School: Nart (roll number 11660)

Location:
Nart, Co. Monaghan
Teacher:
Mrs Mc Adoo
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0952, Page 162

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0952, Page 162

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  3. XML “Cure for Scabby Head”

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  1. About 100 years ago many babies had what are known as scabby heads. The heads became covered with scabs or pimples from which a clear colourless discharge came. This was painful and extremely difficult to head.
    Each baby wore a pitch cap to keep the head free from this. Some pitch was melted and smeared on a specially made wee cap and placed on the childs head covering it closely. It was kept on, never removed until the child was able to walk. By this time it was fixed so firmly with the hair actually grown into it that it was terribly difficult to remove.
    Some old people here still remember having this removed.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. medical practice
        1. folk medicine (~11,815)
    Language
    English
    Informant
    Miss A. Abbott
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Lisnaveane, Co. Monaghan