The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1895-08-23
HERBS AS MEDICINE.
Traditions Regarding Their Po-
tency In Diseases.
Country Prnetitioner- who Were Ex-
: psricnced In the Use of Natures Rem
edIes for human Ills : some
EXTRAORDINARY Pntinns.

Barring Gould has contributed to the
Sunday Magazine curious paper en-
titled Country Remedies" from which
we learn that in spite Of the revolution
which has taken place In the materia
medica OF the british pharmacopeia in
modern times In favor Of mineral med
icines and other more powerful drugs,
village wise men" and women still
'.cuIl simplcsr here and there, and even
continue 10 inspire neighbors with faith
In their power OF healing by divers
superstitious practices. Nor Is the coun-
try peoples confidence in the village
herbalist, In Mr.. Gould's opinion. alto
getiier misplaced. The old race OF these
irregular practitioners were, he be-
lieves, endowed with very considerable
and wholesome experience, and they
were tho repositories Of traditions re-
garding the properties of certain herbs
IN the treatment of certain malndies
which were sometimes far from being
moro fanciful. II Is noteworthy that to
this day many OF our field aud wood
plants derive their names from the pop
ular belief in their virtues as specifics
for certain complaints
Mr.. Gould gives remarkable ac-
count of one Of the last remaining
"wise women" who has long been
known to him Judging from certain
indications, she belongs to the west
country. Her recipe for sprain will
hardly, we fear, receive respectful CON
sheraton 1t is as follows: Two
ounces oil Of turpentine, two ditto
suillowes, two ditto earthworms, two
ditto nerve, two dittooppidillidocls, two
ditto Spanish fleas." MIR. Gould opines
that the turpcntine the opodeldoc and
the Spanish flies mot flcas) are the
valuable part Of this remarkable pre-
scriptlon. ''Suillpwes' is supposed to
stand for squills, which is not of much
use MS an external application.
OF the potency OF "carthworms" it is
more difficult to Judge, but Mr.. Gould
assures us that 1t is precisely this de-
coction of wriggling worms which inn
presses the west country rustic into
the conviction that the remedy must be
something very wonderful, and the oil
of nerves strilics him rs reasonable.
His nerves nre suffering; therefore he
must decoct the nerves of hulloclSs to
supply VIM nv AdNhN. i ne TdblOtluIt
OF the thing seems not unlike that OF
the ''oil of crowbars" which Mr..
Punch's hairdresscr recommended to
the customer whose hair was getting
rather weals, When Mr.. Gould's chill
dren had the whooping cough his
coachman's wife cntreatcd Mrs Gould
to let her doctor them. She brought
little silk bags TO be tied round the
sufferers neclss, each containing some
hair cut from the cross on donkeys |
back. This she had learned to believe I
was sovereign against whooping cough.
For remedies Of THE class Mr.. Gould |
hassnc apology 70. Offer; nor has be any
hing 10 tnt. the lseitarnas and
formula which are ssili III 4
some favor in the country some
samples which lie cites certainly do not
say much for cnlightcnnentin the west
OF England. Fits, when they are ter
rible bad" are, in the belief OF some.
only to he cured by wearing silver
ring, manufactured from coins which
have come ont of seven parishes.
Gold, ii appears, is not ctiicacious. Mr..
Gould knows parish in which the
parish clerk drawS-or did till lately
u revenue for the cure of children with
fits. This is what hc does, or did: lie |
takes the little sufferer uptothe church
tower holds ii ont q; each Of the angle |
pinnarles and pronounces certain
words. What the words are Mr. Gould |
has not learned. Profitable trade Sc
crets are apt 10 be jealousy guarded.
hnt lac knows that for these mysterious