School: O'Brennan, Baile Mhic Ealgóid, Tráighlí
- Location:
- Tonreagh Lower, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Pádraig Ó Loingsigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0444, Page 445
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- XML School: O'Brennan, Baile Mhic Ealgóid, Tráighlí
- XML Page 445
- XML “Old Cures - The Leech”
- XML “Local Cures - Farcy”
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- In olden days doctors were known as "leeches" and their knowledge of herbs and cures was collected, handed down and to by successive members of the same family. Every big chieftain had his physician or leech who was provided for by the chieftain.
The name "leech" is also applied to a very small animal of the lizard family. This animal gave the old doctor his name, as it was the custom for old doctors to use the leech - generally in blood-letting cases. The leech sucked up the bad blood until he was so swollen that he dropped out. Then he was put up on table-salt where he disgorged. This was a method employed by old doctors to get rid of bad blood and cure diseases which are now known as cases of sceptic poisoning. A person was bled in other diseases also. Besides the cures effected by leeches, there were domestic cures, carried out by local people. We would think at the present time that some of these cures favour of "superstition".
- Certain people had cures for pharsey in horses. My Father, says Aine Lynch, remembers seeing at home in his young days a horse which was affected with this disease. A man from a neighbouring village of Ballyquinn came every morning of 9 mornings fasting(continues on next page)
