636 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



In cases of difficult labour a ploughman may be called in to 

 lift and shake the woman gently, which it is thought will produce 

 the desired efPect. The reason given is that as he shakes and scatters 

 the seed on the earth, so also he ought to produce a good effect here. 



A nail which has got into the foot is always thrown into the fire. 



Leechcraft. — Though regular medical assistance is usually sought 

 for serious complaints, yet, the more common ailments are often 

 treated by the people themselves, several of the older men and women 

 enjoying some local celebrity for this. 



The following list of substances used medicinally was collected ; 

 it is believed to be but a small fraction of the local pharmacopoeia. 



(a.) Animal substances. — Saliva is used for many purposes ; thus 

 button scurvy is treated by spitting on the floor and rubbing on the 

 mixed saliva and dust with the right thumb. 



Seal oil is rubbed in for sprains and rheumatism, for which it has 

 a great reputation locally; it is sold in BelmuUet at a pretty high price. 



The tongue of a fox is used as a poultice to extract thorns, &c. 



(b.) Herbs. — Mr. Nolan kindly provided the following list of plants 

 in use in the district, most of which he has seen used. The qualities of 

 many of these were also described to me by several of the country people. 



Dandelion {Leoontodon taraxacum), used for "liver troubles." 



Comfrey {Symphytum officinale), used as a styptic. 



Samphire ( Crithnum marifimum), used, boiled in milk, for heart- 

 burn. 



Self-heal (locally called Heartsease) (Brunella vulgaris), used for 

 palpitations. 



Mountain sage {Teucrium scorodonia), used " for the heart " and in 

 cough mixtures. 



Ground-wood, or Bog-bark (not identified), used for gravel 

 (boiled in milk). 



Bugloss {^Echium or Lycopsis), used, in poultices with oat-meal, for 

 abscesses, &c. 



Ground-ivy [Nepeta glechoma), used, as a " tea," for " heart beat," 

 or mixed with other herbs for a cough. 



Nettles ( Urtica dioica), used, with ginger, for " wind on the 

 stomach." 



Ivy {Hedera helix), leaves used as a cap for a " scabby head." 



Burdock root {^Arctium lapoa), \ 



Furze tops ( Vlex), ^ "™a% combined and 



Tj / /7 J • • \ > boiled with sugar-stick 



Broom ( Lyttsus scopartus), 1 i. j ? 



^ ^ , ^ , ^' . ^ to form a cough-syrup. 



Carageen moss l^iiphcsrococcus europceus), J 



