The use of red coral for warding off the evil eye is at least as old as the times of the ancient Romans; they used coral necklaces for their babies as we do now, but not for ornament so much as for protection from supernatural danger. In Italy, especially in the parts round Naples, red coral charms in the shape of a partly closed hand, or pieces of coral the shape of a tiny carrot, are worn for the purpose of protecting the wearer from being bewitched by the mal occhio.
The last-named charm is evidently phallic.
The belief in witchcraft which still exists not only amongst the ignorant and degraded, but also amongst cultivated and intelligent persons, has recently been illustrated by two cases reported in the press, which it may be well to quote in this connection.
“Extraordinary Superstition.
“An inquest was held yesterday at Lufton, a village near Yeovil, on the body of Mary Jane Saunders, aged twenty-two, who died under peculiar circumstances. The evidence of the sister of the deceased showed the latter took to her bed last October. A doctor attended her, and in November she went into Yeovil hospital. Deceased had not had her reason for the last six weeks. Her father and mother called in a herbalist, who remained one day and night. Her mother thought her daughter was suffering from a ‘bad wish,’ and that it was in consequence of that she was ill. Her mother had heard that the herbalist had cured two people at Montacute of ‘bad wishes,’ and that was why they went to him. The herbalist made some herb tea for deceased to get rid of the ‘bad wish.’ Her father and mother thought the deceased had been ‘overlooked.’ The father told the coroner he was ‘overlooked’ when he was a baby, and had a spell on him, and some one did him good. The herbalist who visited deceased said he thoroughly believed one person could put a spell on another. It was in the Bible, but it was a pity it should be so. The mother of deceased said they thought some one had cast a ‘bad wish’ over the deceased, and they tried to get it taken away. They paid 11s. for the herbalist’s medicine to remove the ‘bad wish.’ Dr. Walters said deceased died of inflammation and softening of the brain, and a verdict in accordance with that opinion was returned.”[976]
The Daily Telegraph of November 21st, 1892, has the following:—
“Trial for Witchcraft.
”Berlin, Nov. 20.—The Court of Eichstaett in Bavaria has just given judgment in the action for slander arising out of the extraordinary case of exorcism which occurred some months ago in Bavaria, when a certain Father Aurelian exorcised a boy named Zilk in his parish, who was said to be possessed of a devil.
“Father Aurelian declared that the evil spirit entered the boy’s body through the witchcraft of a Protestant woman named Herz, and the latter accordingly instituted proceedings against him for slander. The ceremony of exorcism was performed in presence of a Capuchin friar. named Wolf, and other persons, and Father Aurelian, in the report which he drew up of the case, declared that the devil only quitted the boy after long resistance.
“Friar Wolf, who was one of a long list of witnesses called for the defence, confirmed the correctness of the defendant’s report as to the circumstances under which the exorcism had been performed.