shrew-ash

Our forefathers provided themselves with what they called a shrew-ash, in order to meet the case.

Among the Trees at Elmridge Ella Rodman Church

A shrew-ash was made thus: -- Into the body of the tree a deep hole was bored with an auger, and a poor devoted shrew-mouse was thrust in alive, and plugged in, no doubt, with several quaint incantations long since forgotten.

The Natural History of Selborne, Vol. 2 Gilbert White 1756

Now a shrew-ash is an ash whose twigs or branches, when gently applied to the limbs of cattle, will immediately relieve the pains which

The Natural History of Selborne, Vol. 2 Gilbert White 1756

A shrew-ash was the remedy for this misfortune, viz. an ash whose twigs or branches gently applied to the affected members relieved the pain: our provident forefathers, anticipating such an accident to their cattle, always kept a shrew-ash at hand, which, once medicated, retained its virtue for ever: it was thus prepared: into the body of an ash a deep hole was bored with an auger, and a poor devoted shrew-mouse being thrust into it, the orifice was plugged up, probably with quaint incantations now forgotten.

The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 19, No. 539, March 24, 1832 Various

The shrew-ash was nothing more than an ash tree in the trunk of which a hole had been bored and a poor little shrew-mouse put in, with many charms and incantations happily long since forgotten. "

Among the Trees at Elmridge Ella Rodman Church