Living Creatures

Millepedes (so called from the multitude of their feet, though it cannot be supposed they have a thousand) sows, hog-lice, wood-lice, being bruised and mixed with wine, they provoke urine, help the yellow jaundice; outwardly being boiled in oil, help pains in the ears, a drop being put into them.

The flesh of vipers being eaten, clear the sight, help the vices of the nerves, resist poison exceedingly, neither is there any better remedy under the sun for their bitings than the head of the viper that bit you, bruised and applied to the place, and the flesh eaten, you need not eat above a dram at a time, and make it up as you shall be taught in troches of vipers. Neither any comparable to the stinging of bees and wasps, &c. than the same that sting you, bruised and applied to the place.

Land Scorpions cure their own stingings by the same means; the ashes of them (being burnt) potently provokes urine, and breaks the stone.

Earth-worms, are an admirable remedy for cut nerves being applied to the place; they provoke urine; see the oil of them, only let me not forget one notable thing quoted by Mizaldus, which is, That the powder of them put into an hollow tooth, makes it drop out.

To draw a tooth without pain, fill an earthen crucible full of Emmets, Ants, or Pismires, eggs and all, and when you have burned them, keep the ashes, with which if you touch a tooth it will fall out.

Eels, being put into wine or beer, and suffered to die in it, he that drinks it will never endure that sort of liquor again.

Oysters applied alive to a pestilential swelling, draw the venom to them.

Crab-fish, burnt to ashes, and a dram of it taken every morning helps the bitings of mad dogs, and all other venomous beasts.

Swallows, being eaten, clear the sight, the ashes of them (being burnt) eaten, preserves from drunkenness, helps sore throats being applied to them, and inflammations.

Grass-hoppers, being eaten, ease the cholic, and pains in the bladder.

Hedge Sparrows, being kept in salt, or dried and eaten raw, are an admirable remedy for the stone.

Young Pigeons being eaten, help pains in the reins, and the disease called Tenesmus.