lOO pFant Tsore, Tsege^^^/, oriel Tstjric/', 



present day rife in all parts of the country. Of these the following 

 are perhaps the principal : — For the cure of diseases : Blue Corn- 

 flowers gathered on Corpus Christi Sunday stop nose-bleeding if 

 they are held in the hand till they are warm. Club Moss is 

 considered good for all diseases of the eyes, and Euphrasy and 

 Rue for dimness of sight. Cork has the power of keeping off 

 the cramp, and so have Horse-chesnuts if carried in the pocket. 

 Elder-sticks in the pocket of a horseman when riding prevent 

 galling ; and the same, with three, five, or seven knots, if carried 

 in the pocket will ward off rheumatism. A Potato (stolen, if 

 possible) or a piece of Rowan-wood in the trousers pocket will also 

 cure rheumatism. The roots of Pellitory of Spain and Tarragon, 

 held between the teeth, cure the toothache, and so will splinters of 

 an Oak struck by lightning. Hellebore, Betony, Honesty, and 

 Rue are antidotes against madness. The root of a male Peony, 

 dried and tied to the neck, cures epilepsy and relieves nightmare. 

 Castoreum, Musk, Rue-seed, and Agnus Castus-seed are likewise 

 all remedies for nightmare. Chelidonium placed under the bare 

 feet will cure jaundice. A twig of Myrtle carried about the person 

 is efficacious in cases of tumour in the groin. Green Wormwood 

 placed in the shoes will relieve pains in the stomach of the wearer. 

 Spurge and Laurel-leaves, if broken off upwards, will cause vomit- 

 ing ; if downwards, purging. Plantain laid under the feet removes 

 weariness ; and with Mugwort worn beneath the soles of his feet a 

 man may walk forty miles without tiring. Agnus Castus, if carried in 

 the hand, will prevent weariness ; and when placed in a bed preserves 

 chastity. Henbane, laid between the sheets, also preserves chastity, 

 and will besides kill fleas. Necklaces of Peony-root, worn by children, 

 prevent convulsions. The excrescence found in Rose-bushes, 

 known as " Robin Redbreast's Cushion," when hung round children's 

 necks, will cure whooping-cough. Pansy-leaves, placed in the 

 shoe, or Sage-leaves eaten, will cure ague. The roots of white 

 Briony, bruised and applied to any place, when the bones are 

 broken, help to draw them forth, as also splinters, arrow-heads, and 

 thorns in the flesh. The root of an Iris, if it grow upwards, will 

 attract all thorns from the flesh ; if, on the contrary, it inclines 

 downwards, it will cure wounds. A piece of Oak, rubbed in silence 

 on the body, on St. John's Day, before the sun rises, heals all open 

 wounds. An Apple is deemed potent against warts, and so is a 

 green Elder-stick, rubbed over them, and then buried in muck, to 

 rot. Sometimes the Elder-stick has a notch cut in it for each 

 wart ; it is then rubbed over the warts, and finally burned. Warts 

 are also cured by pricking them with a Gooseberry-thorn passed 

 through a wedding-ring ; and by rubbing them with a Bean-shell, 

 which is afterwards secretly taken under an Ash-tree by the 

 operator, who then repeats the words — 



" As this Bean-shell rots away, 

 So my warts shall soon decay." 



