Book Ilf

In Summer it is fo when the blood is burnt by the heat of the Sun, which is infected by a contagious vapour conceived by it : but in Winter becaufe the blood is congealed and heaped together , and almoft curded and frozen , and fo corrupts, becaufe being {hut up in the body it cannot be ventilated : whence it is that deadly vapours, and contagion proceed from it, which contaminate and intedt the vitall Spirits s wherefore at fuch times of the year wa- mzMtwx> ter muft be allwaies given to this Creature , which he will all ter. times lap , efpecially when he goes a journey in company with a
man through very hot or cold Countries , and hath his tongue hanging out of his mouth, and gapes for thirft, for thus his blood, would be moyftned and not be burnt fo much by heat. Columella. L7 c.n. which Pliny in his name concealed not , thinks, that whelps tayls
ts.'c.V* after they have been littred 40 days, (hop Id be cut off, for fo they J/Dnggstayis w0U^ never run mad ; for thiscaule ; There is a Nerve that paff- viumrm eth through the joynts of the back-bone, to the very tip of his tayl * md . that being laid faft hold on with the laft joynt of the tayl together
(which I lee our Conntry-men do ) being drawn forth a little at length, will break off, which being done , the tayl is of a feemly length, and yet grows not too long and ill favour’d j and laftly, as many Sheepherds maintain , madnefle is prevented, and they will be fafe from it. There is another caution and prevention , that a Dogg (hall never run mad.
uowaDogg h Tnere isaNerveunderadoggs tongue, like to a Worm, round lre!nVmJrm and long , as alfo in a mans Head, whofe hinder part of the brain, A mom 'taken ends in a (hape like to a Worm that breeds in wood * this Worm tut of a Doggs £akcn from uncjcr the tongue, keeps doggsTafe from ever running
mgHe' mad. The like compafted fubftance grows in the former and hinder feet of fheep, in the very part they tread on the earth with, and it is round fafhioned like to a Worm, being inwardly full of down, like haires , fuch as we find in the little fponges, and buttons of Rofes, that the feed is (hut up in, folded in with a foft and tender down : I have oft times taken fuch a thing out of the boyld fheeps-feet , that was like a round Worm that breeds in rotten wood , or fmall-nuts. And if any man eating fheeps- feet , {hould be ignorant or carelefle of it , and not take out that fubftance, he will prefently loath after eating it , and be ready to vomit every moment , and to break wind upward. The peo¬ ple generally think that this matter is venemous j but as I cannot certainly fay that, or confenc with them : So I fhould eafily think that hairy fubftance, and downy matter, that fticks in the divided claws 3 doth hinder digeftion , and troubles the ftomach. Yet Shepherds and fuch as keep fheep, are of that opinionthat no creature could run fwifter than a fheep, orout-goe him, but that he would out-run them all, unleffe there were fome fuch fubftance under his joynts , that he treads upon. I can fay nothing certain- T bemwreof \y 0f that 5 thus much I can teftifie 3 that I have obferved thefe fheep when they ^ running f^*y> whenDoggs and Wolves that hunt after the
runaway. prey ran after Vttfe 3 to run away with great fwiftnefle, butnot r to
Chap. 5 . wkdt it is that makes ‘Boggs mad.
203
to run farr , but prefently to ftand ftill and look back , I fuppofe for that reafon , that there was fomthing clfe , befides cheirtainc fearfull heart, that hopped them , which is under their feet , and becaufe they are fhort-winded, and fubjed to difeafes of the Lungs, as we fee it by their dry cough they are oft times troubled with ; fo that they are not able to hold out a long courfe. Therefore as thefeCattel have fomthing under their feet that hops their run - ning, fo under a doggs tongue there lies feerct a Nervous, and as I may fo call it, a VVormlike fubftance , which from the fhape of a Worme , and the effed of madnefle, that it producethis called Avar*, which word fignifies a Worme and madnefle. Hence is that Plant called ’AAVflwr, that drives away this madneffe, and Doggs tongue. reftrains furious and Ldnatick people , that are as mad as doggs , though they chance to be bitten by them. Butjf youcuttnat Worme from whelps tongues, they will never run mad, nor will they ever bite any man , that the biting fhall prove mortall , and they will trouble us but feldome wirh barking : but this creature hath his melancholique blood inflamed and kindled, and the other humoursof his body all about, efpecially when the Dogg-days caufe great heat , and contagion bred from corruption, makes 'Hama ' him rage and run mad : fo that his tongue will fwell , and the Nerve that is under it, and fo his mouth is full of venemous froth and moyfturethat is contagious , that will infe&one if it do but touch him. For if this creature meet thofe he knoweth , or whe- rhefomeofa ther he knows them not , he will hurt them all alike, andifany ’jan&wfs!* ■ fome or froth flick upon any parr, it will endanger a man, though the dog bite him not : unlefle you prefently wafh it off with Salt¬ water. But flnee many remedies have been invented to cure this biting, none is more ready at hand , and certain, than prefently to dilate the wound, and to fcarify the skin, faftning cupping- glaffes to the part affe3ed with a great flame ; then to lay on a Cataplafm of Leeks, Onions, Garlick, Rocket, Ccntory the Remedies fora lcfle , Worm- wood and Salt-Butter , made up with honey.
Alfo the Urine of a young boy applyed to bathe the part, draws forth the Venome, alfoOpopanax, Rue, Salt, Figgs, red Cole- wort-lea ves , pounded in a Morter with Honey and Butter , and applyed to the place hurt are good. But a vein muft not be open- rhe bum of A ed by any means , for by that unfeafonable remedy , the venome voggmedmo is drawn inwardly , and prefently runs to the vitals, and infers ^intobeoPe*~ the humours and Spirits ; wherefore fuch means as will difcufle and diflipate venemous vapours muft be given inwardly, as Theri- *
ac, Michridatc, Garlick, Scordium , Mafterwort, andAngeli- madnljfe\ ca which is in virtue next to Mafterwort, Zedoary root. Rue,
Marigolds , Balme, Orris roots dried, Elecampane, Figs, Dc- co&ion of Pock-wood, Bafil, Cunula, Hyfop, wild Thime ,
Origanum , each of them hath a difeuffing virtue , and is Diapho- retick , that by opening the pores of the body, and provoking fweac difpells the Poyfon , and will not let it paffe into the Veins. The force of Our Countrey-men that live neere to the Sea , cake fuch a? are bir- the sea for
Ffa ~ ten
% " Degg,
what it is that makes Ooggs mad.