CURE FOR RINGWORM. 75 



come from a considerable distance, and we wondered what they 

 could be doing there. On mentioning the matter next day, we had 

 the story in full as follows : The three were suffering from 

 ringworm. The owner of the cottage has a marriage ring of 

 wonderful efficacy in curing this epidermic distemper. They had 

 come from one of the inland glens to be operated upon, but the 

 possessor of the ring was away in Glasgow, and only returned 

 home by steamer late that evening. When she did arrive, the 

 young people were duly manipulated and ring-rubbed secundum 

 artem ; and in four and twenty hours thereafter we were gravely 

 assured they were quite healed. Any gold ring is usually employed, 

 but the particular ring referred to in this case is much sought 

 after on such occasions, because, as our informant said, it is of 

 "guinea gold," by which we suppose very pure gold, with 

 the least possible alloy, is meant ; and because it is the 

 property of a widow who was married to one husband more 

 than fifty years. A belief in the virtue of gold rings in cures of 

 ringworm is, as we have said, very wide-spread and honestly held 

 by many. Whether, in common phrase, there is " anything in 

 it," or the whole affair is sheer nonsense, we shall not take it 

 upon us to decide. We merely submit a common and curious 

 article of popular belief for the consideration of our grave and 

 learned dermatologists and the faculty at large. One thing is 

 certain, the owner of the marvellous ring makes no vulgar profit 

 by her frequent use of it in such cases. She is in comfortable 

 circumstances, and the whole affair, as far as she is concerned, is a 

 mere labour of love. 



Another popular cure, which for the first time came under our 

 notice recently, and which in many cases is really efficacious, as 

 we : have heard averred by those who have been benefited 

 by its use, is the application of a poultice of cold tea leaves to an 

 inflamed or blood-shot eye. A handful of the leaves is taken from 



