Charm

Categories: CURES

816. To keep fire always burning on the hearth will prevent cholera among

chickens.

Alabama.



817. If a fish-hook pierces the hand, stick it three times into wood, in

the name of the Trinity, to prevent festering or other evil consequences.

Newfoundland.



818. If you scratch yourself with a rusty nail, stick the nail

immediately into hard wood, and it will prev nt lockjaw.

Salem, Mass.



819. A man who stuck a nail in his foot was told by a neighbor to pull

it out, grease it, and hang it up in the chimbly, otherwise he might

have lockjaw.

New Brunswick.



820. To cure nose-bleeding, write the person's name on the forehead.

Newfoundland.



821. For rheumatism, carry a horseshoe nail in the pocket.

Central New York.



822. To get rid of rheumatism: You go in de lot an' go up to fence. Den

put you breas' on it and say, 'I lef you here, I lef you here,' tree

times, den you go 'way and don't you never come back dere no more.

French Canadian.



823. To cure fits, the first time the child or person has one, tear off

the shirt of the patient and burn it up, and no more fits will return.

Chestertown, Md. (negro).



824. If you don't want the cramp in your foot, turn your shoes bottom up

at night.

Nashua, N.H.



825. To keep off nightmare, put your shoes at night with the toes

pointing away from the bed.

Central New York.



826. To ward off nightmare, sleep with shears under the pillow.

Central New York.



827. Nightmare is caused by the nightmare man, a kind of evil spirit,

struggling with one. It is prevented by placing a sharp knife under the

pillow, and stuffing the keyhole with cotton.

Windham, Me.



828. Sores can be cured by those who possess magical powers going through

certain incantations, which are to be followed by applications of oatmeal

and vinegar.

Newfoundland.



829. For a sty on the eye, take a small piece of paper, rub it on the

sty, go across the road three times, and say each time,--



Sty, sty, go off my eye,

Go on the first one that passes by.



This is a sure cure in two or three days.

Talladega, Ala.



830. To cure a sty repeat at a cross-roads,--



Sty, sty, leave my eye,

And take the next one that passes by.

Massachusetts, Indiana, and California.



831. Toothache may be cured by conjurers, who apply the finger to the

aching tooth, while muttering a charm, or tie a number of knots in a

fishing line.

Newfoundland.



832. Toothache may be cured by a written charm, sealed up and worn around

the neck of the afflicted person. The following is a copy of the charm:--



I've seen it written a feller was sitten

On a marvel stone, and our Lord came by,

And He said to him, What's the matter with thee, my man?

And he said, Got the toothache, Marster,

And he said, Follow me and thee shall have no more toothache.

Newfoundland.



833. For toothache take an eyelash, an eyebrow, trimmings of the

finger-nails, and toe-nails of the patient, bore a hole in a beech-tree,

and put them in. The sufferer must not see the tree, and it must not be

cut down or burned.

Cape Breton.



834. Treat biliousness by boring three holes in a tree and walking three

times around it, saying, Go away, bilious.

Eastern Shore of Maryland.



835. The most powerful charm is a piece of printed paper called the

letter of Jesus Christ. This, in addition to the well-known letter of

Lentulus to the Senate, contains many absurd superstitions, such as the

promise of safe delivery in child-bed, and freedom from bodily hurt to

those who may possess a copy of it.

Newfoundland.