School: Cluain Taidhg (Clontead), Achadh Cóiste (roll number 14023)

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1. Local Cures (continued)

   

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   Barley water was used as a cure of skin diseases as it contains a certain amount of arsenic which purifies the blood.
   Every household then made its own cough-mixture which was stored for the winter. It contained lemons, liqourice, and sugar-candy and that mixture is being made in many households to the present day. A child in olden days having croup or thrush was passed hither and over four times under the stomach of a male donkey, and this was believed to be a good cure. A child born after his father's death was supposed to possess a power able to cure croup.This person would breathe down the throat of the sick child three times to cure it.
   Measles were cured by what we would consider a very repulsive manner, but in olden times it was very effective. The manure of a sheep was gathered and put into milk and boiled. Then it was given to the patient very hot, and it had such a powerful effect that it put out the measles in a very short time, therefore curing the person quickly. And then for whooping cough, milk was given to a ferret to drink and what remained over

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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

   Madge Murphy

   Gender

   Female

   Informant

   Mrs Edward Murphy

   Relation

   Parent

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   c. 50