The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1923-08-09
HEALTH NEWS
PIG EARS

garian father stopped over the vol
luminous white feather bed as he
spoke and kissel the forehead of his
little wife, almost buried in its
midst.
tired, contented smile was her
answer, for the little mother was
happy. Their third baby girl, born
but few hours ago, was peacefully
sleeping and the parents were salts
fled. For as papa Dirko jOkingly
said, little boys were made OF
snaps and snails and puppy dog
tails, while little girls were made
of sugar and spice and all things
nice"
He called in Julia and Anna and
held them up so they could peek at,
but Oh, not to touch-the mite of a
bundle cuddled by the side of the
little mother.
1t was two months later and the
little mother was standing at the
table arranging the dishes for sup
per when Julia, the eldest child,
burst through the doorway, and eX-
citedly exclaimed that papa was
coming But mother he has a
Just them in came the father
with his usual smile for a greeting
and, going to his wife, kissed the
worried brow and said, "Our little
mother is easily frightened by our
chatterbox. IT'S nothing but a
scratch"-holding up his bandaged
hand-''and twill soon we well. .
But she shook her head as she look
ed askance at the bandage.
After the frugal meal was over
and the father had lit his pipe he
called Julia to his side and said
Little mischief, out behind the
chicken coop there, you will find
many little green plants which
many foolish folks call pig ears,
but which is a powerful medicine.
Now go gather some of the little
leaves and see how quickly you are
back, for papa must fix his hand
so that it will soon be well. Then
our little mother need not worry.
And while Julia gathered the
leaves papa Dirko removed the
bandage and showed the wound to
his wife. 1t was scarcely more than
a scratch and the wife admitted
with a relieved sigh that, 'Tis not
so bad, papa, but it will be hard
for you to work, will it not? And
he answered, 'Tush, little one, a
scratch like that is nOthing-a mos
quito bite is worse"
When Julia brought in the weeds
the father picked out the tenderest
leaves and crushed them and placed
them over the raw wound and re
applied the bandage. That done to
his satisfaction and seeing his wife
comfortably seated in rocker
nursing the baby, he lifted the two
girls on his knee, and putting away
at the old corn cob pipe, began
telling them the story of "Wanka'
the bad old witch lady who lived
in the Old Country many years
ago.
The next night the hand was
dressed again with the weed. The
wound looked a little bit red, but
'Psha, it's nothing" the father ex-
claimed.
However, the third day he came
home early, tired, irritable, and
flushed in face and his hand was
held very rigid.
Little mother, it's bad, this hand
today. l could not work, l feel so
ILL.," And he slid down into a rocker
standing near BY
1--WE must dress it again and then
a little nap-it will do. me good"
His worried wife with the babe in
her arms went out to pick the weed
herself so that she might find the
tendereSt and newest leaf. TOgeth-
er they removed the bandage and
the wife, with tears in her eyes,
exclaimed: "Oh, it's very bad, see
the thick yellow matter all over
your hand.' And still holding
the babe in her arms she wiped the
discharge from the wound with
her handkerchief and placed it, I'M
thinkingly, back in the bosom OF
her dress where the little babes
head was resting. When the dress
ing was finished and the feverish
father was tucked under the great
feather bed, the wife went to con-
suit her good neighbOr and pour out
her troubles.
Now the neighbor was wise as
well as good and she told the wife
of the big dispensary, of a certain
hospital where there were many
good doctors to tell one what to do
and the cost was very small. And
so it was that the fathers hand was
treated at the big dispensary the
next day and gradually the pain
and fever left him. True he now
had a much larger bandage, for
there were two more open wounds
nh, ho fn q III
the hand felt much better and
there were no pig ears on it.
The little family's troubles were
not over, however, for that same
night the father was awakened
from his sleep by a smothered sob
from his wife. Little mother,
what can the trouble be-surely
not this old hand of mine-it is
now almost well with the good
doctors caring for it. Come, tell me
what grieves you so," he said ten
Derby.
"Oh, it's painful here" she Sob
bed, holding her breast, land l
cannot sleep-since morning it has
been getting worse, and Jean, she
will not nurse it"
The lamp was lit and the In
famed area examined, but both
were at a loss as to what to do. He
helped her back into bed and braced
the side up with pillow and gent
ly rubbed her hot forehead until
she fell into sleep.
The next morning the little
mother was worse and she paced
the floor in agony. When the
father went to the dispensary for