Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-18
MEDICAL USE OF FISH
QUAINT TRADITIONS OF SUR.
PRIsINa EFFEcTs SECURED.


know species having been at one time or
another. held as a cure for or the cause of
some aflment. These superstitions are not
confined to one country alone. but seem to
be spread all over the world, and are COM
mon rom the earliest ages. few Of these
traditions are founded on fact, but tho
great majority are fiction pure and simple.
The common tench has been termed the
hshes physician" and Camden, in his
britannia- states that he had seen the bell
lies or pixies closed by the touch of the
tench. and by their glutinous slime per-
iectiy healed up. At one time certain ich-
Theological writer's believed that pike
perch and cells knew of this propensity of
the tench and spared ii in conseauence In
oiden times it used to be applied to the
palms OF the hands and feet in order to
ABSORB FEVER; or laid over the liver in case
OF Jaandfce, when the fish. It was asserted.
became yellow and retained the disease.
1t was to be buried at once after being re-
moved In case OF a nervous headache the
fish would be tied to the temples, while for
It would also stop hemorrhage and was
said to be efficacfous in obstinate cases of
worms.
Mfller's Thumb.
In Russia the smell millers thumb tcot-
tus gobio) is employed as a charm against
fevers. In the time Of Galen the flesh of
the electric fishes was recommended to be
eaten by epiieptic persons. who were like
wise to have shocks from the living FISH
applied to their heads. Even prior to this
Dioscorides had recommended its external
application for pains in the head, while In
more recent times persons suffering from
govt were advised to place the affected
part on one OF these fishes and keep 1t
there until the numbness extended as high
as the knee. In Abyssinia fever was cured
with an electric eel, while the eetroden ives
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
the Oil from the liver OF the king of her
rings (Chimaera monstrosa) 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 oonsid-
cred good external remedy for swellings.
while the gall is said to be excellent for
affections OF the eyes. The oil from the
the more notable examples being the cod
and the oolachan, or candlefish, of the Pa
cific coast
The Angelfsh.
The eggs of the angelfish were at one time
dried and used incidentally, while its skin
was also dried. and when powdered pre-
scribed for itch and other skin diseases.
When the flesh of the six-gilled or Medi-
terranean shark Is eaten II is said to act
Us strong purgative. Sharks teeth rubbed
on the gums were said to help children
speedily through the trying teething pc
poisonous bites. The lamprey, while having
an ill-emened reputation, was said to re-
move smallpox scars when its fat was APP
piled to them. That rubbing the part af-
fected with red herring viii cure rheuma-
tism is still positively asserted by the old
fishermen of England. while in Scotland
toothacfe can he got rid of by carrying
about the person a piece of dogfish, the
fish being returned alive to the water after
the excelsior Is made. A quite general ira
ditjon is that whoopng cough can he cured
by putting live fish into the child's mouth.
After being used the fish must be thrown
back into the water alive Cancer could be
cured by tying crab to the affected part.
Eels were favorite subjects with the old
physicians. fippocrates forbade their use
as food in tables and diseased spleen, while
Galen prescribed them medicine in
phritfc complaints, where the gluten might
be thought to concrete gravel into stone.
Plfny claimed their use food impaired
the singing voice, while they cleared chol
eric or phlegmatic humors out O fthe sys-
tenn. likewise the infirmities of the spleen.
The monks of Salerno did not like them,
and complained that to live on eels is a
sure recipe for spelling the voice"
Eels for Colic.
In old manuscript of the fourteenth
century persons who desire to avoid colo
are recommended to make a girdle of the
skin of an eel and SO long as this is worn
around the waist the wearer is safe. In
Scotland the fresh skin of an eel was tied
around the aeg IN cases of cnamp and spr ain
and it is said that even to this day many
Scottish women wear the cells skin as a
garter. For persons suffering from weak
nerves the old English remedy was to mix
wormweod root. gall of trout, brain of pike
and oil of eel together over a hot fire. and
AXE this mixture in doses of three spoon
fuls at a time powder made from the
ellis liver was considered cure for deaf
ness, while in certain parts of England
fever was cured by the application of an
eel Gesner. the naturalist, suggested to
the eidtfme doctors that they recommend
patients suffering from constipation to swal-
low small eeis which would pass through,
the body. thus cleaning it out
In England the jawbone of the pike.
beaten up. was good for pleurfsy and other
kindred ailments, also for pain In the heart
and lungs. The small bones, powdered
were used to dry UP sores. The heart and
ereign cure for .ague and bad eyes, and to
abate fevers etc.
Carp for Rheumatism.
The older physicians ascribed various
miraculous powers to the fat of the carp
Among other diseases for which 1t was
remedy was a peculiar, now undefinable.
disorder termed hot rheumatism" 1t was
applied by frequent rubbing on the painful
part and the effect was said to be very
modifying and salutary. A small triangu-
lar stone, believed (erroneously9 to be found
in the jaws of the carp. on being ground TO
powder and applied to bleeding nose was
said to act as a styptic. The gall was used
as a lninent for sore eyes, and above the
eyes" says an old Aesculapius, 1.-TWO little
bones exist, .semi-circnlar in shape which
are diligently preserved by noble females
against the iunatical disease" In the 'Ha-
ven of HEALTH" an old medical work the
carp Is comprised in the list of ten
sortes of fish which are reckoned as prin-
cipal in the preservation of health" and
the author adds, 'it is in great wholesome
ness, of great value and the tongue of the
oarpe is very pleasant to carping ladies'
In Germany perch was recommended to
be eaten freely by wounded men. women in
chldbed and for dangerous fevers. Old
doctors used to prescribe two Imaginary
round bones from the perch's head a
remedy for stone.
Walton quotes Gesner to the effect that
the fat OF the graylfng "being set with a
little honey a day two IN the sun, in a
little glass. is very excellent against red
ness or swarthiness. or anything that
breeds In the eyes" Ladies should take
hint from this.
The +sotoliths," or ear stones, from the
Scfaeua aquila are comparatively large. and
were formerly deemed eficacious against
collie, provided they had been received as
Gifts as purchased stones were believed to
lose their virtue. They were mounted in
gold and worn suspended around the neck
t