School: Cullahill (C.), Rathdowwney (roll number 13137)

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1. Local Cures

   

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   What a fine and what a precious thing health is. It is no harm to say, that with the exception of divine grace it is the best gift which God bestows on a human being. We do not value it properly, nor do we think of giving thanks to God for it, until sickness comes.
   When sickness does come, we usually have recourse to a doctor, but long ago people did not trust doctors, instead, they had certain remedies of their own, some of which still survive in this country.
   In my grandfather's garden grew an herb called gladium, which was used for curing a disease on the foot called scurvy.
   If a person happened to have a toothache on Palm Sunday, chewing three leaves of palm at the raising of "The Host" was the supposed cure in ancient time.
   Another cure in days gone by, was applying the fat of a goose to one's wrist, when it was sprained, or when it pained them.
   Warts and chilblains were cured by bathing them in water, which had lodged in crevices between rocks, but this water had to be met with accidentally by the ailing person.
   Other people also believed that prodding a stye in the eye with the thorn of a goosberry bush would

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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

   Eileen Kenny

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Raheenleagh, Co. Laois

   Informant

   Mrs Rhatigan

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Cullahill, Co. Laois