The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-07
evening telegraph
WEDNESDAY, DECEMDBR I, 1864.
UNLAWFUL CURES.

derful cures has been observed in all ages and
Avicenna declares that he "prefers confidence
before art preccpts, and all remedies whatsoever"
Our learned Burton says that "this strong imnqi-
nation of conceit is AstJum Hou.iais. and the
rudder Of this our ship, which reason should steer.
but oyerbornc by phautasic, cannot manage, and
suffers itself and the whole vessel Of ours TO be
Oyerruled and often overturned"
Nothing C uId be more absurd than the notions
regarding some Of the supposed cures A ring
made OF the hinge Of @ coffin had the power OF
relieving cramps which were also initiated by
having rusty old sword hung up bv the bedside
Nails driven In an oak tree prevented the t1oth-
ache A halter that had served in hanging a cri-
minal was an iniaIiblc remedy for headache
when tied round the head; this affection was
equally cured by the moss growing ON "a human
skull, dried and puyerized, and taken as a Acepha-
lie snuff. dead mans hand could dispel
tumors Of the glands by strOkiug the parts nine
times, but the hand of q man who had been cut
down from the galiows was the most chcarious
To cure warts, one had uo.hing to do but steal a
piece of beef from the butcher, with which the
warts were 20 be rubbed then inter 10 in any
fall.
The chips Of q gallows on which several per-
sons had b, en- hanged, when worn in a bag round
the neck, would cure the aguc. A stone with a
hole in 10, suspended AZ the head of the he'd would
eileCtually stop the nightmare; hence il was
called hsg-stone, as It prevents the troublesome
witches from sitting upon the sleeper's stomach.
The same amulet tied to the KEY Of a stable-door
deferred witches from riding horses over the
country.
Rickety children were cured By being drawn
through cleft tree which was afterwards bound
up, and as the split wood united the child ac-
quired strength. Creeping through a perforated
stone to cure various disorders was "a Druidical
rite, still practiscd IN the East. In the parish of
Marden there is a stone with a no in IL fourteen
inches in diameter, through which children are
drawn for the rickets and in the North infants
nte made TO pass through hole cut in a gy0auiyg
cheese the day of their christening.
Second-siRht, which, as an hereditary faculty,
was deemed malady, was cured in the Isle of
Man, according TO Mr.. Aubreys account by bap-
tiziDg child upon the first sight of its head This
ceremony eNcmpts the succeeding generation from
the Troublesome gift.
1t is melancholy reflection that 40 various
periods impostOrs have mpiOusly cal ed in scrip
turul aid to promote their sordid or ambitions
views. ChiromanCers have quoted the Bible in
support of their doctrines, and adduCed the fol-
lowing lines of job .-"He sclleth up the hand
Of every man, that all men may know his
works :" while in like manner the Holy Inuuis-
ton of spain and Portugal justified their atroc-
ties on The score of the parable of the marriage
OF the kings son, in the twenty second Of St.
Matthew
Unlawful cures, as they were called, being thus
mathematical, lawful remedies were resorted to,
and the patient was ordered to pray with due
devotion before he took the physic; or, a, Burton
observes, not one without the other, but both
tOgether; for, rs he adds to pray alone and re-
lect ordinary means, is to do like him in Esop
that when his cart was stalled, lay fiat on his
back and cried out, "Help, Hercules" However
Hyperus maintains that no physicians can hope
for success unless "with a true faith they call
upon God, and teach their patients to do the like"
COrmineuS, when he addressed the Christian
princes after the overthrow of Charles of Bur
gundy, bade them "tirst pray with all submission
and penitenCy, confess their sins and then take
physiC."
But why should we marvel at the credulitv
and superstition of our forefathers, when VIC daily
observe equal absurdities Amongst others.
spiritualism, tanatcism, and bigotry will ever
strive TO speculate on human weakness, and en-
deavor to surround with impeRetrabe mists every
Rebel TO their power who gropes for the shrine of
reason and Of truth. Johanna Southcote had her
vOtaries, and Prince HohenlOhe was considered
by many pious person as yicarious nstru-
ment of divine mercy.
How appropriate are the lines of Otway when
applied to the propagators OF such absurdites,
who dare TO call upon our faith to give crcdenCe
to their impostnIes!
"You want to lead
NY reason bindfold, like a hamperdion
CheCko OF its noble vlgor; then when bated
Down TO obedient tameness, make il crouch
Ana show strange tricks which you call signs Of iathi
SO silly tOuls are gulldi and you get money
A curious anecdote is related Of Lord Chief
Justice Holt. When young man he happened
with some of his merry companions, to run up
score at q country inn which they were not able
10 pay. In this dilemma they appealed to Holt
TO get them out Of the scrape. Our young lawyer
had observed that the innkeeper's daughter looked
very i'll, and passing himself for a medical stu
dent, asked her father what allied her, when he
was informed that she suffered from an ague.
Holt Immediately gathered various plants mixed
them up with great ceremony, and after rolling
them up in parchment, scrawled upon the ball
some cabalistic characters. The amulet thus pre-
pared he suspended round the neck of the young
woman, and, strange TO say, the ague did not re-
IN ay
the bill, TO which the grateful landlord would not
consent, allowing Holt and his party to leave the
house.
Many years after, when on the bench, a woman
was brought before him accused of witch craft
the very last person tried upon such a charge.
Her only defense was that she possessed ball
invariably efiicacious in the cure of agues. The
charm was produced, handed to the Judge who
recognized the identical ball which he had pre-
pared in his youthful frolics.
Not only did these victims of superstition firmly
believe that evil spirits had the power of nicting
disease, and afterwards salve the mischief but
they were also invested with the privilege of
killing and subsequently restoring to life The
story related of the truly learned Agrippa, who
was falsely represented as necrOmancer, is
curious.
Agrippa had occasion one time to be absent for
a few days from his residence at LOuyain. Dur
ing his absence he entrusted his wife with the
key OF his museum, but with an earnest njunc-
tion that no one on any account should be allowed
~ SAhe " AAbliRPe hoPPohSN az thot lllle W
have boarder in the house, a young fellow OF
Unsuitable curiosity, who constantly imporluned
his hostess, till at length he obtained from her
the forbidden key. The first thing that attracted
his attention was book of spells and incanta-
tions. He spread the volume before him, and,
thinking no harm, began TO read aloud. lie had
not long continued this occupation when knock
was heard at the door of the chamber. The youth
took no notice, but continued reading Presently
there followed second and louder knock, which
somewhat alarmed the reader. The space of a
minute having elapsed, and no answer been made,
the door opened and demon entered. "For
what purpose am called z" said the unwelcome
visitor in a stern voice. "What is 1t You demand
to have done :" The youth was seized with the