WHEN I WAS THIRTEEN OR FOURTEEN YEARS OLD I WAS VISITING MY
UNCLE'S FAMILY AT CATLETTSBURG, KENTUCKY. UNCLE JIM LIVED
ABOUT A HALF A MILE FROM WHERE THE BIG SANDY EMPTIES INTO THE
OHIO RIVER. EVERY AFTERNOON WE WOULD GO TO THE RIVER TO SWIM.
TO GET TO THE RIVER WE HAD TO GO DOWN THIS STEEP EMBANKMENT
AND ACROSS A CORNFIELD. AS I WENT DOWN THE BANK I STEPPED ON
A PIECE OF GLASS AND MADE A DEEP GASH ABOUT AN INCH LONG ON MY
HEEL. MY COUSINS HELPED ME BACK UP THE BANK AND TO THE FRONT
PORCH SWING. MY AUNT SALLY BROUGHT SOME CLEAN RAGS AND A BASIN
OF WATER AND WAS TRYING TO WASH OFF MY HEEL BUT THE BLOOD JUST
KEPT POURING. MY COUSIN CATHERINE SAID, "I'LL GO GET UNCLE
ISHAM TO STOP IT."
UNCLE ISHAM DANIEL WAS IN HIS EIGHTIES. HE WAS NOT MY UNCLE, BUT
WAS DISTANTLY RELATED TO MY AUNT'S SIDE OF THE FAMILY. HE LIVED
ABOUT 400 YARDS FROM MY UNCLE JIM'S. HE WAS SITTING ON THE
PORCH OF HIS HOUSE. CATHERINE RAN OVER THERE, AND WE COULD
SEE HER TELLING UNCLE ISHAM. THE BLOOD SUDDENLY STOPPED.
CATHERINE TOLD ME UNCLE ISHAM SAID A CERTIN VERSE FROM THE
BIBLE. SINCE HE WAS GETTING OLD AND KNEW HE WOULDN'T BE AROUND
MUCH LONGER, HE WAS WILLING TO TELL THE SECRET OF STOPPING BLOOD
BUT IT HAD TO BE TO SOMEONE WHO WAS NOT A BLOOD RELATIVE.
CATHERINE DIDN'T QUALIFY AND SHE TRIED TO GET ME TO GO. FOR
SOME REASON I DON'T REMEMBER, I NEVER DID GO. IT WAS FAIRLY
COMMON FOR NEIGHBORS TO CALL ON UNCLE ISHAM TO STOP BLOOD.
I NEVER HEARD OF HIM FAILING.

Where learned: KENTUCKY ; TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; CATLETTSBURG

James Callow Keyword(s): CLOTTING ; HEMORRHAGE

Date learned: 07-23-1968