a most powerful deterrent. For the same reason, the aspen, from its
constant trembling, has been held a specific for this disease. The lesser
celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) is known in many country places as the
pilewort, because its peculiar tuberous root was long thought to be
efficacious as a remedial agent. And Coles, in his "Art of Simpling,"
speaks of the purple marsh-wort (Comarum palustre) as "an excellent
remedy against the purples." The common tormentil (Tormentilla
officinalis), from the red colour of its root, was nicknamed the "blood-
root," and was said to be efficacious in dysentery; while the bullock's-
lungwort derives its name from the resemblance of its leaf to a dewlap,
and was on this account held as a remedy for the pneumonia of
bullocks.[25] Such is the curious old folk-lore doctrine of signatures,
which in olden times was regarded with so much favour, and for a very
long time was recognised, without any questioning, as worthy of men's
acceptation. It is one of those popular delusions which scientific research
has scattered to the winds, having in its place discovered the true
medicinal properties of plants, by the aid of chemical analysis.
Footnotes:
- Pettigrew's "Medical Superstitions," 1844, p. 18. 2. Tylor's "Researches into the
Early History of Mankind," 1865, p. 123; Chapiel's "La Doctrine des Signatures,"
Paris, 1866. 3. "Flowering Plants of Great Britain," iv. 109; see Dr. Prior's
"Popular Names of British Plants," 1870-72. 4. Tylor's "Researches into the Early
History of Mankind," p. 123. 5. See Porter Smith's "Chinese Materia Medica," p.
103; Lockhart, "Medical Missionary in China," 2nd edition, p. 107; "Reports on
Trade at the Treaty Ports of China," 1868, p. 63. 6. Fiske, "Myths and
Mythmakers," 1873, p. 43. 7. Dr. Prior's "Popular Names of British Plants," p. 134. - See Kelly's "Indo-European Tradition Folk-lore," 1863, pp. 193-198; Ralston's
"Russian Folk-Songs," 1872, p. 98. 9. "Mystic Trees and Flowers," Mr. D. Conway,
Frasers Magazine, Nov. 1870, p. 608. 10. The "receipt," so called, was the
formula of magic words to be employed during the process. See Grindon's
"Shakspere Flora," 1883, p. 242. 11. "Popular Antiquities," 1849, i. 315. 12. "Indo-
European Tradition and Folk-lore," p. 197. 13. See Dr. Prior's "Popular Names of
British Plants," p. 130; Phillips' "Flora Historica," i. 163. 14. See Sowerby's
"English Botany," 1864, i., p. 144. 15. See "Folk-lore of British Plants," Dublin
University Magazine, September 1873, p. 318. 15. See Thorpe's "Northern
Mythology," 1852, iii. 168. 17. "Sketches of Imposture, Deception, and Credulity,"
1837, p. 300. 18. See Phillips' "Pomarium Britannicum," 1821, p. 351. 19. "Plant-
lore of Shakespeare," 1878, p. 101. 20. See Dr. Prior's "Popular Names of British
Plants," p. 154. 21. Hogg's "Vegetable Kingdom," p. 34. 22. See Friend's "Flowers
and Flower-lore," ii. 355. 23. "Mystic Trees and Flowers," Fraser's Magazine,
November 1870, p. 591. 24. "Plant Lore Legends and Lyrics," p. 341. 25. Ibid., pp,
150-160.