(With thanks to Tom Chambers, Thomas Garavan and Sr. Consilio)
The use of local traditional remedies predates current medical I practice, and therefore makes an interesting look at the past. It is not intended to replace proper medical opinion, and application is inadvisable without expert advice.
Many different herbs and flowers were used, including:
Chickweed: Used differently for boils, abscesses, sore eyes and obesity.
Clover: Tea from flowers and leaves for kidneys, catarrh and nerves.
Couchgrass: (Scutchgrass):Tea from roots for rheumatism, gout, kidneys and bladder.
Comfey: Juice from scraped root for cuts. Even deep wounds were said to heal without leaving a mark. This plant was also called "all heal."
Daisy: Tea from flowers and leaves for varicose veins.
Dandelion: Tea for eczema, gall bladder, constipation and to bathe sore eyes. Juice from stalk for warts. Dandelion was believed to have diuretic properties, hence the name "piss the bed."
Elderberry: Elderflower tea for headaches, colds, flu, stomach upsets. Elderberry wine for gout and rheumatism.
Flax (linseed): As an infusion for coughs, colds and asthma.
Horsetail: Bladder disorders.
Marigold: Leaves used on cuts and inflammation.
Nettle: Tea for sore throats, bronchitis, asthma and to purify the blood. Juice used for nosebleeds.
Foxglove: Used only as an ointment for boils and growths.
Ground ivy: Jaundice.
Ivy Leaves: Crushed and used as a plaster for corns.
Cloves: Chewed for toothache.
Mugwort: Tea for diabetes. Boiled in stout to prevent epileptic fits.
Mountain sedge: Boiled and juice drank for coughs and colds.
Oak: Leaves boiled, juice drunk for liver complaints.
Ash: coughs: Leaves in summer, bark in winter: boiled and juice drunk for rheumatism.
Elder: Leaves or bark boiled, juice drunk for constipation.
Willow: Bark chewed for bad breath.
Spearwort: As poultice for arthritis.
Broom: Boiled and juice drunk for kidneys.
Cat's Eye: (Local name of flower) used for jaundice.
Crow garlic: Used as preventive medicine for a wide variety of complaints.
Other traditional cures
For boils: Carbolic soap and sugar (not suitable if patient was a diabetic).
Burns: Cold water and carbolic soap, which would take away the pain and leave no blister. In another remedy, flour was put on the burn.
Bee stings: Laundry blue.
Cuts: Wild honey.
Rheumatism Red flannel round affected point. and arthritis:
Mumps: Hot salt in stocking wrapped round neck. Another remedy used the same treatment for sore throats.
Whooping coughs: Milk from donkey.
Corns: Soaking in bogwater.
Sweaty feet: Cured by walking barefoot at low tide through decaying seaweed.
Internal pains Dry heat was applied, by means of a and pulled heated pot oven lid wrapped in a muscles: blanket and put on affected part.
Mystical Numbers
Some means of healing had a strong link with mystical numbers:
1. Seventh son of a seventh son: Reputed to have the ability to cure many ailments including notably cowpox, ringworm and cancer. Some believe a seventh daughter of a seventh daughter had the same powers.
2. Migraine: For migraine, a thread from a handloom was used to measure head round forehead,. and from chin to top of head. This threat was tied around forehead while certain prayers were said, the thread was tied with three knots and left in place. This was done three times over three weeks.
3. "Spoon of the breast" .A malady concerning ensiform cartilage was given heat treatment by placing a 'Alarm, thin oatcake from oven onto patient's chest. On top of this were placed five stubby candles.
The Power Of Healing
Particular people were attributed with the power of healing, and among those from or near Cuilmore area were:
1. A lady whose maiden surname and married surname were the same were credited with being able to cure whooping cough. There are at least two such ladies still.
2. A person whose father predeceased his or her birth was believed to be able to cure thrush and sore throats. There are still at least two such people.
3. A person born by breech birth was said to be able to remedy slipped discs by using pressure of the feet.
4. One lady now deceased was credited with the ability to cure jaundice.
5. Another lady also deceased was said to be able to cure swollen legs.
Healing For Animals
Worms in animals were cured by "snaidm na peiste" (knot of the worm), where twine was used to tie a particular knot over the animal's back. The worms were said to go and not to recur again.
Cows calving were given a hot mash of bran for a quick labour.
To help cows pass a reluctant afterbirth, there were two methods:
1. Green ivy was fed to the cow, or
2. Caraway seed was boiled and the juice given to the cow to drink.
For fluke, particular ferns were boiled and given to cattle. Care had to be taken here, as some types of fern were known to be poisonous.
For horses and sheep going blind, alum salts were mixed with eggshell and blended into a powder. This powder was blown into the animal's eye. Another cure used also was tobacco spit.
Calves with bad white scour were given milk pasteurised by putting a red hot poker into the milk in a bucket.
The sap of a herb growing in the mountain was used as an ointment for horse with sore feet.
Maggots in sheep were treated by shearing the relevant part and placing a patch with red bog-earth on top. As it dried it stuck to the skin, allowing the tissue to heal. Cuts were treated this way also. The iron ore and manganese in the red bog-earth were believed to be the factors for successful healing.
Water from Loch Morchan (only the well remains now, and, is accessible only at low tide) was brought home to keep cattle healthy for the year, and for use as a cure.