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111
Bead necklaces are exceedingly common among young children,
or in the case of boys an amulet may be worn. This is partly for
ornament and partly as a prophylactic against disease; blue beads
have a special merit in " keeping away colds or quinsy," and coral
is for " luck." Both are probably a relic of the times when people
feared the Evil Eye, and even now these beads are worn next the
skin and never removed by night or day, lest some dire illness
should result.
There is a considerable amount of ignorance with regard todischarge
of the ear; one popular idea is that no harm can result
while the ear continues to discharge. Another fallacy which exists
is that the discharge will cease when the child reaches the mystic
age of seven years, or at puberty. It is true that in some cases the
mischief clears up of itself, but not before the hearing of the child
has been permanently damaged.
It is difficult to understand why a plug of " chewing tobacco "
should be inserted into the ear in cases of otorrhoea, but in some
parts this is a popular remedy.
With regard to infectious diseases we learn that these may be
of the " inward " or " outward " variety. There is a great dread of
any application of soap and water on these occasions, either during
the actual illness or apparently during convalescence, and as the
chief idea is to keep the sufferer warm, the condition of the patient's
skin leaves much to be desired.
It is interesting to note that there is no opposition to weighing
the children during medical inspection, when one remembers the
popular prejudice against weighing new-born infants. This process
is held to be unlucky and the ehildren will not thrive unless a
medicine containing rabbits' brains be administered!
Perhaps the most deep-seated of all superstitions circles about
the mystic age of seven. Numbers of parents of fairly educated
type explain their delay in getting treatment of some childish
ailment because " he will grow out of it when he is seven." At that,