Home Cures & Bone Setting
As practised in the Parish not very many years ago.
Denny Crowley, Carubeg, Jeremiah’s father, was considered an excellent man for (1) to set broken bones or (2) to “put in” joints that were “out”. Many people from an area of 20 miles came to Denny, so that almost every day he was called on to ease somebody in pain. It is thought that Denny learned his trade from “Seán Philip” who was an expert a generation before and lived in Churchtown.
For example: Rubbing a dock-leaf hard on a burn caused by a nettle – eased or even banished the pain.
Again a poultice of white bread or linseed with very hot water brought the sores such as “bonnlock” a sore in the sole of the foot from a bruise, to the point when the wound could be opened and so give immense relief.
Rubbing the tongue of a fox was wonderful for withdrawing a thorn from a foot or hand.
Placing a big cobweb on a fresh cut almost was always effective in stopping a bleeding.
A hot oven cover covered with a cloth was placed on the stomach to stop a bellyache or colic.
The bark of the elm tree was used to ease any kind of severe burn.
Bathing a sore eye in cold tea was and is still an infallible cure.
Poultice of bread and water was used on such sores as whitlows etc. Hot potato water was very good for bathing swellings.
A coin such as an old penny was pressed against a bump to keep it from getting bigger.
Water used from a hole in limestone was successful for banishing warts.