| A. Plant medicines |
| 1. Diseases in the head area |
| [headache] | Headache – crystals of salt, the steam of them inhaled. |
| uninean | [sic] Onion. Disease: sore throat (amhaich ghoirt). Part used: the lot, peeled and
broken up, and put in boiling water in a bowl and the steam coming off it inhaled. Inhaling –
am bial fosgailte os cionn uinnean ann am burn goileach. How prepared: boiled, infused –
could be used likewise, ground up as a poultice – not necessary). Sources of information: my
mother. |
| craobh gharabhaigs (Harris) | (Sprig of a) rowan tree. Also termed in Gaelic as undernoted – craobh chaorunn
(?). Disease: earache (greim cluaise – ola chroinn, ola theth), eye-diseases (gulamail –
incantation in some cases (cure)). Part used: ** To keep evil influences (as a charm) from
the door, a spring [sic] [sprig?] set in a cow’s tail did the job likewise to prevent the
cow coming under the spell of evil. Sources of information: my mother. ** traditional noted
by Martin Martin (?), etc. |
| Noted as glossary I |
| arbhar-froisidh | seedless corn. |
| arbhar-buailte | beaten corn. Some used to pour hot water on it to help as a ‘beverage-moistening’
effect. |
| lus-na-Frainge | French weed. Were hung in a place where flies congregated, thus potentially
deterrent. |
| gruaigean | eatable seaweed (Harris). With vitamins of the iodoine [sic] [iodine?], helpful
as a body-builder. |
| mircean | [See gruaigean.] |
| faochagan | whelks. Faochagan dubha ’s faochagan geala in particular, was [sic] known for
their medicinal attributes. |
| crotul | lichen. Crotul-coille neo crotul nan creag was associated with ill-luck when in
the form of knitwear. A [sic] crotul-coloured socks on a person going to sea meant ill-luck,
pointing to ‘crotul nan creag’ in particular. |
| teàrr-an-fhiodh | archangel tar was used as an ointment for strains, sprains relative to
cattle. |
| fliodh | it grows in potatoes and corn, thickly in potato lazy-beds with emerald leaves,
perhaps lighter than emerald leaves with pinkish small flower. ‘Fliodh-a-bhuntàta’, given to
cattle for food, not for medicinal factors, purposely. |
| 2. Respiratory diseases |
| fuil na bothaig | Na bothaig neo na bothaig mhara (not a plant of course) – blood of the lark or
sea-lark being taken. Disease: asthma (sac, caoidh). Part used / How prepared: le [?] small
quantities, in drops I would imagine… Drinking some of it, a little now and again, I
presume. Sources of information: traditionally. |
| stiùrag | Gruel. Disease: colds. Also: beaten eggs with rum for colds. Part used / How
prepared: Taken in hot water – it was or is oatmeal mixed in water infused of a thinly
composition and drunk. Drinking some of it, a little now and again, I presume. Sources of
information: traditionally. |
| Noted as glossary II |
| stiom-fhuail | incantation method of a cure for cattle. (Bhithte cur snàth timchioll oirre ’s a’
gabhal [sic] duan.)… |
| bainne-deasgain | rennet, for curdling milk. |
| seilleach | willow. Its branches used in the making of creels for carrying manure and peat
(etc.). |
| drumanach | alder. Boys used to fish with rods of the branches of an alder tree, the branches
long enough. |
| seagal | rye. |
| feamainn-dhubh | black seaweed (deep dark green) or black wrack. |
| feamainn-dhearg | red seaweed (‘mircean’) or ‘gruaigean’ of this species. A variety of seaweed
comes into the category of medicinally essence [sic] towards cattle (feeding),
etc. |
| sealbhag | sorrel. Used for dyeing wool. |
| pionnt | mint. Its dried leaves were used for flavouring tea. |
| puineag | sorrel. Eatable; by children, simply picking and eating them without
preparation. |
| buathalan | ragwort. Used in dyeing wool, giving the yellow proceeds of the colouring
version… |
| 3. The blood |
| lus-nan-laogh | Calf plant. Disease: bad blood, e.g. boils. Part used: the whole plant’s
infusion. How prepared: boiled in water, and then the water drunk, a little occasionally.
Sources of information: traditionally. A lady still living on Scalpay told me her father
drank it for boils on the skin, and he was cured likewise. It was traditionally referred to
here (Scalpay) that the plant of which the medical curable properties, [sic] necessary for
the patient’s cure, was within a little distance of the house he lived in. |
| copag | Docken. Disease: on wounds. Part used: the leaf. How prepared: by placing the
leaf on the wound and then the bandage on the top – wound ‘air a teannachadh’. Sources of
information: traditionally. |
| tombaca | Tobacco, tobacco leaves. Disease: cuts and bruises. Part used: leaves. How
prepared: tobacco leaves for cuts, placed on the cut and bandaged untwined leaves, as a
disinfectant. Sources of information: traditionally. |
| prenistir is bainne | Sulphur and milk. Disease: to prevent the blood from gushing through the bandage,
with healing abstraction, qualities. Part used / How prepared: mixed together. Prenisteir
[sic] is bainne air a measgadh. Sources of information: traditionally. |
| Noted as glossary III |
| glas-fheur | green, a (palish) pale green grass, on which cattle feed, of a more pithy essence
than ‘sliabh’. ‘Sliabh’ is longer, not so juicy in other words. |
| tuineap | turnip. Cattle and sheep feed on turnip. Tuineap a’ chruidh. |
| [ashes] | Note: I have heard of plants being burned into ashes and
these ashes used as a preservative for food, perhaps to give food some special flavour, or
preserve it further to achieve the flavour required, or to have it salted, so to speak,
although perhaps again not giving the same results as salt, more or less, more confined to,
could be, an ‘appetising’ method, or to give what was already proven, if done, it was more
associated with the appetite in another sense. |
| buachar-a-chruidh | fish, only rocker or skate I have heard of, was planted in this dung, for to
sour, to have a flavour (relish) which seemed to be a popular (taste) flavour in the past
(Harris). After the fish had been in the manure or dung, it was then washed [and] prepared
for eating by simply boiling it. In other words, after being in dung or manure, whatever way
you want to put it, for days. |
| 4. The bowels and stomach |
| sobhrach | Primrose. Disease: infested heel wound (at a bhuinn duibh). Part used: the leaves
only. How prepared: the leaves placed on the wound with poultice of oatmeal, placed as hot
as the patient could accept. Sources of information: my mother doing it. |
| brisgein | Disease: for stomach complaint. Part used: the whole plant eaten. How
prepared: eating it raw, as taken from the ground. |
| Noted as glossary IV |
| cusag | [See cuiseag.] |
| cuiseag | wild mustard. The stem of this plant, when at the stage, the withered stage, was
used as a final top pinnacle, point, in the corn-stacks. |
| cruachan-arbhair | corn-stacks. (Harris) |
| comhlach-mhor | straw of the strongest for [sic] [form?], literally: big straw, was used in the
thatching of houses. |
| comhlach | termed generally; comhlach of a lighter quality was used in bed
mattresses. |
| sallastair | iris. Was used in thatching sheilings (airighean) and byres. |
| fraoch | heather likewise [i.e. ‘used in thatching sheilings’ like ‘sallastair’ above?],
etc. |
| 5. Bladder and kidneys |
| eòrna | 1. Sùgh an eòrna – barley water. 2. Brochan eòrna – barley gruel. ‘Eòrna’ was
always associated with kidney or bladder trouble. Disease: in the list as above [i.e.
infections, retaining water, cystitis, stones in kidney or bladder, discoloured urine]. How
prepared: 1. Simply drinking it after infusion. 2. Mixed into paste with a taste of salt.
Sources of information: locally informed generally. |
| [skin] | Note: 1 The white of an egg mixed with oatmeal served as
an ointment towards the removal of pimples, as a beautifying remedy. Likely still used, also
as a skin purifier, skin ointment. 2. Same used with flour to soothe the skin if the skin
showed signs of parchment. |
| Noted as glossary VI |
| fraoch-geal | white heather, a symbol of luck. |
| sùgh | sap or juice. |
| mucag | berry or fruit as ‘mucagan-fàileag’ (Harris) – fruit of the rose bush. Mucagan
fàileag nan dris mheur, ann am pallachan beàrnach is bristeadh. |
| coirce | oat. |
| coirce-beag | small oats. |
| ola-min-fhras-linn | linseed oil. Given to cattle for its beneficial products [sic] in giving the
animal a shiny coat. |
| luachair | bulrushes. Was [sic] used in thatchings, and as an absorbent of fuel oil,
liver oil, etc. in giving light. |
| bàrr-an-eòrna | giving [sic] to cattle in the event of, as termed in Gaelic, ‘glasadh
uisge’. |
| 6. Other internal organs |
| greim mór | appendix. Poultices, etc. I’ll attend to this subject in due time, I
hope. |
| Noted as glossary VII |
| brochan-teth coirce | given to sheep as a beverage. |
| caora tinn air uan | confinement. When in the case of a sheep giving, on the point of giving birth to
a lamb, it was discovered that the discharge didn’t give the elasticity necessary (uterus,
etc.), thus while under this complication tea mixed with whisky and thin gruel of oatmeal
also mixed with whisky, a glassful of whisky, this given successively proved successful, and
the mother gave birth to a fine healthy baby lamb. In some other instances an operation was
necessary, the side of the animal, or rather the appropriate place considered was cut open
by a knife, an ordinary (pocket) knife, and the baby lamb was received, and of course the
wound stitched. The baby lamb normal – and the operation successful, just, perhaps, like a
ceserea [sic] [Caesarean?] female operation, or again as ceserea [sic] [Caesarean?]
operation on a woman. This as above noted instances was observed on the island of Scalpay in
Harris. F.S. [?] [P.S.?] Bha na màthraichean beò – cha do rinn e càil oirre
[sic]. |
| 7. Gynaecological complaints |
| [note] | This subject is having my further attention. |
| tuisleadh-asbhuinne | miscarriage. |
| toradh-an-abaich | miscarriage. |
| stamag-laoidh | ’s ann le stamaig laoidh (calf) air a tiormachadh ’s crimeagan air a chuir dh’an
a bhainne dhi a bha iad (bhatar) a’ deanamh deasgainn (curdling). Bainne-deasgainn –
curdling milk. |
| blàthach | buttermilk was also used for burns. Putting ‘blàthach’ on burns, for healing, not
the antiseptic portion of the story. |
| Noted as glossary VIII |
| comharradh | ears being marked. The tip cut off or a hole cut through the ear, etc. for
identification in sheep. |
| sgadan | was given to cattle. Cooked herring, fish-meal. |
| cloimh-an-dombail | loose tufts of wool left on the heather by sheep walking through
it. |
| cloimh-an-domail | [See cloimh-an-dombail.] |
| gràn-as-a-chochull | grain from the husk. |
| fiar-seacaidh | withering grass. |
| fiar-gorm | reference to new, fresh grass. |
| sguab-leis-an-t-siol | reference to nutrition for cattle. |
| garrabhuic-mairt | a cow pad [sic] [pat?] of a soft composition through the influence of
dysentery. |
| glanadh-mairt | the aftermath of calving. |
| 8. Skin diseases not already mentioned |
| spealtan | Splinters. Disease: broken bones. How prepared: strips of wood adjusted against
the injury, and kept in position by strips of cloth secured firmly round and round the
splinters and tied, knotted. Sources of information: local. |
| fear a rugadh a comhar a chas | was reputed to cure backache by standing on the patient’s back, while the patient
lay flat on the floor. |
| [burns] | Burns: cold water – by simply dipping the burnt finger
immediately in cold water. |
| rùsgadh air a chloinn | skin abrasion was cured by burning paper, and putting the burnt black charcoal
composition on the skin. Could be bandaged on, or if there was any means of having the paper
on the sore part it served its curable influences. |
| crotul is im | crotul is im an ceann a chéile cuideachd air a ghleachdadh mar achduinn-suathaidh
air son losgadh a chuir feabhas (ann an Scalpaigh). |
| Noted as glossary IX |
| feamainn-shiabaidh | sea-wrack lying dormant on the shore was used as manure not for the beneficial
use of nutrition. Naturally enough fresh seaweed species were considered more closely, to
the necessary medicinally [sic] purpose required. |
| roc-làir | seaweed broken off submerged rocks were [sic] washed ashore, and would lay for that
length of time on the shore – thus pithless in some cases. |
| rùsg-cloimhe | fleece of wool; was used as a mat through the process of cleansing by alms, alm
[sic], etc. |
| rùsg-caorach | sheep’s fleece, or the fleece of a sheep. |
| clòbhar | clover. An exemptional [sic] [exceptional?] nutriment, nourishment, in connection
with the feeding of cattle. |
| 9. Acute diseases |
| tobacco | [sic] Tobacco. Disease: smallpox (bheanachdachd bhreac). Part used: gitseog tobacca.
How prepared: dha shuathaigeadh (chewing). Sources of information: the individual who was in
contact with the disease in a foreign country, South America, and his pal, who [sic] he
nursed for a while, used to chew tobacco to prevent him having the disease himself – a
disinfectant method he adopted himself. I’ll make further enquiry. |
| Noted as glossary X |
| mam | infested wound cured by incantation (etc.). |
| feamainn-chìrein | this seaweed ‘plant’ was boiled and the voluminous part and liquid from it, the
water in which [it] was boiled, the intermixture and the solid parts of it in other words,
was given to cattle in spring. The liquid has tonic attribution [sic] plus the seaweed part
or parts boiled counteract the effects of the dry straw and hay, which can be ‘administered’
too frequently. |
| stiùil-nan-sìthichean | mushrooms. (I have only this one vaguely, even although I could accept it as
being correct, anyway as one term.) |
| fiaras-a-ghualta | black fever (?) (Harris). (I remember hearing the term. You may have, or
understand the meaning, or have the term already.) |
| fiaras-critheanach | malaria. Sailors, island sailors, used to refer to it thus as here, those who
were subjected to it from foreign lands. |
| 10. The skeleton and muscles |
| ola chroinn ola | Olive oil. Disease: rheumatism. Part used / How prepared: rubbing it on the
affected part. Sources of information: traditionally. |
| siola-na-h-easgainn | Entrails of an eel. The spawning part in particular. The earliest form of cure.
Disease: rheumatism. Part used: spawning part. How prepared: freshly applied. Sources of
information: traditionally. |
| sàl teth | Hot seawater. Disease: rheumatism. Part used / How prepared: bathed in hot
sea-water. Putting the feet in a half bucket full of seawater – hot to the extent of the
patient [sic] [patient’s?] acceptance of the temperature. Sources of information:
traditionally. |
| buntàta | Potato. Disease: rheumatism. Part used / How prepared: a potato with a slice cut
off. A potato carried by the patient in an inside pocket nearest to his skin, I believe. The
body seemingly responding someway to the potato? Sources of information:
traditionally. |
| [tòrradh-rodan] | I remember hearing the expression: Bu cheart cho math leam a dhol gu
tòrradh-rodan, when a person was asked to go to a wedding or some entertainment.
‘Tòrradh-rodan’ – unless it was an invented phrase. |
| Noted as glossary XI |
| lianranaich | a thin layer of a plant, if I may say a plant, on water, a pool, or on a shallow
part of a freshwater loch. To my mind it’s something like green moss. |
| sleamhnagan | stye. Treated by rubbing it with a gold marriage ring, or any ring, with a little
incantation reference. |
| sleamhtagan | [See sleamhnagan.] I have heard it pronounced likewise in Harris. |
| foinne-riobach | shaggy wart; a hair tied round the wart cuts its way, cuts through it, off
[sic]. |
| ball-dobhrain | a wart like resemblance of a wart, but a birthmark. |
| B. Treatments which did not involve the use of
plants |
| saills | or salts. Was [sic] used in connection with a few ailments, ‘sore-head’,
headache, constipation, squeamishness and blood disorder. |
| [sàil] | salt in the form of seawater, ‘sàil’, was used for bathing the feet in. Boiled
seawater in which the feet were kept when brought to the tepid point for the feet to be
bathed in regularly was a recommended cure for rheumatics and sore feet, tired
feet. |
| siola-na-h-easgainn | the spawning organs of the eel was [sic] used likewise – massage. |
| [baking soda] | Baking soda – taken in water, for stomach complaints (and
bladder trouble of cattle). |
| [ola-an-ròin] | heat treatment, liniment oil a more modernisation [sic], seal oil (‘ola an ròin’)
boiled, when cooled to the point of applying, then the oil was well rubbed on the affected
part of the patient. |
| [heat treatment] | Heat treatment – a container with hot water inside a
stocking, placed against the affected part. |
| buachar a chruidh | ‘cow’s dung’ used for burns, but applied immediately meant better
results. |
| [urine] | Urine – for rash, foul shave. |
| Noted as glossary XII |
| tinneas-cuim | dysentery; laxative treatment. |
| lionn-nam-biasd | hops, fermenting into beer, fed with treacle and sugar in a glass jar, the fruit
of the plant… a beverage for ‘human acceptance’, in having it as a drink,
refreshment. |
| suidh | soot. Used mixed with water as a detergent [sic] [deterrent?] on cabbage against
flies laying their eggs, and caterpillars. It was poured on the leaves, if not used in
powder form. |
| [at] | abscess, infestation (at). Fuar-lit choirce, fuar-lit loaf, ’s ’n uair a thig an
t-at gu àirde ’n uair sin a’ leigeal (as termed) air le snàthaid. |
| déideadh | toothache. Piece of tobacco put into the hole in the tooth, and let it drip from
the tooth, into dripping saliva. Also coarse salt similarly. Coarse salt heated on
a frying pan, and then transferred into a stocking then placed externally on the cheek
nearest the infected tooth. Was recommended towards a relief or cure if it was ‘caused by
cold’, etc. (Methylated spirits injected in the tooth, was, is a more modern
cure.) |
| C. Veterinary medicine |
| a’ chloimh | (sheep) infestation, etc. etc. cured by dipping. |
| doille | eye disease in sheep. As ‘sgiath air a sùil’ (cataract). The cure was glass
broken into powder and inserted in the eye or eyes. |
| gulamail | personal complaint not so much attributed to sheep. ‘Doille’ [q.v.] – more
connected with sheep. |
| tuathalan | dizziness in sheep, prone to collapse. Cure: cutting part of the ears and the top
part of the tail. |
| chuileag | caused by fly, maggots eating into the flesh. Tar only or [?] tar and paraffin,
eventually saltwater, dipped in saltwater. The brine helpful in circumstances.
Curable. |
| brothalan (?) | scab showing on the face caused by eating too much seaweed, or eating excess of
it, also noticeable in sheep often on the shore. Cure: giving the animal fat to eat,
margarine, etc. (I would say this [i.e. brothalan] is the name for the explanation. I am not
quite certain: is an old form beginning to go [?] if not out of use now.) |
| bial-muice | swollen lips or a swollen lip, top protruding over the other (more frequently of
the top lip), mouth affected disease, etc. where the animal (sheep) cannot, is unable to eat
(grass, etc.). Also hereditary. |
| glupad | modern cure – pillichean a’ ghlupad. Due to the exercise [sic] of fatness
internally, in some cases, it’s kidney infection. |
| bracsaidh | caused by fat, excessive richness of fat in the animal. |
| spog-dhubh | the skin becoming black, perhaps through the blood circulation from the disease
thrombosis. Birds wouldn’t, will not eat from, disdain to eat the dead
carcase. |
| Noted as glossary XIII |
| [stocainn] | another reference to ‘stocainn le salainn teth’ is if somebody caused some
annoyance and due correction, thus with a slight difference: Gabhaidh mi ort le stocainn de
bhrochan teth. (expression) ‘Brochan’ in a covering of cloth was used, poultice of oatmeal
with mustard oil or paste mixed was applied to the chest, when pneumonia was suspected.
‘Brochan teth’ to minor cases. Before mustard was recommended, mustard was considered a
stronger replacement. |
| D. What do you think is the English name for the plants
called in Gaelic. |
| [note] | Please do not use a dictionary. No! (not used) |
| móthan | bog-violet. |
| cairmeal, carra-meille | derived perhaps from the sweet… caramel… (my own definition). It derived from a
word or words, Latin, etc. of the same meaning or pronunciation, etc. etc…
or…? |
| slan-lus | [sic] ‘sàisde’, a corruption? of ‘slàn-lus’ – healing plant. I have read of ‘sàisde’
for ‘slàn-lus’. |
| lus nan sul | I’ll enquire! |
| fearsanaich | cnapan beaga air druim a chruidh, b’ann an còmhnuidh air crodh fallain a bhiodh
seo. |
| Noted as glossary XIV |
| stapag | stapag uachdair. For softening hard skin, caused by sea-spray drying on the skin.
A primitive form, the ointment form of procedure serving as ointment. Consisting of crowdie
mixed with cream, cream, [sic] say, snow-fire may have originated likewise. |
| uachdar | cream (Harris). Cream itself without any mixture was used as (cream) ointment for
skin troubles. |
| stapag | a mixture of oatmeal and water, accepted as a medicine for
constipation. |
| sgudal | oatmeal, herring, salted herring or fresh herring or both kinds, bread, cheese, a
composition of a variety of eatables for cattle. |
| scramhag | an undesirable covering on a melted potion [sic] of fat when in the process of being
melted, thus advisable as: thoir dhe’n scramhag th’air uachdar. |
| sgramhag | [See scramhag.] |
| E. Any further information about your sources |
| [note] | I’ll enquire. |
| màm | ulcerous wound, infesting, externally under the auxter. 2. Gaelic ‘at’ –
festing [sic] [festering?] wound approached by an expertee [sic] who used to act with an axe
head towards the wound and reciting [sic] a chant, etc. for cure. Have heard of it
(orally). |
| King’s Evil | King’s Evil wound cured through the seventh member of a family, a boy or girl of
a successive line, that is, a family of [sic] having a member male or female, the seventh
coming one after another in this order so to speak: the first arrival being a boy, or an
arrival being a boy, and the next a boy, a boy, a boy till seven, the seventh is accounted
for. He is the healer in this case, using a formula representing the case. (I have seen a
patient who received this mode of cure, it was believed in extensively on
Harris.) |
| faochagan-geal | medical properties, was [sic] boiled and the water in which they were
boiled in [sic] was drank for worms in children (cure). |
| Noted as glossary XV |
| cotan | cotton, cotton wool was used in cuts and bruises. The cotton wool put on the wood
[sic] [wound?] and bandaged, after the wound was cleansed and Epsom salts used as a
disinfectant in cold water, or lukewarm water, tepid, perhaps as likely cold water was more
appropriate in the congealation [sic] of blood, to stop the bleeding. Cotton was also used
in having it soaked in hot olive oil, and placed in the ear for earache. Drops of hot olive
oil were injected or allowed to run off a teaspoon, inside the ear, to soften hard wax in
the ear, etc. etc. |
| olainn | wool was used but disapproved of eventually as in the (suspect) case of having
germs. |
| F. Other information not covered above |
| Sheep diseases |
| spùt | diarrhoea (dysentery, on [sic] sheep). |
| [note] | In vocabulary form, order or glossary |
| bracsaidh | braxy. |
| spog-dhubh | black-leg. |
| glupad | pulpy kidney, also ‘liabagan anns a ghrùthan’. |
| duppadh | dipping to prevent parasites. |
| a chloimh | dipping is helpful, is the cure also from what I have already noted previously
(maggots). |
| na gartain | tick [sic]. |
| mialan-dearga | keds. |
| malan-chaorach | [sic] [mialan as above?] sheep lice. |
| a chloimh | sheep scab. ‘Smiùradh’ process by tar was the originally [sic] process. Nowadays
the dipping fluid, etc. is the process, alternatively. (Same [i.e. as ‘a chloimh’ above] but
‘smiùradh’ by the tar process was the original remedy.) (Brochan teth, stiùrag theth ma’s e
fuachd neo buaidh an fhuachd ’s an uisge – b’aobhar.) [NOTES: not sure if the second note in
brackets is part of the definition. Not clear where it belongs.] |
| [leabaidh-thiorman] | Tha chaora còmhnuidh ag iarraidh leabaidh-thiorman. Thus otherwise she is prone
to pneumonia, etc. as one expert remarked to me… |
| Cattle |
| [the evil eye] | Affected by the evil eye, subjected to its influence, was
sprinkled over with water in which silver coins were placed, etc., thus a cure. |
| [buidheagan] | Too much of buttercups (‘buidheagan’) (flowers) or variety improper in the
feeding caused sickness to cattle. Empoms [sic] [Epsom?] salts were recommended, doses up to
as was termed 6 packets were (recommended) as a dose, etc. |
| [oatmeal] | Oatmeal in hot water (mixed) also was observed as a
beverage to cattle. |
| is-sproillean | throat infection. |
| [canna] | B’ann le canna, can, a bhiodhta a cur na stiuraig na bial,
etc. neo nam bial. |
| Noted as glossary XVI |
| spuir-eòin | birthmark. The likelihood of it showing the resemblance of a bird’s claws, in the
most frequent of cases. |
| saus’ | fish soup. The water in which fish is boiled is re-boiled with further amount of
water added to a boiling continuation, and onions and oatmeal added, and salt. |
| cnuimh | maggot. Used on a fishing hook for bait in fishing brown trout. Anything wriggly
will attract trout. |
| buntàta | raw bits, broken into crumbs (buntàta air a phronnadh le cloich) is [sic] used as
a lure for fish when fishing with a spoon-net (‘tàbh’). The mashed potato thrown above the net
sinks gradually luring the fish into the net and then the net lifted with the fish inside.
The fish is caught unawares so to speak. |
| gnàthladh | small collection, as in the event of collecting berries and asked ‘an t’fhuair
sibh gin?’ The answer: ‘Fhuair sinn gnàthladh.’ Still used on Scalpay, Harris in connection
with fishing: gnàthladh sgadain – scatter, small scatter. |
| F. Other information not covered above |
| bratag-fhraoich | if allowed to draw itself across a patient’s tongue was believed to be a cure for
the patient suffering from burns. I have heard this mentioned – perhaps faith
cure. |
| Cattle (continued) |
| is broillean | external throat infection. Cure: ‘prènistir’ – sulphur given in water. Also
‘slòcan’ – ‘soft seaweed’ mixed with food from the pail. |
| chaileach-ribeach | ‘wart’ inside mouth. The cure was cutting it by scissors, or an appropriate
instrument. |
| sùil-na-leise | strained limb. Piece of woollen blanket with tar applied to feet, to the strained
part, was the cure. |
| biastan-a-chruidh | little ‘red ticks’ nibbling the flesh. Cure: ‘achduinn-ghorm’ – blue ointment
applied usually at the back of horns to avoid it being licked. Sheep dip was also used as a
destroyer. |
| stàrr is feamainn chirean | [sic] given to cattle with ‘is-sproillean’ [q.v.] and ‘nis-sproillean’, I have
discovered the two pronunciations, perhaps there are the two words, seemingly. I shall make
more investigation. Stàrr (coarse grass) is feamainn chìrean air a chuir cuide ris, ’s air
an goil, ’s an sin leigeil leis gu fuarachadh, ’s a h-uile cail a bh’ann a thoirt dh’an
bhoin, sùgh is eile… |
| Noted as glossary XVII |
| spòg-an-fhithich | birthmark. |
| fuailit-lof | poultice made of a loaf for abstraction, abstracting festering matter from a
festering wound. |
| fuailit | poultice. From ‘fuail’ urine and ‘lite’ porridge (1 [?]). Fuailit theth – hot
poultice, etc. |
| [ola] | ola-ghrùthain – liver oil, oil from melted liver, was used as a fuel for the old
time ‘crusee’ lighting system in the home. Taken for colds, chest troubles. Cod liver oil –
‘ola nan trosg’ for colds. Originally: ola-ghriùthain ’s ola-ròin. |
| cumachd-leigheas | healing power. |
| branndaidh | brandy (spirits). A [sic] reviving medicinally spirits, medicinally drunk, as in
the instances or interests, if you like, of faints, weaknesses… |
