MISCELLANEOUS

Entries

• #844

  It is believed that “piercing the ear” will cure weak eyes or strengthen the eyes. It is often done to children for this purpose.

  Northern Ohio.
• #845

  To cure hiccoughs repeat in one breath the words,—

  There was an old woman who lived all alone,
  And she was made of skin and bone.
  One day to church she went to pray,
  And on the ground a man there lay,
  And from his head unto his feet
  The worms crawled in, the worms crawled out.

  Boston, Mass.
• #846

  A variant,—

  There was an old woman who lived all alone,
  And she was made of skin and bone.
  One day to church she went to pray,
  And on the ground there lay a man.
  And from his head unto his feet
  The worms crawled in, the worms crawled out.
  The woman to the parson said:
  “Shall I be so when I am dead?”
  The parson he said “yes.”

  Portland, Me., Brookline and Deerfield, Mass.
• #847

  For hiccoughs the nurse used to say in a droning, deep, ghostly tone,—

  There was an old man an’ an old woman,
  And they lived in a bottle and eat Bones.
  Bones

  Brookline, Mass.
• #848

  Other somewhat general remedies for hiccoughs are to munch a spoonful of sugar, to scare the one troubled with hiccoughs by some startling announcement or accusation, as, “See, you’ve torn your dress!” or, “How did you break my vase?” etc. Another custom is to steadily point a finger at the hiccougher, or to make him hold up his arm and shake it.

• #849

  To cure hiccoughs, slowly take nine sips of water.

  Prince Edward Island and Northern Ohio.
• #850

  Another cure for hiccoughs is as follows: Put the thumb up against the lower lip, with the fingers under the chin, and say, “hiccup, hiccup, over my thumb,” nine times.

  Northern Ohio.
• #851

  A cure for hiccoughs: Try for a long time to make the edges of the thumb-nails meet at the end.

  Chestertown, Md.
• #852

  Think of the one you love best, to cure hiccoughs.

  Prince Edward Island.
• #853

  For chapped lips kiss the middle rail of a five-railed fence.

  Bernardston, Mass.
• #854

  To relieve coughing or strangling, put a pair of scissors down inside the back of your dress.

  Prince Edward Island.
• #855

  Chew brown paper as a cure for nose-bleed.

  Eastern Massachusetts.
• #856

  For nose-bleed, put a key down the back.

• #857

  For nose-bleed, hold up the right arm.

• #858

  For nose-bleed, place a wad of paper between the upper lip and the gum.

• #859

  You can keep from crying as you peel onions if you keep the mouth closed.

  Northern Ohio.
• #860

  Hold, by the points, two needles between your teeth, as you peel onions, and you will not cry.

  Prince Edward Island.
• #861

  Hold a needle between your teeth with the point out, while peeling onions, and you’ll not cry, i. e., will not feel the smart.

• #862

  You will not cry in peeling onions if you hold a bit of bread in the mouth.

  Or, put the bread on the point of the knife.

  Prince Edward Island, Cambridge, Mass. (Irish).
  Maine.
• #863

  You will not cry in peeling onions if you let the faucet be open so the water will run.

  Cambridge, Mass.
• #864

  To bring up the palate when it drops and tickles the root of the tongue, take a wisp of hair on the crown of the head and tie it up very tight.

  Chestertown, Md.
• #865

  Rubbing a sty with a gold ring will cure it.

  Prince Edward Island.
• #866

  Cure a sty by rubbing it with a wedding ring.

  General.
• #867

  A sty in the eye is cured by rubbing a gold ring on the eye three mornings with a sign of the cross.

  Labrador.
• #868

  A pebble in the mouth will ease thirst.

  Brookline, Mass.
• #869

  A sore throat may be cured by binding about the neck on going to bed one of the stockings which the patient has been wearing (no other one will do).

  Somewhat general in the United States.
• #870

  To cure the sore throat, take three handfuls of ashes with your left hand, put into your left stocking, and bind it around your throat.

  Mattawamkeag, Me.
• #871

  To burn the “little nerve” in the ear will cure the toothache forever.

  Northern Ohio.