Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/171

147&#93; BAD BADGER, an animal resem- bling in its external characters, both a dog and a hog : it is now seldom met with in England, though formerly it afforded great sport. The unequal length ot its legs has introduced the expression hadger-legged. Its flesh has a taste similar to that of Avild hogs, and is much esteemed in Italy, France, and Germany. Indeed, these carnivorous quadrupeds are themselves so very fond of pork, that a piece of such meat, placed over their burrow, is the surest inducement to their appetite, and will in a few minutes entice them above ground. Besides affording a nutritive, but not easily digestible food, the skin of the badger makes excellent knapsacks, and covers for travel- ling-trunks, saddles, &c. because it is impervious to rain, and stands in need of no additional prepara- tion for rendering it water-proof $ a process we shall describe under the article Leather. The hairs or bristles of this animal are used for painters' brushes 5 and its pene- trating fat answers a variety of useful purposes : for it is not only employed as au ingredient in injec- tions for relieving nephritic com- plaints, or such as arise from ob- structions in the urinary pas but likewise externally, in rhe tic affections, especially those called Sciatica, and for the cure 01 sore and chapped nipples in young mo- thers. For paralytic dieases of the aged, it is asserted, that the hairy skin of this creature, when worn next the surface of the body, has been of eminent service, by stimu- lating the inert, cutaneous, and mus- cular vessels into action : and there can be no reasonable objection against giving this simple remedy a BAG 047 fair trial for a few weeks, where medicines generally are ineffectual. The crafty horse-dealers also employ the badger's fat in a singu- lar manner, which involves a de- gree of fraud and cruelty. They pull out the hair in several places, and anoint the bare spots with this fat ; when the hair grows again, it is of a white or grey colour, so as to give the horse a pyebald appear- ance, which probably inhances its value. BAG, in commerce, is a term for a sack, or pouch, containing a certain quantity or weight of some particular commodity. Thus a bag of almonds is about three hun- dred pounds ; of aniseed, from three to four hundred pounds weight, .x-e. The best material for making compact, and durable bags- is hempen cloth, previously ste a in a strong decoct ion of oak-bark, or tanners waste. Bag, in farriery, signifies a me- dicated external application. 1 with a view to recover a horse's appetite. For this purpose, one ounce of r with an equal quantity of powdered sain, are mixed together, put into a bag, and tied to the bit. Meanwhile the horse should be kept bridled for two hours, sei and as soon as the bag is remov- ed, the animal will begin to We have stated this piece of ad- vice on the authority of the Ency- clapa 1 ; though we are inclined to think that such su- perficial applications will seldom avail. — See Farriery. BAGNIO, a term adopted from the Italian, and signifying a lath : in English, it denotes a house for bathing, sweating, and cleansing the body ; but sometimes also for worse purposes. L2 The