[PW] Carter's wormkiller, 1902

[Peter Macinnis]

I was being subtle -- I am well aware of the vermin/worm link -- but in 
the past, 'worm' had other meanings.  All vermin were "worms", just as 
spiders were insects, once upon a time.  Carl von Linné spoiled a lot of 
things, and that was one of them.

Many dragons were referred to as worms in the past.  See 
http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projs991a/prelude.html

There was a degree of humour in my comments.  This is unlike me, and I 
apologise.

peter

FERGUSON Timothy wrote:
> All worms are literally vermin.  The word literally means "worms", from vermes.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org
> [mailto:project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org]On Behalf Of
> Peter Macinnis
> 
> 
>>To him, they were literally vermin, evil and slimy, the spawn, perhaps, of Grendel (who 
>>was, let us recall, referred to as a worm!)
> 
> 
> Source?  That seems unlikely, given that Beowulf cuts off his arm and hangs it in his hall.
> 
> 
> 
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-- 
  _--|\   Peter Macinnis, feral wordsmith, & science gossip,
/     \  friend of flatworms, pseudoscorpions and onychophorans;
\.--._*  confidence advisor, Australian skydiving trampoline relay team
      v   http://members.ozemail.com.au/~macinnis/index.htm