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John George Hohman's Pow-Wows

FOR DYSENTERY AND DIARRHŒA.
Take the moss off of trees, and boil it in red wine, and let those who are affected with those diseases drink it.

CURE FOR THE TOOTHACHE.
Hohman, the author of this book, has cured the severest toothache more than sixty times, with this remedy.
p. 31
and, out of the sixty times he applied it, it failed but once in affecting a cure. Take blue vitriol and put a piece of it in the hollow tooth, yet not too much; spit out the water that collects in the mouth, and be careful to swallow none. I do not know whether it is good for teeth that are not hollow, but I should judge it would cure any kind of toothache.

ADVICE TO PREGNANT WOMEN.
Pregnant women must be very careful not to use any camphor; and no camphor should be administered to those women who have the mother-fits.

CURE FOR THE BITE OF A MAD DOG.
A certain Mr. Valentine Kittering, of Dauphin County, has communicated to the Senate of Pennsylvania a sure remedy for the bite of any kind of mad animals. He says that his ancestors had already used it in Germany 250 years ago, and that he had always found it to answer the purpose, during a residence of fifty years in the United States. He only published it from motives of humanity. This remedy consists in the weed called Chick-weed. It is a summer plant, known to the Germans and Swiss by the names of Gauchneil, Rothea Meyer, or Rother Huehnerdarm. In England it is called Red Pimpernel; and its botanical name is Angelica Phonicea. It must be gathered in June when in full bloom and dried in the shade, and then pulverized. The dose of this for a grown person is a small tablespoonful, or in weight a drachm and a scruple, at once, in beer or water. For children the dose is the same, yet it must be administered at three different times. In applying it to animals, it must be used green, cut to pieces and mixed with bran or other feed. For the hogs the pulverized weed is made into little balls by mixing it with flour and water. It can also be put on bread and butter,
p. 32
or in honey, molasses, etc. The Rev. Henry Muhlenberg says that in Germany 30 grains of this powder are given four times a day, the first day, then one dose a day for a whole week; while at the same time the wound is washed out with a decoction of the weed, and then the powder strewed in it. Mr. Kittering says that he in all instances administered but one dose, with the most happy results. This is said to be the same remedy through which the late Doctor William Stoy effected so many cures.

A VERY GOOD MEANS TO INCREASE THE GROWTH OF WOOL OR SHEEP, AND TO PREVENT DISEASE AMONG THEM.
William. Ellis, in his excellent work on the manner of raising sheep, relates the following: a tenant who had a flock of sheep that produced an unusual quantity of wool. He informed me that he was in the habit of washing his sheep with buttermilk just after shearing them, which was the cause of the unusual growth of wool; because it in a known fact that butter does not only improve the growth of sheep's wool, but also of the hair of other animals. Those who have no buttermilk may substitute common milk with salt and water, which will answer nearly as well to wash the sheep just sheared. And I guarantee that by rightly applying this means, you will not only have a great increase of wool, but the sheep-lice and their entire brood will be destroyed. It also cures an manner of scab and itch, and prevents them from taking cold.

A WELL-TRIED PLASTER TO REMOVE MORTIFICATION
Take six hen's eggs and boil them in hot ashes until they are right hard; then take the yellow of the eggs and fry them in a gill of lard until they are quite black; then put a handful of rue with it, and afterward filter it through a cloth. When this is done add a gill of sweet
p. 33
oil to it. It will take most effect where the plaster for a female is prepared by a male, and the plaster for a male prepared by a female.

A GOOD REMEDY FOR THE POLL-EVIL IN HORSES.
Take white turpentine, rub it over the poll-evil with your band, and then melt it with a hot iron, so that it runs into the wound. After this take neatsfoot oil or goose grease and rub it into the wound in the same manner, and for three days in succession, commencing on the last Friday of the last quarter of the moon.

FOR THE SCURVY AND SORE THROAT.
Speak the following, and it will certainly help you: Job went through the land, holding his staff close in the hand, when God the Lord did meet him, and said to him: Job, what art thou grieved at? Job said: Oh God, why should I not be sad? My throat and my mouth are rotting away. Then said the Lord to Job: In yonder valley there is a well which will cure thee [name], and thy mouth, and thy throat, in the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

This must be spoken three times in the morning and three times in the evening; and where it reads "which will cure," you must blow three times in the child's mouth.

A VERY GOOD PLASTER.
Take wormwood, rue, medels, sheeprip-wort, pointy plantain, in equal proportions, a larger proportion of bees'-wax and tallow, and some spirits of turpentine; put it together in a pot, boil it well, and then strain it, and you have a very good plaster.

TO STOP BLEEDING.
I walk through a green forest;
There I find three wells, cool and cold;
The first is called courage, p. 34
The second is called good,
And the third is called stop the blood.
+ + +

ANOTHER WAY TO STOP BLEEDING, AND TO HEAL WOUNDS IN MAN AS WELL AS ANIMALS.
On Christ's grave there grows three roses; the first is kind, the second is valued among the rulers, and the third says: blood, thou must stop, and wound, thou must heal. Everything prescribed for man in this book is also applicable to animals.

FOR GAINING A LAWFUL SUIT.
It reads, if anyone has to settle any just claim by way of a law suit let him take some of the largest kind of sage and write the name of the twelve apostles on the leaves, and put them in his shoes before entering the courthouse, and he shall certainly gain the suit.

FOR THE SWELLING OF CATTLE.
To Desh break no Flesh, but to Desh! While saying this, run your hand along the back of the animal. + + +
NOTE.--The hand must be put upon the bare skin in all cases of using sympathetic words.

AN EASY METHOD OF CATCHING FISH.
In a vessel of white glass must be put: 8 grains of civit, (musk), and as much castorium; two ounces of eel-fat, and 4 ounces of unsalted butter; after which the vessel must be well closed, and put in some place where it will keep moderately warm for nine or ten days, and then the composition must be well stirred with a stick until it is perfectly mixed.

APPLICATION.--1. In using the hooks.-Worms or insects used for baiting the hooks must first be moistened with this composition, and then put in a bladder or box, which may be carried in the pocket.
p. 35
2. In using the net.--Small balls formed of the soft part of fresh bread must be dipped in this composition and then by means of thread fastened inside of the net before throwing it into the water.
3. Catching Fish with the hand.--Besmear your legs or boots with this composition before entering the water at the place where the fish are expected, and they will collect in great numbers around you.

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