The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Cure for worms in children

Take a sugar cube and place 9 drops of turpentine on the cube
and give it to the child.

James Callow comment: Puckett, Ohio, no. 12743: "For worms, take a drop or two of
turpentine on some sugar (M.F., F, 70, store mgr., Welsh-Ir.-
Ger., Summit, 1956."

Vance Randolph, "Ozark Superstitions" (1947), p. 120:
"Physicians in the Ozark towns have remarked upon the practice of
giving turpentine as a worm medicine. Turpentine is still
administered by many yarb doctors and granny-women, large doses
being given to small children. The stuff may eliminate the
worms, but it seems to be bad for the children's kidneys. A lot
of little children in the Ozarks die of nephritis, and the M.D.'s
say that neph

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 00-00-1951