Subject:Cupping
Entries
Entry 1056
Just like if you was poisoned, they use bluestone [= blue vitriol]. (I see. How do they do that?) They make a pill out of it. Just like somebody poison you, you know, you kin get - people kin get snakes, you know and put in you. Well, they take a snake, you know, and put a hole through him but they don't kill him. They put him into a fireplace or some place and build a fire somewhere and make a dry place for him - just like you going to dry something out, you see, and they'll dry him and let him dry till he be a powder like, you know. Well, when he comes to be a powder, why he'll pound that all up, you know. He's goin' to poison somebody then, you know. Well he take that then and sprinkle it in some water, or lessen wheresomever you drink at, or put it into your dipper or your cup or something of the kind where you drink coffee or something of the kind. And that will come to be a living snake in you again. You see, in a length of time you'll - that'll kill you, you will be full of snakes. Course, you kin take - you kin take then and if you go to the hoodoo doctor - well, de hoodoo doctors - I've lnowed people that had them things in 'em. Hoodoo doctor will give him a certain amount of bluestone. They take it in a pill but he will put it in a piece of tissue paper or something so it won't strike your teeth or nuthin of the kind. You hold your head back and drap that in your throat, and in about four or five hours time, why then he'll give you a dose of natch'l grease - grease what you cook with, about a half of a cupful behind that. Well, in about - well, I reckon in about six or seven hours, why he will give you another one of those pills. Well, that cure you first and last - he kin cure you with that, of that snake. If he's alive - if he's alive, he'll take him. Then [if snake is dead] he has something or other made like a cup, and he'll put it on you and cup you and draw that - draw that poison and stuff all out - you'd run it [remains of dead snake] in one place and draw it all out.
(What did he do with the snake then [by cupping]?)
The snake be dead - it going away [by cupping]. [This is my only example of cupping; I have none for the use of a leech.]