Charming for Warts

In Vol. i., p. 19., a correspondent asks if the custom of "charming for warts" prevails in England. A year or two ago I was staying in Somersetshire, and having a wart myself, was persuaded to have it "charmed." The village-charmer was summoned; he first cut off a slip of elder-tree, and made a notch in it for every wart. He then rubbed the elder against each, strictly enjoining me to think no more about it, as if I looked often at the warts the charm would fail. In about a week the warts had altogether disappeared, to the delight of the operator.