LUCK CHARMS FROM EVERY AGE ON VIEW.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12259, 9 June 1914, Page 2

LUCK CHARMS FROM EVERY AGE ON VIEW.

.. MANY LANDS REPRESENTED. '.-.'. . London, April 24 The modern woman who delights to jingle a bunch of miscellaneous charms ■at her wrist, and who is on the look-out for fresh ideas will learn with satisfaction of a collection which includes every form of luck emblem the world has known. This" collection, at a moment when every automobile has its mascot and every watch chain its fetish, has a rather ironical significance, and illustrates how little human nature has really been changed. The collection is included in the Historical Medical Museum, founded by Henry S. Wellcome, and . comprises Roman, Egyptian, Arabic, African, Chinese, Japanese, and European pieces, ancient and modern.

The Egyptian charms include several small examples of that most famous and potent of .all, the "Ankh," or key of life, which in Egyptian pictures is often seen in the hands of divine personages. But by far the. commonest is that known as the "uatchat." To ward off the prevalent ophthalmai and other eye affections the ancient Egyptians used to trace on the lower eyelid a magical scroll shaped' pattern with powdered antimony, and the .model or an eye so decorated (uatchat) was also worn as a charm.

There are also found ear-shaped charms against deafness, human teeth carved like Sphinxes. Another very rare fignre represents a man holding his hand to his face as if in pain. It is believed that the charm is the only one of its kind in existence. ; ' The Roman collection dates back to about the time of Christ; The exhibits are made of copper bronze and am of the usual shapes. A very interesting figure, concerning the nature of which little is known, represents a, small horse, while another shows a shark's tooth embedded- in a- clasp of metal. These are rather bigger and more clumsy than the Egyptian ones. and much less desirable as ornaments. ■■ ! Beside the Roman exhibits are early 'aWl late pieces from West and Central Africa, the Congo, and Arabia. Among these is a necklace labelled "Kubil," or "Kill Sixty," which was no doubt worn by a warrior.- TJjere are also several wood' crocodiles with flat, smooth backs.- It is said that' these were used bv. doctors when puzzling out a difficult case. The doctor-rubbed the crocodile's back and the animal told him what was wrong. The modern collection is even, more interesting than the ancient. It' is a revelation in present-day superstitions, every item of it having been recovered from the original .owners within the last few years. ■ ■ ' ''"""': '.■

The first piece is a small'stone, like a 'human foot, carried about by. a Frenchman who believed that it cured his gont and who parted with it very reluctantly. In the next case is a piece of amber shaped like a heart and used to ward off rheumatism until three years ago. A "rheumatism-potato" from Norfolk lies beside it." Near these s\re two cards each bearing n pair of mole's feet, which in Norfolk are still carried about as a toothache cure. Other curious items of the same character are a small bone from the ankle used to ward off cramp by the East country people, a piece of vervian root, which is supposed to be a. protection against withcraft and is still in request in country districts for this purpose; a roll of eelskin obtained from a Suffolk woman, who carried it to prevent! cramp; and a fossil sea urchin from a cottage which it had protected against I the devil for many years.

The sheep's heart stuck full of pins and nails, which was obtained in South Devon, is specially interesting, as this was used to break the spell cast by a black witch upon a. herd of cattle. Beside it lies a strand of red silk taken from the neck of a Norfolk child who was troubled with bleeding from the nose and wore this charm as a preventive.