverse. Ac-
cording to the Pagan theory, the blood
of horses is venomous, and that Of bulls
is no better, except at Egira, city of
Achaia. though why this spot should be
an objection to the general rule, the Ro-
man naturalist does not inform U.S.
Goats blood also he denounces, and
adds that it is SO strong, nothing in the
world will sharpen the edge of an iron
tool sooner, nor harden it when keen,
and that it will polish steel better than
any file
The Christians in the middle ages un-
accountably adopted the Pagan rather
than the Jewish belief The Emperor
Constantine, it is true, was restrained
from using this revolving remedy in con
sequence Of a cisi0n, and is said to have
been cured by baptism; but the use Of
the blood-bath seems to have been by
far too common both in ancient times
and III the middle ages.
In the time of the great leprosy the
belief must have given occasion to num-
bcrless cruelties, more especially as
children and maidens were the objects
| of ia class the least likely to be able
TO escape from the sacrifice demanded
of them. After a time, however, it re-
! ceivcd check, from an opinion grad
ually gaining ground that only the blood
of those would be eiiicacious, who offer
cd themselves freely for beloved suf-
fcrcr. One of the most beautiful poems
Of the thirteenth century. written by
Hartman Won Der Ane, gives proof of
| the popular notions of the period. The
| outlines of the story are nearly as fol-
lows;-"A Swatian knight, who pos
sesses wealth, rank, famc-all in short
that can make life desirable, is on the
sudden seized with leprosy. In order
to escape the civil death, which was one
Of the most terrible results of the dis
ease, he roams through the world in the
hope Of somewhere finding remedy,
aud Montpelier being in those days ia
nous for its physicians, it is there that
! be first seeks assistance. They pro-
nounce his case to be beyond their art
and he then repairs to Salerno, where he
is made acquainted with the apparently
hopeless means Of cure-namely, that
he should battle in the blood of some
child, or Of some virgin, who shall sub
nit to be willing sacrifice. Sad at
heart, he returns home, with the con-
viction that such terms Of cure leave
him no hope, and he therefore prepares
himself to sorrow out the remainder of
his days in solitude. 1t is now that a
girl of twelve years Of age, the daugh
ter of countrymal, concelveS pas
sion for the knight while attending upon
him, and accidentally hearing of this
f.ee-will offering, determines to become
his sacrifice. The knight, struck by the
poor girls attachment, at first refuses
to avail himself of it, but her devotion
is proof against all persuasions, and they
set out together for Salerno, the site of
a celebrated medical institution estab-
lished by the Benedictine monks. The
fatal catastrophe, however, is averted
by the knights recovery through other
means, and in requital for so much love
he gives his hand to the maiden in mar
riage."
The story of Anxious and Amelus is
another Of the same kind; and there is
a similar tale related of Louis XII, hav-
ing a mind to avoid his approaching
death by drinking the blood of young
children. The account given of the
last hours of this king by the historian
Gaguin bears testimony to this fact of
the blood-drink. He thus states it,
"But his disorder still grew upon him,
and in this year, 1443, imploring high |
and low the aid of God and man, lie
commanded that they should bring to
Tours the sacred liquor, which it is said
was sent from heaven to anoint King
Clovis in his city of Rheims Besides
this, he had from the holy chapel at
Paris the rod Of the high priest Aaron,
which MANY affirm to have been divine