Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 70.djvu/172

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168
THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY

For the Night-brand or Scrofula: I forewarn you that you shall no longer burn, but be you cold as a dead man's hand. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen. Take the middle finger of your right hand and rub three times around as you say these words. Do this, morning and evening, three times, for three mornings and evenings.

For Fever: Jesus went over the mountain, and he saw a great fever and he cured it with his hands. In the name of God, the Father; in the name of God, the Son; in the name of God, the Holy Ghost. Amen. Rub three times, blow three times, and repeat three times.

For Epilepsy, or Falling Sickness: Take a new broom and sweep from three corners of a room. Throw the sweepings over the person who has the sickness, while you say these words: In God's name, Falling Sickness, you must depart till I these seed do cut. So do it three times.

For a Worm in the Finger—Whitlow: As he [she] went over muddy bagger's branch he [she] met three worms; one was a white one, one was a black one, and one was a red one. I command this to die, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Say it three times.

For Stopping Blood: Say the name of the person, then: Holy is the day and holy is the hour wherein happened the wound. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Say the name of him that has the wound first; and if the wound is on the right side lay your left hand thereupon, and if on the left side lay your right hand thereupon. If you know the name of the person you may stop the bleeding though the person be three or four miles away.

For Colic, or Rising of the Mother: Lay your hand on the person's stomach and say three times: I stand on wood and I see wood. For one glassful of cold red wine. Rising of Mother, or Colic, let this griping alone. A. B. G. May God help you. In the name of God, the Father; in the name of God, the Son; in the name of God, the Holy Ghost. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

For a Boil, or Imposthume: The Boil and the Dragon went over the creek. The Dragon drank, the Boil sank. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. Lay your right hand upon the boil as you say these words. Do it three times, and the boil will soon decrease.

For the Wild-fire (Erysipelas): Wild-fire, move away; the tame-fire is over you. Take a coal of fire or a fire-brand and rub three times around it morning and evening, each time three times, as you say these words. It will soon be better.

For Greedy-worm:When our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was upon the earth he met a greedy-worm, and he said, 'Where are you going, greedy-worm? In the child's stomach or no? You shall not do that. That I forbid you, by sulphur and pitch, that I may never see you any more. Do you go in the green wood. There is a well deep and cold. Out of that well you may drink, and of this child nevermore think.' In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, and in the name of the Holy Ghost. Amen, Amen, and Amen. Blow your breath three times on the face and say these words three times over.

For Open Head: Head, I squeeze you together for [name of patient]. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Press together three times each way and say these words three times.

A Cure for Bots:

There was a man
Rode over the land
With three worms in his hand.
One was white, another black, the other red,
And in an hour they were dead.

Stand the horse with his bead toward sunrise. Take your right hand and rub from the nose over the head, neck, and back, down to the end of the tail, as you say these words. Do this three times in two or three hours, every time three times. Give some purgative medicine.

There are two more formulas which, though not strictly medical in character, are so nearly akin to those already given that they may be