s in the Odyssey, "They
stopped the black blood by a spell" (Odyssey, xxix, 457). For medicine
in Egypt as partly priestly and partly in the hands of physicians, see
Rawlinson's Herodotus, vol. ii, p. 136, note. For ideas of curing of
disease by expulsion of demons still surviving among various tribes
and nations of Asia, see J. G. Frazer, The Golden Bough: a Study of
Comparative Religion, London, 1890, pp. 184-192. For the Flagellants and
their processions at the time of the Black Death, see Lea, History
of the Inquisition, New York, 1888, vol. ii, pp. 381 et seq. For the
persecution of the Jews in time of pestilence, see ibid., p. 379 and
following, with authorities in the notes. For the expulsion of the Jews
from Padua, see the Acta Sanctorum, September, tom. viii, p. 893.

Yet, as late as 1527, the people of Pavia, being threatened with plague,
appealed to St. Bernardino of Feltro, who during his life had been a
fierce enemy of the Jews, and they passed a decree promising that if
the saint would avert the pestilence they would expel the Jews from the
city. The saint apparently accepted the bargain, and in due time the
Jews were expelled.

As to witches, the reasons for believing them the cause of pestilence
also came from far. This belief, too, had been poured mainly from
Oriental sources into our sacred books and thence into the early Church,
and was strengthened by a whole line of Church authorities, fathers,
doctors, and saints; but, above all, by the great bull, Summis
Desiderantes, issued by Pope Innocent VIII, in 1484. This utterance from
the seat of St. Peter infallibly committed the Church to the idea that
witches are a great cause of disease, storms, and various ills which
afflict humanity; and the Scripture on which the action recommended
against witches in this papal bull, as well as in so many sermons and
treatises for centuries afterward, was based, was the famous text, "Thou
shalt not suffer a witch to live." This idea persisted long, and the
evolution of it is among the most fearful things in human history.(332)

(332) On the plagues generally, see Hecker, Epidemics of the Middle
Ages, passim; but especially Haeser, as above, III. Band, pp. 1-202;
also Sprengel, Baas, Isensee, et al. For brief statement showing
the enormous loss of life in these plagues, see Littre, Medecine et
Medecins, Paris, 1875, pp. 3 et seq. For a summary of the effects of
the Black Plague throughout England, see Gree