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In Christian and Mediæval Times: Germany

In Germany and neighboring countries, the form of that portion of the body affected by disease was moulded in wax and placed in the church, or in earlier times at the cross-roads, in the belief that in this way recovery would be insured.

Childless couples also made an offering of the waxen image of a child, if they could not afford one of silver, hoping thus to become possessed of offspring.

The Church was quick to take advantage of this popular custom, and received these votive images. Wherefore one finds to this day in chapels and on the altars of celebrated places of pilgrimage the familiar hands, feet, arms, and other parts of the body formed in miniature from wax. 33° In parts of Holland and Low Germany a fish-like form is offered as a sacrifice for the whole body.

There is a German legend repeated to this effect : - "Whoso offers a hand of wax To him is healed the wound upon his hand.

And whoso offers a foot of wax To him his foot becomes whole."