The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1904-09-09
FISH USED AS MEDICINE.
MANY CURES ATTRIBUTED IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES
QUEER TRADITIONS CONCERNING THE REMEDIAL
QUALITIES OF TENcH, PERCH, COD, EEL. PIKE
/ AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FINN TRIBE. ..,

l@lZZ5ls % OH
II nj sd N medicine fishes hav
filled an unusually larg
II space, nearly all Of til
~ better known species ha,
& ing been, at one time q
anoruer. neld as cure for the caus
Of some ailment. These superstition
are not confined to one country alone
but seem to spread all over the world
and are common from the earlies
ages. A. few OF these traditions ar
| founded on fact, but the great major
| ity are fiction pure and simple.
The common tench has been terme,
| the fishes physician" and Camden
in his Britannia, states that he hat
seen tine bellies Of pixies closed BY tn,
touch Of the tench and BY their glu
tinous slime perfectly healed up. a
one time ARCHAEOLOGICAL writer's be
lieved that pike. perch and cells knew
Of this propensity Of the tench anl
spared It in consequence.
In olden times 1t used to be applied
to the palms Of the hands and feet II
order to absorb fever. or laid upon the
liver In case OF jaundice, when the
fish, It was asserted, became yellow
and retained the disease. It was to be
buried at once after being removed
In case Of nervous headache the fish
would be tied to the temples, while for
sore eyes it was to be wound around
the neck. It would stop hemorrhage
and was said to be efficacious In OBJ
stinate cases Of worms.
In Russia the small miller's thumb
(cottus gobio) is employed as charm
against fevers. In the time Of Galen
the flesh Of the electric fishes was re-
commeded to be eaten by epileptic
persons. who were likewise to have
shocks from the living fish applied to
their heads.
Even prior to this DESCRIBES had
recommended its external application
for pains in the head, while >in more
recent times persons suffering from
govt were advised to place the az
fected part on one Of these fishes and
keep It there until the numbness ex-
tended as high as the knee. In Abys-
sinia fever was cured with an electric
eel. while the tetroden was said to be
excellent in lung affections.
The Welsh consider the oil from the
liver Of the sting ray to be good for
burns and other wounds, while the
Norwegians use oil from the liver Of
the king Of behring's (chimaera mon
trosa) for treating some disorders OF
the eyes. The latter is also said to be
good for all wounds and bruises.
The oil Of the turbot is considered
good external remedy for swellings,
while the gall is said to be excellent
for affections Of the eyes. The oil
from the liver Of many fishes IS used
the more notable ex-
amples being the cod and the >-oolo- |
chan, or candlefsh, Of the Pacific
coast
The eggs Of the angellsh were at |
'ne time dried and used incidentally, |
while its skin was also dried, and |
when powdered. prescribed for Itch
md other skin diseases. When the
iesh Of the six-gilled or Mediterranean
'hark 10 eaten, 1t is said to act as
'trong purgative. Sharks teeth
ubbed on the gums were said to help
hildren speedily through the trying
eething period. while the liver Of the
nuroena cured poisonous bites.
The lamprey, while having an Ill
mened reputation, was said to remove
mallpox scars when its fat was ap.
lied to them. That rubbing the part
nected with z red herring will cure
rheumatism is still positively asserted
, the old fishermen Of England. while
Scotland toothache can be got rid
{ BY carrying about person a piece
I dogish. the fish being returned alive ,
the water after the incision is made.
a quite general tradition is that /.
hopping cough can be cured by put
ng q live fish into a. child's mouth.
fter being used, the fish must be j
lrown back into the water alive.
ANGER could be cured by tying crab
the affected part. :
Eels were favorite subjects with the
d physicians. Hippocrates forbade
leir use as food in tables and dis
lsed spleen, while Galen prescribed r
em as medicine in nephritic COM d
aints. where the gluten might be (,
ought to convert grale into stone. (,
Pliny claimed their use as food i'm. ],
Tired the singing voice, while they q
cared choleric Of phiegmatic humors u
It Of the system, likewise the infir. D.
tiles Of the spleen. The monks Of "
llerno did not like them. and COM n
aimed shat to live on cells 10 sure d,
cipe for spelling the voice" q,
In an old manuscript Of tho four. Of
enth century persons who desire to Of
old collie are recommended to make er
girdle Of the skin Of an eel, and 20 W
ne as this Is worn around the waist il
Q wearer Is safe. In Scotland the
esh skin Of an eel was tied around IS
. leg 10 cases of cramp and sprain,
d 1t IL said that even to this day 70