The Dog-Days denote certain Days before and after the Rising of this Star, to whose Appearance the Antients ascrib’d terrible Effects: the very first Day it appears, they say (but without Reason) the Sea becomes boisterous and boils like a Cauldron, produces Variety of Distempers, sours Wine, and Dogs grow mad.... The Romans, dreading the Indignation of this Star, sacrificed a Dog every Year to it, (viz. at its first Appearance in our Hemisphere) to appease its Rage against Mortals.
In Winter, this Italian Spider lurks in Caverns, and solitary Places; and if it happens to bite, hurts not: There it lives in a drowsy Posture, and keeps Lent till Summer; when the whole Tribe creeps out, and disperse themselves over that pleasant Land; and Wo to the Body asleep, and bare Legs, in Corn-Fields.
Those on the Plains are much to be feared, the Air being hotter there than on the Mountains, where their Bite is not dangerous, the Solar Rays not being so strong in those Heights: and what is yet more surprizing, is, that if they wound any out of Apulia, though in places not remote from it, the Wounded receive no deadly Hurt[[318]].
[318]. Baglivii de Anatome, Morsu & Effect. Tarantulæ Dissertatio i. p. 27. & cap. v. p. 20.
When it bites, the Pain resembles that given by the Sting of a Bee, and is attended with various Symptoms, according to their different Natures: The Northern Tarantula is the most terrible; those that are inclin’d to the white Colour are not so dangerous; the spotted differs from both.
The Wound given by any of them is dangerous, and has different Indications. In some that are bitten, an universal Stupor follows; others weep: Some tremble and vomit; others laugh, fancying themselves to be Kings. This perhaps made Dr. Cornelio represent this as an imaginary Disease; that those who imagine themselves hurt, are most of our young wanton Girls, who, falling from some particular Indisposition into Melancholy and Madness, persuade themselves that they have been stung by a Tarantula[[319]].
[319]. Philos. Transact.
Some grow pale, sick and faint, and die in a short time, unless relieved by Musick, which alone, without the Help of Medicine, performs the Cure.
The Wounded are as Men half dead, but at the first Sound of a musical Instrument, though they are very weak, and seemingly unable to stir, they begin by degrees to move their Hands and Feet, till at last they get up, and then fall to dancing with wonderful Vigour, for two or three Hours, their Strength and Activity still encreasing. Some will continue the Dance, without Intermission for six Hours; and when tired they are put to Bed, and after they are sufficiently recruited by Rest, they are called up again by the same Tune, and renew the Dance with great Violence, the Musick still playing; and when the Patients grow weary, they are put into Bed again, and kept warm to encourage Perspiration. These Exercises being continued six or seven Days, the Patient finds himself fatigued and unable to dance any longer, which is the Characteristic of a Cure.
They usually spend ten or twelve Hours a-day in this violent Exercise, and continue it for three or four, or six Days; by which time they are generally freed from all their Symptoms, tho’ not always, says the learned Baglivi, who observes, that about the same time next Year, the Distemper returns, and will prove fatal, if not prevented by the same musical Application.