Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P740 returned 781 results.
NEVER STEP OVER URINE OR A STAR WILL FORM ON YOUR EYELID.
Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans
James Callow Keyword(s): STY? STAR?
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: CA11001973
WATCH YOUR STEP
NEVER STEP OVER A PERSON, ESPECIALLY A BABY BECAUSE YOU WILL STOP
THE PERSON FROM GROWING.
Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness SPEECH -- Gesture |
Date learned: CA11001973
SHOES
NEVER PUT YOUR SHOES OVER YOUR HEAD ON A SHELF OR YOU WILL ALWAYS
HAVE A HEADACHE.
Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Head, physiognomy, face BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: CA11001973
BURN OLD HAIR
ALWAYS BURN YOUR HAIR THAT IS LEFT IN THE COMB OR BRUSH BECAUSE IF
A BIRD MAKES HIS NEST WITH YOUR HAIR, YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A HEADACHE
Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans
James Callow Keyword(s): CONTAGIOUS MAGIC
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak BELIEF -- Bird BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: CA11001973
BELIEF
IF YOU TAKE A DRINK OF NEW HOLY WATER ON EASTER SUNDAY YOU WILL NOT
GET ANYTHING CAUGHT IN YOUR THROAT THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR.
Submitter comment:
THIS IS A BELIEF THAT SEEMS TO BE HELD MOSTLY BY ELDER CATHOLIC
WOMEN.
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA ; HAZELTON
Date learned: 00001960S
MEANS OF CAUSING OR AVOIDING ILLNESS (RHEUMATISM)
BEING EXPOSED TO EITHER A FAN OR TO AIR-CONDITIONING FOR MORE THAN
A FEW MINUTES AT A TIME WILL EVENTUALLY GIVE ONE RHEUMATISM.
Submitter comment:
THIS BELIEF IS SHARED BY A PROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF LABORERS AT
REPUBLIC STEEL PLANT IN MASSILLON, OHIO WHERE I WAS EMPLOYED DURING
THE SUMMER OF 1973. I FIRST LEARNED OF THIS BELIEF WHEN I WAS
STANDING IN FRONT OF A FAN, AND A CO-WORKER, AGED ABOUT 60, TOLD ME
THAT DOING THAT JUST A LITTLE AT A TIME DOES SOMETHING TO YOUR SYSTEM
AND IN A FEW YEARS WOULD GIVE ME RHEUMATISM. HE KNEW OTHERS IT HAD
HAPPENED TO, AND HE HIMSELF AVOIDED (OR CLAIMED TO AVOID) FANS FOR
LONG PERIODS OF TIME BECAUSE OF THIS. I LATER HEARD SIMILAR COMMENTS
FROM OTHER WORKERS, RANGING IN AGE FROM 40 TO 60. SOME QUALIFIED
THAT IT IS TRUE ONLY IF YOU ARE PERSPIRING IN FRONT OF A FAN, WHILE
OTHERS CLAIMED THAT PERSPIRATION WAS NOT A NECESSARY CONDITION; IN
FACT, AIR-CONDITIONING HAS THE SAME RESULTS, AND MANY PEOPLE GETTING
THEIR HOMES AIR-CONDITIONED TODAY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS, BUT THEY
WILL BE SORRY AFTER AWHILE. SOME CLAIMED THAT BUSINESSMEN WITH AIR-
CONDITIONED OFFICES HAVE DEVELOPED RHEUMATISM, TOO. ONE MAN TOLD ME
ABOUT THE BELIEF WHILE A FAN WAS ON US BOTH. HE STARTED YELLING
WORDS TO THE EFFECT, "TURN THAT THING OFF! I DON'T WANT IT ON ME!"
AND PROCEEDED TO TELL ME HIS VERSION OF THE BELIEF. BUT WHEN I LATER
OFFERED TO TURN THE FAN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, HE TOLD ME TO NEVER
MIND--AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, ONCE MORE WOULDN'T HURT OR HELP HIM.
Where learned: OHIO ; MASSILLON
| Subject headings: | Favorites BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 07-00-1973
MEANS OF AVOIDING ILLNESS
THE HAIR FROM A DOG WHICH HAS BITTEN YOU IS AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST
EVIL CONSEQUENCES IF GIVEN BY THE OWNER TO THE PERSON BITTEN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness BELIEF -- Animal BELIEF -- Bad luck |
Date learned: 09-00-1973
MANY YOUNG MOTHERS BELIEVE THAT PET CATS WILL STIFLE THE BREATH OF
THEIR BABIES IF THEY HAVE THE CHANCE.
Submitter comment: MANY OF THE INFORMANT'S PATIENTS HAVE ASKED HIM ABOUT THIS.
Where learned: MARYLAND ; BALTIMORE ; TOLD IN
James Callow Keyword(s): SUFFOCATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 00-00-1972
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
THE FOLLOWING WAS GIVEN TO INFORMANT EACH SPRING BY HER FATHER TO
PREVENT ILLNESS. EQUAL PARTS OF SULPHUR, EPSOM SALTS, AND CREAM OF
TARTAR ARE MIXED, GIVEN BY THE TEASPOON AND TAKEN ORALLY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; PORT HURON
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 09-18-1972
WARTS ARE CAUSED BY HANDLING TOADS.
Submitter comment: I HAVE HEARD THIS SEVERAL TIMES FOR MANY YEARS.
Where learned: DETROIT ; TOLD IN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 00001960S LATE
IF YOU DROP CANDY OR ANYTHING THAT IS GOOD ON THE GROUND, IF YOU
HOLD IT UP TO THE SKY (TO GOD) AND KISS IT, THEN THE GERMS WILL
BE GONE.
Submitter comment:
KEITH HEARD THIS (AND DID IT IN PENNSYLVANIA) AND I HEARD AND DID
THE SAME THING IN MY CHILDHOOD IN DETROIT.
Where learned: DETROIT ; TOLD IN
James Callow Keyword(s): DISINFECT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 09-21-1972
KILLER CATS
SOME PEOPLE DON'T LET CATS NEAR THEIR NEWLY BORN BABIES BECAUSE
CATS ARE SAID TO LEAP ON THE CHILD'S CHEST AND SUCK THE BREATH
OUT OF HIM.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Mammal BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
HOW YOU GET PILES
PILES ARE GOTTEN BY SITTING ON COLD CEMENT.
Submitter comment: TOLD TO INFORMANT BY PARENTS WHO SAW HIM SITTING ON THE GROUND.
James Callow Keyword(s): HEMORRHOIDS
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
STUNTING YOUR GROWTH
DRINKING COFFEE AND SMOKING CIGARETTES WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG
WILL STUNT YOUR GROWTH.
Submitter comment:
SAID TO ME , WHEN AS A KID, I ASKED WHY
KIDS DIDN'T SMOKE AND DRINK COFFEE LIKE ADULTS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness SPEECH -- Formula |
EAT THREE ALMONDS A DAY AND YOU WILL NEVER GET CANCER
Submitter comment:
INFORMANT REPORTS THAT THIS IS COMMON PRACTICE AMONG MEMBERS OF THE
ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH AND ENLIGHTENMENT. A SPIRITUAL STUDY GROUP.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN ; TOLD IN
| Subject headings: | 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 09-10-1972
IF A LADY EATS MUSTARD AND TURNIP GREENS BEFORE HER BABY IS A MONTH
OLD THE BABY WILL BE DUMB.
Submitter comment:
I ACTUALLY SAW THIS PERSON REFUSE SOME TURNIP GREENS BECAUSE
SHE DID NOT WANT TO MAKE HER BABY DUMB.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Physically handicapped Deformed BELIEF -- Birth BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
WHEN A GIRL HAS VERY LONG HAIR; AND IS VERY SKINNY; CUT HER HAIR AND
SHE WILL GAIN WEIGHT.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness BELIEF -- Remedy |
SIDEWALK GAME-IF YOU STEP ON THE CRACK YOU WILL BREAK YOUR
MOTHER'S.
Submitter comment:
PLAYED WHILE WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALK, CRACKS REFERRING TO THE
EXPANSION JOINTS.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; Wappingers Falls
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Bodily Activity BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 00001950S
WIPING A YOUNG CHILD'S FACE WITH A BABY'S DIRTY DIAPER WILL KEEP
THAT CHILD FROM HAVING ACNE. IT ALSO MAKES A GOOD COMPLEXION.
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 10-07-1972
DURING MENSTRUATION A WOMAN CANNOT GO INTO A GARDEN BECAUSE ALL
THE PLANTS WILL WILT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 10-05-1972