CHAP. XV.
By what Methods to deſtroy or drive away Serpents, Gnats, Bugs, Flies, Mice,
Fleas, Moths, and the like troubleſome Vermin.
Fleas, Moths, and the like troubleſome Vermin.
Since we are fallen upon this Subject, I
ſhall venture to ſet down ſome Things
which we find in very grave Authors. It
were certainly to be wiſhed, that a Building
could be free from all Manner of Inconvenien
cies. The Inhabitants of Mount Ætna inſti
tuted a Sacrifice to Hercules, becauſe he de
livered them from the Gnats; as did alſo the
Mileſians for clearing their Vineyards from the
Caterpillars. The Æolians ſacrificed to Apollo
for deſtroying their Swarms of Mice. Theſe
were doubtleſs great Benefits; but by what
Means they were done, has not been recorded.
However, in ſome Authors I find what follows:
The Aſſyrians by means of a burnt Liver, to
gether with an Onion and a Squill hanging
over the Tranſom of the Door, drove away all
poiſonous Animals. Ariſtotle ſays, that Ser
pents may be driven from a Houſe by the
Smell of Rue, and that by laying ſome Fleſh
in a Pot you will draw great Numbers of
Waſps into it, where you may ſhut them in,
and that by laying Sulphur and Baſtard-mar
joram upon the Holes of Ants-neſts, you may
exterminate the Ants, Sabinus Tyro wrote to
Mæcenas, that if their Holes were ſtopt up
with Sea-mud, or Aſhes, it would deſtroy
them. Pliny ſays, that the Herb Wart-wort
will effectually do it. Others think that pour
ing in Water where unbaked Brick has been
ſteept, is a great Enemy to them. The Anci
ents affirm, that Nature has made mortal En
mities between certain Animals and certain
Things, inſomuch, that the one is ſure De
ſtruction to the other. Hence the Weaſel flies
from the Smell of a roaſted Cat, and Serpents
from that of a Leopard. Thus they tell us,
that when a Leech ſticks the moſt obſtinately
to a Man's Fleſh, if you apply a Bug to its
Head, it will immediately quit its Hold, and
fall off languid; as, on the other hand, the
Smoke of a burning Leech will drive the Bug
out of his moſt private lurking Places. Solinus
ſays, that ſtrewing a Place with ſome of the
Duſt of the Iſle of Thanet, in Britain, will
preſently drive away Serpents: And Hiſtorians
relate, that the ſame may be done by the
Earth of ſeveral other Places, and particularly
of the Iſland Ebuſus. The Earth of the Iſland
Galeon belonging to the Garamanthes kills
both Serpents and Scorpions. Strabo ſays, that
the Africans, when they went to reſt, uſed to
rub the Feet of their Beds with Garlick, to
keep off the Scorpions. Saſernas tells us how
to kill Bugs, in the following Words. Boil a
wild Cucumber in Water; then pour it where
ever you think fit; they will never come near
the Place; or elſe rub your Bedſtead with an
Ox's Gall mixed with Vinegar. Others direct
us to fill up all the Cracks with Lees of Wine.
The Root of the Holm-oak, ſays Pliny, is an
Enemy to Scorpions, and the Aſh too is excel
lent againſt ſuch noxious Animals and eſpecially
Serpents; which alſo will never retire under
Fern. Serpents are likewiſe driven away by
the Burning of a Woman's Hair or of a Goat's
Horn, or of that of a Stag, or of the Sawduſt of
Cedar, or of ſome Drops of Galbanum, or of
Oſier, green Ivy or Juniper; and thoſe who
are rubbed with Juniper-ſeed are perfectly ſe
cure from Hurt by Serpents. The Smell of
the Herb Haxus inebriates Aſpics, and lays
them ſo faſt aſleep that they are quite be
numbed. Againſt Canker-worms we are di
rected only to ſtick the Skeleton of a Mare's
Head upon a Poſt in the Garden. The Palm
tree is an Enemy to Bats. Where-ever you
ſprinkle Water wherein Elder-flowers have been
boiled, you will kill all the Flies; but this is
ſooner done with Hellebore, eſpecially with
the black Sort. Burying a Dog's Tooth, to
gether with his Tail and Feet in the Hill, will
they ſay rid you of Flies. The Tarantula
cannot endure the Smell of Saffron. The
Smoke of burning Hops will kill the Gnats.
Mice are killed by the Smell of Wolf-bane,
though it be at a Diſtance. So both Mice
and Bugs are deſtroyed by the Smoke of
Vitriol. Fleas, if you ſprinkle the Place with
a Decoction of Coloquintida or of the Caltrop
thiſtle, will all vaniſh. If you ſprinkle a Place
with Goat's-blood, they will march to it in
whole Swarms; but they are driven away by
the Smell of Colewort, and yet more effectu
ſhall venture to ſet down ſome Things
which we find in very grave Authors. It
were certainly to be wiſhed, that a Building
could be free from all Manner of Inconvenien
cies. The Inhabitants of Mount Ætna inſti
tuted a Sacrifice to Hercules, becauſe he de
livered them from the Gnats; as did alſo the
Mileſians for clearing their Vineyards from the
Caterpillars. The Æolians ſacrificed to Apollo
for deſtroying their Swarms of Mice. Theſe
were doubtleſs great Benefits; but by what
Means they were done, has not been recorded.
However, in ſome Authors I find what follows:
The Aſſyrians by means of a burnt Liver, to
gether with an Onion and a Squill hanging
over the Tranſom of the Door, drove away all
poiſonous Animals. Ariſtotle ſays, that Ser
pents may be driven from a Houſe by the
Smell of Rue, and that by laying ſome Fleſh
in a Pot you will draw great Numbers of
Waſps into it, where you may ſhut them in,
and that by laying Sulphur and Baſtard-mar
joram upon the Holes of Ants-neſts, you may
exterminate the Ants, Sabinus Tyro wrote to
Mæcenas, that if their Holes were ſtopt up
with Sea-mud, or Aſhes, it would deſtroy
them. Pliny ſays, that the Herb Wart-wort
will effectually do it. Others think that pour
ing in Water where unbaked Brick has been
ſteept, is a great Enemy to them. The Anci
ents affirm, that Nature has made mortal En
mities between certain Animals and certain
Things, inſomuch, that the one is ſure De
ſtruction to the other. Hence the Weaſel flies
from the Smell of a roaſted Cat, and Serpents
from that of a Leopard. Thus they tell us,
that when a Leech ſticks the moſt obſtinately
to a Man's Fleſh, if you apply a Bug to its
Head, it will immediately quit its Hold, and
fall off languid; as, on the other hand, the
Smoke of a burning Leech will drive the Bug
out of his moſt private lurking Places. Solinus
ſays, that ſtrewing a Place with ſome of the
Duſt of the Iſle of Thanet, in Britain, will
preſently drive away Serpents: And Hiſtorians
relate, that the ſame may be done by the
Earth of ſeveral other Places, and particularly
of the Iſland Ebuſus. The Earth of the Iſland
Galeon belonging to the Garamanthes kills
both Serpents and Scorpions. Strabo ſays, that
the Africans, when they went to reſt, uſed to
rub the Feet of their Beds with Garlick, to
keep off the Scorpions. Saſernas tells us how
to kill Bugs, in the following Words. Boil a
wild Cucumber in Water; then pour it where
ever you think fit; they will never come near
the Place; or elſe rub your Bedſtead with an
Ox's Gall mixed with Vinegar. Others direct
us to fill up all the Cracks with Lees of Wine.
The Root of the Holm-oak, ſays Pliny, is an
Enemy to Scorpions, and the Aſh too is excel
lent againſt ſuch noxious Animals and eſpecially
Serpents; which alſo will never retire under
Fern. Serpents are likewiſe driven away by
the Burning of a Woman's Hair or of a Goat's
Horn, or of that of a Stag, or of the Sawduſt of
Cedar, or of ſome Drops of Galbanum, or of
Oſier, green Ivy or Juniper; and thoſe who
are rubbed with Juniper-ſeed are perfectly ſe
cure from Hurt by Serpents. The Smell of
the Herb Haxus inebriates Aſpics, and lays
them ſo faſt aſleep that they are quite be
numbed. Againſt Canker-worms we are di
rected only to ſtick the Skeleton of a Mare's
Head upon a Poſt in the Garden. The Palm
tree is an Enemy to Bats. Where-ever you
ſprinkle Water wherein Elder-flowers have been
boiled, you will kill all the Flies; but this is
ſooner done with Hellebore, eſpecially with
the black Sort. Burying a Dog's Tooth, to
gether with his Tail and Feet in the Hill, will
they ſay rid you of Flies. The Tarantula
cannot endure the Smell of Saffron. The
Smoke of burning Hops will kill the Gnats.
Mice are killed by the Smell of Wolf-bane,
though it be at a Diſtance. So both Mice
and Bugs are deſtroyed by the Smoke of
Vitriol. Fleas, if you ſprinkle the Place with
a Decoction of Coloquintida or of the Caltrop
thiſtle, will all vaniſh. If you ſprinkle a Place
with Goat's-blood, they will march to it in
whole Swarms; but they are driven away by
the Smell of Colewort, and yet more effectu