Of S P ID E R S , fefe
to an inflam’d fwelling ; the patient within a few hours is feized with
a violent ficknels, difficulty o f breathing, univerlal faint nefs, and fome-
times trembling with a weaknefs o f the head ; being asked what the
ail is," makes no reply, or with a querulous voice, and melancholy
look, points to his breaft, as i f the heart was moft affe cited.
D u r i n g this mournful fcene, all the ulual alexipharmic and cordial
medicines are o f no fervice; for, nocwithftanding their repeated ufe
the patient growing by degrees more melancholy, ftupid, and ftrangely
timorous, in a lhort time expires; unlels mufick be called to his affift-
ance, which alone,; without the help o f medicine, performs the. cure.
F o r , at the firft found o f the mufical inftrument, altho’ the fick
lie, as it were, in an apopledtick fit, they begin by degrees to move
their hands and feet, till at laft they get up,' and fall to dancino with
wonderful vigour, at firfl for three or four hours; then they are put to
bed, refrelhed from their fweating, for a lhort time, and repeat the ex-
ercifo with the fame vehemence, perceiving no wearinels or weaknels
from it, but profeffing they grow llronger and nimbler the more they
dance.
A t this Iport they ufually Ipend twelve hours a day, and it continues
three or four-days; by which time they are generally freed from all
their fymptoms, which do neverthelefs attack ’em again about the fame
time the next yea r; and i f they do not take care to prevent this re-
lapfe by mufick, they fall into a jaundice, want o f appetite, univerlal
weaknels and fuch like difeales; which are every year increaled, i f
dancing be neglected, till at laft they prove incurable.
K As