that torment them. It is supposed, in some places, that the _Shrew-mouse_
is of so baneful and deleterious a nature that whenever it creeps over a
beast, cow, sheep, or horse (in particular), the animal is afflicted with
cruel anguish, and threatened with a loss of the use of its limb.
A shrew-ash was the remedy for this misfortune, viz. an ash whose twigs or
branches gently applied to the affected members relieved the pain: our
provident forefathers, anticipating such an accident to their cattle,
always kept a shrew-ash at hand, which, once medicated, retained its
virtue for ever: it was thus prepared: into the body of an ash a deep hole
was bored with an auger, and a poor devoted shrew-mouse being thrust into
it, the orifice was plugged up, probably with quaint incantations now
forgotten.

The _Toad_, owing to its hideous, disgusting appearance, has been the
subject of many superstitions: it is commonly thought to spit venom,
whilst, as yet, the question is unsettled, whether or not it be poisonous
in any respect; some affirm that a viscous humour of poisonous quality
exudes from the skin, like perspiration; whilst others pretend that
cancers may be cured by the application of living toads to them; and a man
has been known to swallow one of these abominations for a wager, taking
care, however, to follow this horrid meal by an immediate and copious
draught of oil. But the very glance of the toad has been supposed fatal;
of its entrails fancied poisonous potions have been concocted; and for
magical purposes it was believed extremely efficacious; a precious stone
was asserted to be found in its head, invaluable in medicine and magic. In
Carthagena and Portobello (America) these creatures swarm to such a degree
in wet weather that many of the inhabitants believe every drop of rain to
be converted into a toad. It is said of the Pipa, or Surinam toad, a
hideous, but probably harmless, animal, that very malignant effects are
experienced from it when calcined.