Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

The old Romans Did it by Devouring Two Rats a Month.
If it be true that ancient remedies are always the best, it may be of interest to those afflicted with dental troubles to know how the ancient Romans dealt with such ills. The Quirites [citizens of ancient Rome] recognized two types of treatment. The magical and the medical. The following are some of the prescriptions advised by the magicians:
Take the head of a dog that has died of rabies, mix ash with oil of cypress and inject the product into the ear of the affected side.
A water snake’s vertebra will serve to scarify the gum provided that it be obtained from a white skinned snake, or for the purpose may be used a lizard’s frontal bone obtained when the moon is full, or, provided that it be dried in a hole in the wall and thrown away immediately after used.
It is good treatment to inject into an aching ear oil of lemon in which have been macerated mallow bugs, even should this give rise to itching.
A worm fed on a particular herb or cabbage caterpillar can conveniently be placed in a hollow tooth, but it is equally simple to chew an adder’s heart.