been useful.  If the physicians had taken the hint, had been careful of diet, etc., and had poured the little barrels of medicine down the throat of a practicable doll, THEY would have had their magical cures as well as the surgeons."[2] As Dr PETTIGREW has pointed out,[3] Nature exhibits very remarkable powers in effecting the healing of wounds by adhesion, when her processes are not impeded.  In fact, many cases have been recorded in which noses, ears, and fingers severed from the body have been rejoined thereto, merely by washing the parts, placing them in close continuity, and allowing the natural powers of the body to effect the healing.  Moreover, in spite of BACON’S remarks on this point, the effect of the imagination of the patient, who was usually not ignorant that a sympathetic cure was to be attempted, must be taken into account; for, without going to the excesses of “Christian Science” in this respect, the fact must be recognised that the state of the mind exercises a powerful effect on the natural forces of the body, and a firm faith is undoubtedly helpful in effecting the cure of any sort of ill.

[2] Professor AUGUSTUS DE MORGAN:  A Budget of Paradoxes (1872), p 66.

[3] THOMAS JOSEPH PETTIGREW, F.R.S.:  On Superstitions connected with the History and Practice of Medicine and Surgery (1844), pp. 164-167.

VI

THE BELIEF IN TALISMANS

THE word “talisman” is derived from the Arabic “tilsam,” “a magical image,” through the plural form “tilsamen.”  This Arabic word is itself probably derived from the Greek telesma in its late meaning of “a religious mystery” or “consecrated object”.  The term is often employed to designate amulets in general, but, correctly speaking, it has a more restricted and special significance.  A talisman may be defined briefly as an astrological or other symbol expressive of the influence and power of one of the planets, engraved on a sympathetic stone or metal (or inscribed on specially prepared parchment) under the auspices of this planet.

Before proceeding to an account of the preparation of talismans proper, it will not be out of place to notice some of the more interesting and curious of other amulets.  All sorts of substances have been employed as charms, sometimes of a very unpleasant nature, such as dried toads.  Generally, however, amulets consist of stones, herbs, or passages from Sacred Writings written on paper.  This latter class are sometimes called “characts,” as an example of which may be mentioned the Jewish phylacteries.

Every precious stone was supposed to exercise its own peculiar virtue; for instance, amber was regarded as a good remedy for throat troubles, and agate was thought to preserve from snake-bites.  ELIHU RICH[1] gives a very full list of stones and their supposed virtues.  Each sign of the zodiac was supposed to have its own particular stone[2] (as shown in the annexed table), and hence the superstitious though not inartistic custom of wearing one’s birth-