The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-06-29
SUPERSTITION AND MEDICINE.

some Of the 0aeer THINGS Given
Credence by Many.
Pet superstitions and decisions can
be found in every household, says the
Washington STAR When there Is
case of sickness in the house and some
domestic animal dies you will find that
some think the patient will surely re-
cover. The most persistent supersti-
lions in the world are those that are
based upon the habits of animals" SAID
DR.. J. Dudley Morgan. IF one Is walk
ing. The neigh Of horse Is q portent
brushes the face it is supposed to mean
that ghost is following, but in day.
time it tells that stranger Is COM
ing. She neigh of horse is portent
of death which will come from the
uuarter from which his head is pointing
when he neighs
The hair Of dog, the skin OF a
snake and the pelt Of black cat are
believed to possess medicinal qualities,
while the handling of toad is said to
of superstition. A white spider crawl
ing toward one, the bowling of dog,
the sight Of snake all foretell death.
The killing of a toad or the Growing OF
it's face it means that visitors are COM
ing. If a bee stings, kill it and the
wound will not swell. The black tooth
Of hog and the blood Of black hen
have curative powers.
I'm certain district in Germany the
touch Of corpse's hand is still regard
ed as curative Of many local ills. Less
grewsome is the remedy for hernia still
applied in the marsh country. On the
night of st. John the Baptist's day,
June "a, patient must be dragged
through the split of a cleft ash tree.
Three men bearing the name Of John
must perform the operation and it must
be conducted in dead silence. For cry
sipelas a fire is lighted and pinch Of
ashes from it Is rubbed on the skin to
the accompaniment Of saying to the
over the Red sea together, the ashes
came back but the sore never again.
Recently In Georgetown police
man was bitten by supposed poison
GUS snake and the old remedy of kill
ing chickens, cutting them open and APP
plying them to the bite until the chick
ems were cold and did not turn black
was tried. Twenty-six chickens were
used on the policeman in extracting the
poison. This remedy for cramps is
used to-day in other places than
Georgetown: On going to rest put
your slippers under the bed and turn
the soles upward
I'm the wards of Garfield hospital
last fall there was patient who insist
ed on keeping several apples under his
bed to help the dropsy. The things
that people will carry within their pock-
cts, wear around their necks or bodies
or put on their fingers are legion. Have
white potato in each pocket of your
trousers and you will never be troubled
with rheumatism or If you suffer with
cough and cold exchange the potato for
a lump of camphor. No doubt there
are some Of us who now have a horse
chestnut In our pockets or are wearing
a nickel ring. Several years ago the
writer was induced by an intelligent
and considerable friend to wear a nut
meg for obstinate boils
I'm no other western European coun-
try is superstition SO prevalent as in
Austria Hungary. Quite recently the
chamberlain's Office changed the num-
her Of box IL in the Imperial opera
house and the Imperial Court theater
because the public objected to sitting
In box bearing this unlucky number.
But this superstition reaches it's height
in medicine. Speaking of the health
exhibition, DR.. Heinrich Grun declared
that in many instances superstition,
and especially local superstition, was
an absolute menace to public health.
In the Austrian hospitals one finds no
block or pavilion 10, no ward Is or
staircase Is. Very few patients will
consent to be operated on on the 18th.
And in that respect Friday, too, is con-
sidered just as unlucky."
Romance of . Necklace.
Some years ago an old Frenchwoman
died in poor part of Dublin, and her
little effects were put I'D for auction.