Christian Church at an early period in
its existence virtually gave up the noble conquests of Greek and Roman
science in this field, and originated, for persons supposed to be
possessed, a regular discipline, developed out of dogmatic theology.
But during the centuries before theology and ecclesiasticism had become
fully dominant this discipline was, as a rule, gentle and useful.
The afflicted, when not too violent, were generally admitted to the
exercises of public worship, and a kindly system of cure was attempted,
in which prominence was given to holy water, sanctified ointments, the
breath or spittle of the priest, the touching of relics, visits to holy
places, and submission to mild forms of exorcism. There can be no doubt
that many of these things, when judiciously used in that spirit of love
and gentleness and devotion inherited by the earlier disciples from "the
Master," produced good effects in soothing disturbed minds and in aiding
their cure.

Among the thousands of fetiches of various sorts then resorted to may
be named, as typical, the Holy Handkerchief of Besancon. During many
centuries multitudes came from far and near to touch it; for, it was
argued, if touching the garments of St. Paul at Ephesus had cured the
diseased, how much more might be expected of a handkerchief of the Lord
himself!

With ideas of this sort was mingled a vague belief in medical treatment,
and out of this mixture were evolved such prescriptions as the
following:

"If an elf or a goblin come, smear his forehead with this salve, put it
on his eyes, cense him with incense, and sign him frequently with the
sign of the cross."

"For a fiend-sick man: When a devil possesses a man, or controls him
from within with disease, a spew-drink of lupin, bishopswort, henbane,
garlic. Pound these together, add ale and holy water."

And again: "A drink for a fiend-sick man, to be drunk out of a church
bell: Githrife, cynoglossum, yarrow, lupin, flower-de-luce, fennel,
lichen, lovage. Work up to a drink with clear ale, sing seven masses
over it, add garlic and holy water, and let the possessed sing the Beati
Immaculati; then let him drink the dose out of a church bell, and let
the priest sing over him the Domine Sancte Pater Omnipotens."(346)

(346) See Cockayne, Leechdoms, Wort-cunning, and Star-Craft of Early
England in the Rolls Series, vol. ii, p. 177; also pp. 355, 356. For the
great value of priestly saliva, see W. W. Story's ess