# ON THE ELK, OR THE "GREAT BEAST"

This beast, according to the opinion of many, has three parts that are useful for medical purposes: the horns, the sinews, and the hooves. For this reason, Menabenus has recorded that in Sweden, horn shavings are held in the highest esteem, and that the Princes of Prussia have long recognized the horn's power in treating the "falling sickness" or epilepsy. We should not be surprised, therefore, that little hearts are skillfully fashioned from these horns, as seen in the following illustration; these are subsequently hung around the neck as a preventative measure against this affliction.

A little heart made from elk horn.

Furthermore, the hooves of this great animal are even more highly recommended for epilepsy. It is truly remarkable that the hoof is not only therapeutic but also prophylactic; it does not just treat an existing seizure but can actually prevent one that is imminent. Whether every hoof of this animal possesses the same power is a subject of varying opinions among authors. There are those who attribute more potency to the left hind hoof than to the others, claiming that the beast wards off its own illness by pressing this hoof to its ear. However, I believe that the right hind hoof should be given preference over the left. If we consider the physical use of both, the right is more easily applied to the ear than the left; otherwise, we might declare that both hooves possess the same power indiscriminately, since either can be applied to the ear without difficulty depending on the animal’s inclination and the convenience of its position. Nevertheless, we here present for your inspection an accurate illustration of the right hind hoof.