Customs and Fashions in Old New England

								

disease, scarce so old as to afford good observation, and wondered
whether it existed in the American plantations. In old medical books
which were used by the New England colonists I find manifold receipts
for the cure of these infantile diseases. Snails form the basis, or
rather the chief ingredient, of many of these medicines. Indeed, I
should fancy that snails must have been almost exterminated in the near
vicinity of towns, so largely were they sought for and employed
medicinally. There are several receipts for making snail-water, or
snail-pottage; here is one of the most pleasing ones:



     "The admirable and most famous Snail water.--Take a peck of garden

     Shel Snails, wash them well in Small Beer, and put them in an oven

     till they have done making a Noise, then take them out and wipe

     them well from the green froth that is upon them, and bruise them

     shels and all in a Stone Mortar, then take a Quart of Earthworms,

     scowre them with salt, slit them, and wash well with water from

     their filth, and in a stone Mortar beat them in pieces, then lay in

     the bottom of your distilled pot Angelica two handfuls, and two

     handfuls of Celandine upon them, to which put two quarts of

     Rosemary flowers, Bearsfoot, Agrimony, red Dock roots, Bark of

     Barberries, Betony wood Sorrel of each two handfuls, Rue one

     handful; then lay the Snails and Worms on top of the hearbs and

     flowers, then pour on three Gallons of the Strongest Ale, and let

     it stand all night, in the morning put in three ounces of Cloves

     beaten, sixpennyworth of beaten Saffron, and on the top of them six

     ounces of shaved Hartshorne, then set on the Limbeck, and close it

     with paste and so receive the water by pintes, which will be nine

     in all, the first is the strongest, whereof take in the morning two

     spoonfuls in four spoonfuls of small Beer, the like in the

     Afternoon."
Truly, the poor rickety child deserved to be cured. Snails also were
used externally:



     "To anoint the Ricketed Childs Limbs and to recover it in a short

     time, though the child be so lame as to go upon crutches:



     "Take a peck of Garden Snailes and bruse them, put them into a

     course Canvass bagg, and hang it up, and set a dish under to

     receive the liquor that droppeth from them, wherewith anoint the

     Childe in every Joynt which you perceive to be weak before the fire

     every morning and evening. This I have known make a Patient Childe

     that was extream weak to go alone using it only a week time."
There were also "unguents to anoynt the Ricketted Childs breast," and
various drinks to be given "to the patient childe fasting," as they
termed him in what appears to us a half-comic, though wholly truthful
appellation.
For worms and fits there were some frightful doses of senna and rhubarb
and snails, with a slight redeeming admixture of prunes; and as for