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School: The Downs (roll number 8875)

Location:
The Downs, Co. Westmeath
Teacher:
S. Molloy
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0730, Page 167

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0730, Page 167

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  3. XML “Local Cures”

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  1. Local Cures

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    Long ago people visited Holy Wells in order to obtain cures.
    They also visited certain people who were supposed to possess healing powers.
    The seventh son was looked upon as having a doctor's knowledge, and people who were afflicted with teeth aches went to him in order to obtain relief.
    The simple cure for a toothache was a poultice of oatenmeal.
    They would boil the water first, then stir in the meal until it is thick, then boil it and put it on a piece of brown paper and but it to their jaws.
    If a person had a stye in their eye, the would prod it with nine times with a gooseberry thorn.
    If there was warts on their hands, they would rub a snail on them five times and then hang the snail on a gooseberry tree, and look at the tree the fifth day
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. medical practice
        1. folk medicine (~11,815)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Teresa Maguire
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    The Downs, Co. Westmeath
    Informant
    Joseph Maguire
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    68
    Address
    The Downs, Co. Westmeath