Subject:Dropsy
Entries
Entry 7907
Dey put some graveyard dirt undah her steps, an' some sulphuh, an' she caught it in 'er laigs an' de laigs swolled up - all both her laigs - jes' lak de dropsy. An' she took dis dime an' file some of de silvah off an' taken de [silver] tea an' drank it [as a cure]. [Sulphur a symbol for the devil and hell, and the death symbol graveyard dirt, these two combined would cause almost any- thing!]
Entry 1258
Dey take de blood from de catfish an' cure people of de dropsy. Dey take it an' dev put it in some oil, some cookin' oil an' dey take it three times a day. See, de catfish ain't poison, yo' know dat. An' yo' cook dat oil an catfish blood together an' give it to 'em.
Entry 4339
Some persons cork it in tight bottles an' concrete de top [= cement, tighten top with sealing wax, etc.] an' turn it down, an' let it stay in de groun' so many days, an' yo' will [begin] tuh weakenin' from de bottle. An' if yo' don't find 'at bottle an' let dat urinate out, yo'll fin'lly swell up as wit dropsy an' die.
Entry 4345
If yuh wanta hurt anybody wit chamber lye, yuh kin take an' git some of dere chamber lye an' put it in a bottle, an' stop it up tight an' throw it in de rivah anywhere. An' dey will lingah, dey will hardly make watah - wouldn't make watah long. Dey be jis' swole up, take de dropsy.
Entry 4401
Jes' lak if yo' pull off yore shoes at night an' a person wanted tuh hurt chew or somepin othah lak dat. An' if he could git some of yore dung, yo' know, an' smeah [smear] it on yore shoes, an' put some salt an' red peppah in it an' fix it So yo' couldn't walk, yore feet would swell up. YO' HAVE SOMEPIN LAK DE RHEU- MATISM, CALLED DE DROPSY OR SOMEPIN OTHAH lak dat.