Subject:Birthpains
Entries
Entry 6876
If a woman is in fo' a labor, if she has somepin of 'is about 'er, a sock, hat or somepin lak dat - she has somepin about 'er, why dat'll cause 'im tuh have some of de pains, too. (Where would she keep this thing about her? Where would she keep it?) Jis' have it somewhere about 'er, maybe jis' always anywheres on 'er.
Entry 1211
When a person is in labor with a baby an' dey don't have de baby, an' it seem dey can't have it, de ole lady dey had dey take de dirt dauber an' jes' throw de nest - de whole business in right hot boilin' watah an' den took it off an' let it steep. An' den give it to de woman an' dat makes de lil' one come right out. Dat's whut ah heard about dirt dauber.
Entry 1026
[As we had medicine taken by proxy, so can pain be shared - the spirit being made to divide itself:] If a woman is in fo' a labor, if she has somethin' of his about her, a sock, hat or somethin' lak dat - she has somethin' about her, why that'll cause him tuh have some of the pains, too. ["A pregnant woman by crawling over the husband can transfer her future labor pains to him," FACI,2ed., No. 2953, p.133; for psychic or pseudo-couvade - husband having morning sickness and ailments of pregnancy and acute pain during wife's delivery - FACI, p.133.]
Entry 1212
If a woman's in birth an' pain, it seems to be slow, well yo' kin git dat dirt dauber nest - git dem lil' daubers out of it. [Whole nest is not used as in preceding remedy.] Go an' git dat little trash out of it an' put it in a cup of hot water an' let it steep. Strain it an' put chew in a - jes' 'cordin' to how much yo' got. If yo' got a half of a half a pint of it, well yo' put a half of a half a pint of whiskey into half a pint of it an' give her a teacup of dat. An' in ten minutes aftah she drink it de pains rise on her - de pains will rise. An' when de pains rise den de watah first will bust - de watah bag, dat'll bust. When dat'll bust den de baby will come out.
Entry 6576
(A lizard can harm her?)
If yo' done wanta, take a lizard, jis' keep 'im swimmin' in watah, jis' keep 'im alive in dat watah. Keep 'im in dat watah, while dat woman is neah 'er time. Always jis' keep dat lizard in dat watah an' evah mawnin' git chew a teaspoonful of dat watah an' drop it in de watah she drinks. An' keep dat lizard in dat watah. An' it will make 'er have a hard birth or a miscarriage.
Entry 11211
Dirt dauber for labor pains. [Vicksburg, Miss., 1002:6.]
The complete short account says 'Dirt dauber for labor pains'; no method, direction of effect or result is supplied.