Hoflftnan.] *^4J piay 3, 



evil. They had beea handed down from generation to generation, along, 

 perhaps, with the story which some travelled Shetlander had told of the 

 ceremony on St. John's day, 1633, when Charles I went to the royal 

 chapel in Holyrood, 'and their solemnlle offred, and after the offringe 

 heallit 100 persons of the cruelles or kingls eivell, younge and old.' "* 



This practice prevailed at different periods and in different countries ; 

 and it is only reasonable to suppose that the occasional practice of the 

 laying on of hands which occurs in this country is nothing but a survival 

 of the English and continental practices ; many of the inhabitants of tl\e 

 remote rural districts — as well as some professedly cultured of tlie literary 

 centres — are in jusi that plane of development to seize hold of such 

 practice. 



Slabbering— In Children. 



Slabbering is cured, it is alleged, by passing a live fish through the 

 child's mouth. This was practiced in Reading in the summer of 1888, and 

 survives in other localities also. 



Snake Bites. 



As there are many kinds of harmless snakes found in Pennsylvania, 

 and but two venomous species occur there, many of the reputed cures are 

 to be attributed to the fact that many persons are really bitten by harm- 

 less kinds. It is a fact too, though perhaps not generally known, that 

 many of the wounds inflicted by rattlesnakes are not fatal. There are a 

 number of reasons for this, chief among which may be noted the condition 

 of the person at the time of the accident, and the time of the year and 

 condition of the serpent — whether much of the poison had lately been dis- 

 charged or not. 



The ordinary treatment Is to endeavor to into.xicate the subject with 

 "whisky. 



In some localities pounded onions and salt are bound over tlie wound. 



Place the vent of a live chicken upon the wound. It is supposed that 

 this has the power of extracting the venom, but it will kill the ciiicken. 



The following practice obtains in Clinton county, among those occupied 

 in picking berries. Rattlesnakes are very common, and the pickers 

 abstain from eating onions, as that seems to accelerate the effects of the 

 venom. If, during the day, one of the number is unfortunately bitten by 

 one of these reptiles, he is immediately taken to the nearest house, where a 

 chicken is secured, cut in two, and the warm bleeding surface of one of 

 the halves placed upon the wound. It is believed tliat the poison is quickly 

 e.vtracted'and no fear as to evil consequences is entertained. 



* William George Black. Folk-^Iedicine, Loud , 1S83, pp. 142, 143. (Quoted from Pet- 

 tigrew aud Lecky.) 



