Snail amulet, used to sure fever, Brittany, France.
The snails in these linen bags were collected from the walls of a small chapel in Brittany, France. According to local folklore they were gathered in the month of May and used as a cure for fever. For this cure to be effective, those affected had to visit the chapel and gather the snails for themselves. Once collected, the snails were sewn into small linen bags and worn around the neck, where they remained until the fever had passed. Then, the person who had been cured would return to the chapel and bury the snails at the foot of the walls of the chapel. It was believed that if this ceremony was not performed correctly, the fever would return.
Source: Pitt Rivers Museum