School: Druim (roll number 16557)

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1. Old Cures

   

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   There is a holy well situated in the townland of Curra, which is surrounded by a clump of bushes. Old people claim that its waters possess healing powers. A woman whose name was Mrs Mary Rafferty of Larraga was tormented with a growth over her eye. being informed about this well, she arose before sunrise and went to the well. She did rounds of which I do not know and said certain prayers. She did in like manner for three successive mornings, at the end of which the growth fell into the well. It disappeared beneath its waters and never troubled her more.
   Chilblains mostly appear on the foot and are generally very itchy. The are most troublesome in frosty weather and this an old cure for them. A raw potato is cut in slices and one of them rubbed to them. It should then be buried in the manure heap and covered carefully. While the potato is rotting the chilblain will be fading away.
   Whooping cough is a most troublesome disease, and is most prevalent to children. This is a common cure and is quite simple. The parents of the affected child should go to the owner of a ferret. The man should give a basin of milk to the animal and let it drink its enough. The remainder should be put into a bottle and taken to the child. If it drank the milk

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   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

   Tess Rafferty

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Larraga, Co. Galway

   Informant

   Catherine Rafferty

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   82

   Address

   Larraga, Co. Galway