History of Monsters. 311

cut off and worn in a silver ring so that it touches the flesh; indeed, Cardanus promises health to patients suffering from colic through this protection.

Before human fat is used for medical purposes, it must first be prepared in the same manner as the fat of other animals, and then kept in apothecaries. It is highly recommended for strengthening nerves weakened by ill health due to an incredible "sympathy" or natural affinity. Furthermore, this fat is a key ingredient in Wecker’s precious ointment, which provides immense relief to those suffering from pleurisy and gout.

Next, we must examine the virtues of human blood. First, those suffering from elephantiasis receive much help from it; for this reason, when Egyptian kings were afflicted by this disease, their bathtub thrones were drenched in human blood. Similarly, Orpheus and Archelaus considered human blood a fruitful remedy for quinsy, provided the affected part is frequently smeared with it. Those with epilepsy are freed from their seizures by the power of human blood; indeed, they will not suffer from them again if three drops of blood are drawn by scarring the area between the patient's shoulders and given to the patient with a crow's egg at the end of a seizure. Others, to release an epileptic from a fit, cut the big toes and sprinkle the patient's face with the resulting blood. In such cases, Wecker moistens the patient's lips with human blood and claims it immediately wards off the seizure. Still others provide human blood as a drink to patients to completely eradicate the "falling sickness" altogether.

The illustrious Falloppio distills human blood seven times using chemical arts until all the water has evaporated, then uses this material for the relaxation of the nerves. Euonimus extracts a "fifth nature" from human blood, eggs, and flesh, which the chemists call a quintessence. Likewise, following the thought of Albertus Magnus, they sublimate a water from human blood using glass instruments, which they praise for all kinds of ailments, both internal and external. Conversely, Croll includes the water of human blood among ophthalmic medicines. Others use this water in preparing a plaster for hernias, although Galen substituted pig blood for human blood. In our own time, apothecaries prepare a wax salve from ram's skin for hernias, which includes a portion of human blood.

An oil of human blood is also manufactured in the laboratories of the chemists. Gordonius, however, distills an oil with wondrous skill from the blood of a red-haired man in his twenty-fifth year; he calls this "living oil" because it drives away many illnesses and keeps men in flourishing health. For the simple distillation of human blood, one should read Brunschwig’s German book on distillations. Finally, Wecker mentions a salt prepared from human blood, which is said to soothe pains. One might also add the "Elixir of Life" prepared by chemists, which contains human blood and is used for malignant fevers and physical weakness. What more can be said? Human blood even cures hemorrhages: if blood flowing from the nostrils is dried upon a hot iron and the resulting powder is blown into the nose through a reed.

Having noted the virtues of the individual parts, we must now move to consider the power of the whole body. There are certain peoples, such as the Psylli and the Marsi, who can be beneficial with their entire bodies, for they heal those bitten by serpents with their touch, as we explained in our *History of Serpents*. Likewise, according to Cornelius Agrippa, a seventh son born without any daughters in between possesses the power to heal scrofula by touch.

Physicians of our time use dried human bodies to combat various diseases, believing this to be the "mummy" of the ancients. In fact, "mummy" is an Arabic word which, according to Rhazes and Avicenna, signifies *pissasphalt* (bitumen). Isaac, however, recorded that "mummy" is a Persian word denoting a certain liquid found in those tombs where the corpses of men, embalmed with spices, have been preserved for many years. This mummy is called *Cerops* by some, perhaps, in the opinion of Renodæus, because it has the consistency of wax. It was found in the tombs of Egyptian kings and heroes who, having some knowledge of a future resurrection, embalmed the human body with myrrh, cinnamon, aloe, cedar gum, and many other aromatics so that it would remain incorrupt for as long as possible. But many years after