School: Baile Uí Mhurchadha, Borris

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1. Local Cures

   

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   The old people called the mumps (leicinic), they believed if a stockingful of dry salt was put on the neck the mumps would be cured. For a stye on the eye they believed that if a gooseberry torn was put to it three times it would be cured, or if the eye was washed with cold tea it would cure it also. For a swelling they used goose grease. For boils they used an ointment made up of sugar and soap. If they had warts they believed that if a persons fasting spit was rubbed on them it would cure them or if the warts were counted and if as many small stones as were warts were put into a little bag and left on the road, the first person that would pick up the stones would take the warts. There is a rash called anthony's fire that comes over the body and the blood from a person called Cahill or Keogh when rubbed on the rash, would cure it. People believe that if a person is bleeding from the nose and if a cold object is put to the back of the neck, the bleeding will stop. If a child has the whooping cough or as it is called in this district the "chin cough" people believe if the child was put out under a pie-bald horse it will cure it. People believe if ballarmic and honey are rubbed on a sore mouth

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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

   Peggie Murphy

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Ballymurphy, Co. Carlow

   Informant

   Edward Joyce

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   Over 50

   Address

   Ballymurphy, Co. Carlow