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MEDICINE

A SYRIAN CURE FOR WARTS HOLDS THAT THEY CAN BE TREATED
SUCCESSFULLY IF AN EGG IS BROKEN OVER THEM AND THEN BURIED.

Where learned: DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSFER ; TRANSFER

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Animal product Egg
BELIEF -- Animal
BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 00001920S

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TO STOP SOMEONE FROM CHOKING, BREAK AN EGG IN A CUP AND GIVE THE
WHITE PART TO THE PERSON CHOKING. THIS USUALLY CATCHES AROUND THE
OBSTACLE AND SLIDES IT OUT.

Submitter comment: ALTHOUGH THE INFORMANT LIVED ON A FARM AND WOULD HAVE HAD EASY
ACCESS TO EGGS, SHE DOESN'T REMEMBER EVER USING THIS METHOD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 03-04-1982

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IF YOU ARE CLUMSY, THEN YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR HAND RUBBED WITH
THE SKIN OF A SNAKE.

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

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COLD REMEDY

WARM ORANGE JUICE AND TWO TEA SPOONS OF HONEY IS GOOD MEDICINE FOR
A COLD.

Submitter comment: SHE STILL USES THIS REMEDY.

Where learned: OHIO

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 00-00-1950

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REMEDY

IF YOU STEP ON AN OLD NAIL, USE A PENNY AND FAT PORK TO DRAW THE
POISON OUT OF THE WOUNDED FOOT.

Submitter comment: I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS REMEDY WORKED, BUT THIS IS WHAT WAS DONE.

Where learned: ALABAMA

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal
BELIEF -- Mineral

Date learned: 00-00-1940

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A CORN OF A PIG'S HOOF (LIKE A TOE NAIL) MIXED WITH SALT GRINDED
TOGETHER, AND IF PLACED ON BOILS AND BUMPS THEY WILL GO AWAY.

Submitter comment: CREOLE REMEDY FOR ACNE

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Lansing

James Callow Keyword(s): ACNE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal
BELIEF -- Mineral

Date learned: 00-00-1970

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CURE

TO RID OF AN INFECTION YOU SHOULD APPLY
LEECHES TO THE SORE TO SUCK OUT THE INFECTION.

Submitter comment: THIS WAS PRACTICED BY A FEW POLISH
IMMIGRANTS DURING THE 1930'S AND 1940'S.

Where learned: DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 00-00-1940

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GOOSE GREASE CURE

MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER USED GOOSE GREASE AS AN OINTMENT
AND AS A CURE FOR COLDS. TO CURE COLDS, SHE RUBBED IT
DIRECTLY ON THE CHEST. ON ONE OCCASION, A FRIEND'S
DAUGHTER WAS IN CRISIS (COULD NOT BREATHE) WITH DIPHTHERIA.
MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER MELTED SOME GOOSE GREASE, POURED
IT DOWN THE GIRL'S THROAT, AND SWABBED THE OUTSIDE OF
HER THROAT WITH MORE GOOSE GREASE. THE GIRL WAS ABLE TO
BREATHE IMMEDIATELY, AND SUBSEQUENTLY RECOVERED COMPLETELY.
MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER CAME TO THIS COUNTRY FROM
CZECHOSLOVAKIA IN 1893. MY GRANDMOTHER TOLD THIS STORY
TO MY MOTHER IN ATHENS, OHIO AROUND 1967 AND MENTIONED
THAT SHE BELIEVED THAT GOOSE GREASE WAS USED FOR MEDICINAL
PURPOSES IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA.

Submitter comment: THE GREAT-GRANDMOTHER'S NAME IS MARY ANN DORULLA, BORN IN
CZECHOSLOVAKIA, DATE OF BIRTH UNKNOWN. SHE CAME TO THIS
COUNTRY IN 1893 AND MARRIED ANOTHER CZECH IMMIGRANT IN
1896. THE GRANDMOTHER, ELIZABETH DORULLA MARTIN, SETTLED
IN PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE 1920'S. THE INFORMANT'S MOTHER
IS MARY MORSILLO GINGERICH, BORN OCTOBER 3, 1937, FARRELL,
PENNSYLVANIA.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 09-00-1982

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CURE FOR STYES AND BOILS

PLACE THE MEMBRANE FROM THE INSIDE OF AN EGG ON A STY OR
A BOIL. CHANGE THE MEMBRANE FREQUENTLY UNTIL THE STY OR
BOIL COMES TO A HEAD AND BURSTS. THIS WAS A COMMONPLACE
CURE AMONG RURAL MISSISSIPPI BLACKS IN THE 1930'S AND
ALTHOUGH WE NEVER HAD CAUSE TO TRY IT, PEOPLE WHO DID
CLAIMED SUCCESS.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT WAS BORN IN LOUISVILLE, MISSISSIPPI IN
1925 AND LIVED THERE UNTIL COMING TO DETROIT DURING WORLD
WAR II.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 09-00-1982

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TO CURE THE MUMPS PUT SARDINE OIL ON THE
PERSON'S FACE, TIE A WHITE RAG AROUND THE PERSON'S HEAD,
THEN GIVE THE PERSON SARDINES TO EAT.

Submitter comment: SHE SAYS THIS IS HOW SHE CURED HER CHILDREN
AND GRANDCHILDREN

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal
BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 03-00-1983

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A SURE FIRE WAY TO CURE A COLD IS TO MIX LARD WITH TURPENTINE
AND PUT THIS MIXTURE ON THE PERSON'S CHEST. THIS WILL HELP
CLEAR HIS LUNGS AND HEAD SO THAT HE CAN BREATHE EASIER. MY
MOTHER USED THIS CURE ON ME ALL THE TIME.

Submitter comment: THIS CURE AND MANY OTHERS LIKE IT SHOW THE DOWN-TO-EARTH
NATURE OF LUMBERING PEOPLE. THEY HAD ONLY THE MOST ESSENTIAL
SUPPLIES TO WORK WITH. MOST OF THEIR NEEDS HAD TO BE SATISFIED
BY THE LAND.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HOUGHTON LAKE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 00001930S

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THE MEN NEVER (OR ONLY VERY SELDOMLY) TOOK BATHS AT LUMBER
CAMPS. THIS, OF COURSE, RESULTED IN THE MEN HAVING LICE. THE
COMMON CURE FOR HEAD LICE WAS TO MIX LARD WITH KEROSENE AND
WASH THE HAIR WITH THIS MIXTURE. THE CURE FOR BODY LICE, I
DO NOT REMEMBER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HOUGHTON LAKE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal
BELIEF -- Mineral

Date learned: 00001930S

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FOOD

HOT PEPPERS ARE USED TO CURE ILLNESS, SUCH AS COLDS,
UPSET STOMACH AND SORE THROATS. IT IS NOT COOKED.

Where learned: NIGERIA

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 01-10-0198

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IN ORDER TO CURE SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN SICK, THE "QUIMBOISEUR" WILL
GIVE THE PERSON A BATH USING THE SAME WATER THAT SEVEN DOGS HAD
BEEN BATHED IN.

Where learned: GUADELOUPE

Keyword(s): "QUIMBOISEUR" IS SOMEONE THAT PRACTICES WITCHCRAFT AND WHITE MAGIC.

Subject headings: 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several
BELIEF -- Animal
BELIEF -- Mineral

Date learned: 00-00-1974

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IN THE 1930s AND 1940s RURAL BLACKS USED GOOSE GREASE TO
LOOSEN A COLD.

Submitter comment: GOOSE GREASE HAS A TERRIBLE SMELL.

Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; PICKENS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 00001930S ; 00001940S

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TAKE ONE TEASPOON OF COD LIVER OIL DAILY TO PREVENT WINTER
COLDS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness
BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 10-15-1984

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I REMEMBER MY MOTHER USED TO RUB GOOSE GREASE ON OUR THROATS
WHEN WE HAD THE MUMPS. NOW I'M NOT SAYING THE GREASE GOT RID
OF THE MUMPS, BUT IT DID STOP THEM FROM GETTING BIGGER.

Submitter comment: MY INFORMANT WAS SLIGHTLY UNCOOPERATIVE AND DISINTERESTED.
MY INFORMANT THINKS SUPERSTITIONS ARE SOMEWHAT SILLY.
MY INFORMANT THOUGHT THAT FOLKLORE ITEMS FOR THIS PROJECT
COULD BE FOUND BY GOING TO THE LIBRARY.
MY INFORMANT THOUGHT THAT THE ITEMS SHE GAVE ME WERE NOT
IMPORTANT AND WERE NOT FOLKLORIC.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 10-27-1984

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HICCOUGH CURE

WHEN YOU HAVE THE HICCOUGHS, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO EAT A
TEASPOON OF HONEY. IT WILL MAKE THEM DISAPPEAR IMMEDIATELY.

Submitter comment: MY GRANDMOTHER TOLD ME THIS CURE ONCE WHEN I HAD THE HICCOUGHS.
THE CURE WORKED ON ME, BUT DID NOT WORK ON ONE OF MY COUSINS.

Where learned: IOWA ; ESTHERVILLE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 07-00-1980

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REMEDIES

ACIDOPHILUS YOGURT CAN BE USED TO CURE VAGINAL INFECTIONS.

Where learned: ALABAMA ; MOBILE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal

Date learned: 00-00-1965

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EAT GARLIC TO GET RID OF CANCER.
EAT JELLO, GREEN VEGETABLES,
CARROTS, AND CITTABEANS TO GET
RID OF PARALYSIS.

Submitter comment: OLD REMEDIES PRACTICED BY JEAN'S
FRIEND.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Animal
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 00-00-1984

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