“For oppressive hard drawn breathing, a fox’s lung sodden and put into sweetened wine, and administered, is wonderfully healthy.”
The fox had many other uses. Foxes’ grease would heal many kinds of sores. His sinews soaked in honey would cure a sore throat; his “naturam” wrapped round the head would banish headache; his “coillon” rubbed on warts would break them up and remove them; and dimness of sight could be relieved by his gall mingled with honey. The worst recipe is:
For disease of joints. Take a living fox and seethe him till the bones alone are left. Let the man go down therein frequently, and into another bath. Let him do so very oft. Wonderfully it healeth.
There are scores of cures from parts of animals, some of them very disgusting. A few more specimens of decent ones must suffice.
For oversleeping, a hare’s brain in wine is given for a drink. Wonderfully it amendeth.
To get sleep a goat’s horn laid under the head turneth waking into sleep.
For sleep lay a wolf’s head under the pillow; the unhealthy shall sleep.
Let those who suffer apparitions eat lion’s flesh; they will not after that suffer any apparition.
For any fracture, take a hound’s brain laid upon wool and bind upon the broken place for fourteen days; then will it be firmly amended, and there shall be a need for a firmer binding up.