In Scotland it was a popular belief that a few hairs of the dog that bit you applied to the wound will prevent evil consequences. Applied to drinks, it means, if overnight you have indulged too freely, take a glass of the same wine next morning to soothe the nerves.
"If this dog do you bite, soon as out of your bed, take a hair of the tail in the morning."
"Take the hair, it's well written,
Of the dog by which you're bitten;
Work off one wine by his brother,
And one labour with another ...
Cook with cook, and strife with strife:
Business with business, wife with wife."
Athenæus (ascribed to Aristophanes).
"There was a man, and he was wise,
Who fell into a bramble-bush
And scratched out both his eyes;
And when his eyes were out, he then
Jumped into the bramble-bush
And scratched them in again."