Oelsns and Galen complicated the sub- Antiquated no-
ject by the introduction of hard names ^^^
and improbable fanciful conjectures. They extolled
as panaceas, castor, ox-gall, frankincense, garlic,,
opium, nitre, alum, hellebore, and an hundred
other absurd remedies. Even early in the present
century, a quack in London advertised the follow-
ing remedies, and was said to have been extensively
patronized. He honestly professed, however, to
have obtained them from antiquated authorities.
The galls of all animals, birds, and fishes ; the milk
of nearly every animal; the sap of many trees,
extracted by placing one end in the fire ; the fat 6r
marrow of birds, beasts, and fishes, oil of all kinds,
both animal and vegetable ; liquid extracted by
bruising ants and wood-lice; the liquid obtained
from the putrefaction of earth-worms ; salt, and
nitre." A licentiate of the college of physicians
in London, pretended to have obtained a supply of
water from the pool of Bethesda, in the sheep-mar-
ket, in the city of Jerusalem, and that,
though in bottles, it was troubled once ^^^ ^^'

a month by the angel of the Lord. He advertised
that this remedy wotdd cure all complaints, if taken



264 THE BAB.
