Table of contents

From Atlas Etnográfico de Vasconia
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I. HEALTH AND PEOPLE’S ATTITUDE

The body

Hair

    • Hair colour
    • Hair and illness

Colour of the eyes

    • Qualities attributed to the eye colour
    • Eye colour and illness

Eyebrow shape

Health bodily signs

    • Fatness
    • Build
    • Other health signs

Temperament

    • Types of temperament
    • Basque categories

Environmental influence

Weather

    • Night air
    • Night dew and dampness
    • Winds

The changing of the seasons and phases of the moon

Improving the air in the patient's room

    • Burning sugar, alcohol and incense
    • Burning and boiling herbs

Clothing

Food

    • Health and unhealthy food
    • Harmful food previously considered to be healthy
    • Comfort food and drinks
    • Refreshing food and drinks
    • Intake of food
    • Curative virtues of water

Name of the illnesses

Contagious diseases

Epidemics

Quarantine and insolating the ill

Contemporary transitions

Deferral of homemade remedies

Food and household hygiene

Social Security

Preventive medicine

II. SYMPTOMS AND GENERAL REMEDIES

Fever or temperature

Names

Fever-related illnesses

    • Fever in childhood illnesses

Types of fever

    • Typhoid fever
    • Malta fever

Remedies for ordinary or flu-like temperatures

    • Apply cold presses and take baths
    • Infusions and bloodletting
    • Intake of liquids and food
    • Other remedies

Remedies against Malta fevers and typhoid fever

Sweating

Illnesses where sweating is used

Measures to make people sweat

    • Sweating and staying in bed
    • Hot milk with honey
    • Treatments made with wine

Rubs

Procedures and objects using to rub

Liquids or other items used in the rubs

    • Alcohol rubs
    • Iodine rubs
    • Vinegar rubs
    • Grease rubs
    • Nettle rubs
    • Poultice rubs
    • Rubs with pharmaceutical products

Illnesses where rubs are used

III. FOLK MEDICINE

Folk medicine

Healers

    • Local healers
    • Bonesetters
    • Healers of different illnesses

People who apply healing practices

    • Carers

Medicines kept at home

Medicinal plants cultivated

Medicinal herbs collected in the fields or mountains

HEAD

IV. HEAD AILMENTS

Headaches

Names and types

Causes of headaches

Headache remedies

    • Bed rest
    • Applying poultices
    • Herbal tisanes
    • Stisanem inhalation
    • Decongesting the head
    • Different remedies
    • Magical remedies
    • Medicines

Vertigo and dizziness

Vertigo

Height vertigo

Dizziness

    • Dizziness remedies
    • Dizziness caused by braziers
    • Travel sickness

Inebriation

Nostalgia

Origin of nostalgia

Remedies to cure nostalgia

Alienation

Names and expressions

Causes of the madness

    • Suffering and depression
    • Mental effort and blows to the head
    • Genetic and consanguinity
    • Female reproductive physiology
    • The moon and southerly wind
    • Old age and other causes

Remedies for nervous illnesses

St. Vitus dance

Names

Causes of the St. Vitus dance

Remedies against St. Vitus dance

Epilepsy

Names

Causes of epilepsy

Symptoms of epilepsy

Remedies for epilepsy

V. TOOTHACHE

Remedies for cavities and teeth infections

Mouthwashes and poultices

Aromatic substances and steam inhalations

Applying heat

Applying cold

Remedies for abscesses and other inflammations

Remedies with garlic

Other practices

Folk remedies

Extracting teeth and molars

Teeth pulling at home

Teeth extractions by skilled people

VI. EYE DISEASES

Eye conditions

Eye colds

Pink eye

Eye inflammation

Bleary eyed

Irritated eyes and ocular spills

Stye

Names

Causes

Remedies

    • Applying an iron key
    • Applying a gold ring

Extracting foreign bodies

Stone or metal objects

Rubbing and lifting the eyelids

Using water

Keeping the eye closed

Use of auxiliary objects

Folk remedies

Squints. Crossed-eyes

Names

Causes

Correcting squints

Blindness

VII. EAR DISEASES

Earache

Olive oil

Earwax build-up

Mother's milk

Remedies with plants

Applying heat and other remedies

Buzzing or humming

Deafness

SKIN

VIII. SKIN IRRITATIONS AND LESIONS


SKIN LESIONS:

Abrasions, urratua and surface wounds

Names

Empirical remedies

    • Water and soap
    • Oil and lard
    • Herbs
    • Garlic and egg
    • Powders and urine

Remedies for festering wounds

    • Boiled water and soap
    • Onion and oil with herbs
    • Pasmo-belarra and ebaki-belarra
    • Mallow

Burns

Remedies

    • Cold water, snow and heat
    • Soap, virgin oil and lime
    • Potato, egg white, other products
    • Animal dung
    • Elder, wax and oil
    • Plants
    • Burn cloths

Blisters and infections due to burns

Pharmaceutical remedies

Skin cracking

Causes and names

Cracking remedies

    • Urine
    • Lard and wax
    • Plants
    • Skin

Calluses

Causes

Names

Empirical remedies

    • Plants
    • Water baths and curettage

Other remedies

Pharmaceutical remedies

SKIN IRRITATIONS:

Eczema, legena

Causes and names

Empirical remedies

    • Oils
    • Plants
    • Herbal tisanes
    • Healing waters

Other remedies

Other skin irritations

IX. SKIN CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AND INFECTIONS


SKIN INFECTIONS:

Chilblains

Names

Causes

Remedies

    • Water concoctions Snow
    • Plants. Ash
    • Disinfectants
    • Burning objects

Boils

Causes and names

Empirical remedies

    • Onions
    • Water compresses
    • Dressings and ointments
      • Onions
      • Rennet and breadcrumbs
      • Verbena and sage
      • Ivy and cuckoo-pint
      • Osabedarra and uztabedarra
      • Elder
      • Bitter gourd and latex
      • Mallow
      • Oil, grease and wax
      • Snails and clay

Acne inversa

Inflammations

Remedies for inflammations

Remedies for neck inflammations. Growing pains

Whitlows

Causes and names

Empirical remedies

    • Hot water
    • Onions
    • Flour or bread dressings
    • Plant poultices
    • Greasy ointments

Spots and acne

Spots

    • Remedies

Acne

    • Remedies

Herpes

Causes

Empirical remedies

Belief remedies

Herpes area

Erysipelas

Causes and names

Empirical remedies

SKIN CONTAGIOUS DISEASES:

Scabies

Causes and names

Empirical remedies

    • Lard and sulphur
    • Water baths and plant decoctions

Belief remedies

    • Purification in the St. John's bonfire
    • Purification with St. John's dew
    • St. John's water

Ringworm

Causes

Remedies

Sexual diseases

Social issue and way of contracting them

Names

Remedies

Lice

Appendix 1: Whitlows. Curing rites and formulas

Appendix 2: Neck scrofula. Curing rites and formulas

X. SKIN MARKS. HAIR AND NAILS


SKIN MARKS:

Warts

Names

Causes

Empirical remedies

    • Plant latex
    • Poultices
    • Plant nitrate and other products
    • Tying with silk thread
    • Menstruation and sage

Belief remedies

Grains of salt

Ablutions with water and entreaties before rainbows

Rites with plants and fruits

    • Bulrushes
    • Juniper berries
    • Apples. Bacon
    • Garlic. Onions
    • Grains of wheat, chickpeas and stones
    • Olive and boxwood leaves
    • Slugs, limpets and toads
    • Coin offerings

Freckles and moles

Names

Causes

Beliefs

Remedies

Cravings and blanket

HAIR AND NAILS:

Baldness

Beliefs and names

Causes of baldness

Baldness remedies

    • Recommendations and beliefs
    • Empirical remedies
    • Ointments

St. John's day and May water

Dandruff

Nails

Beliefs about nail clipping

Beliefs about hangnails

SWEATING:

Foot sweating

Causes

Precautionary measures

Empirical remedies

BLOOD

XI. BLOOD

Blood impurities

Causes of blood impurities

Remedies to deal with blood impurities

    • Cleansing the blood
    • Blood thinning. High blood pressure
    • Improving blood circulation

Bloodletting

Different types of bloodletting

Obtaining leeches

Diseases treated by bloodletting

Ways of applying the leaches and carrying out the bloodletting

Appropriate times for bloodletting

Diabetes

Anaemia

Nose bleeds

Tilting back the head

Applying cold

Plugging the nose

Other remedies

Haemorrhoids and varicose veins

Causes

Remedies

Varicose veins

INTERNAL ORGANS

XII. RESPIRATORY DISEASES

Cold

Names

General remedies

    • Stisanem inhalation
    • Honey with milk or with lemon juice
    • Wine hot toddy
    • Herbal tisanes
    • Feet soaking

Sneezing

Head cold. Sinusitis

Stuffy nose

Names

Remedies for stuffy noses

    • Salt water
    • Stisanem inhalation

Sore throats

Names

Remedies for sore throats

    • Ash, bran, salt
    • Poultices
    • Sheep's wool
    • Rubbing alcohol wipes
    • Rubbing the throat
    • Gargling
    • Stisanem inhalation
    • Wine hot toddy
    • Herbal tisanes
    • Juices and different remedies

Cough remedies

    • Hot milk and juices
    • Herbal tisanes and syrups
    • Pharmaceutical remedies

Loss of voice, hoarseness

    • Gargling
    • Drinks and herbal tisanes

Asthma

Flu

Chest cold

Names

Remedies for chest colds

    • Poultices
    • Rubbing alcohol wipes
    • Sitz baths
    • Iodine tincture
    • Stisanem inhalation
    • Syrups
    • Herbal tisanes

Pneumonia

Names

Remedies for pneumonia

Cupping

    • Conditions for which it is used
    • Application methods
    • People who apply the cups and time
    • Validity

Pleurisy

Consumption

Names

Causes, symptoms and transmission of the disease

Remedies and precautionary measures

    • Recommendations
    • Home remedies
    • Poultices
    • Precautionary measures
    • Tuberculosis sanatorium

Rib pain

Names

Causes of rib pain

Rib pain remedies

    • Applying heat
    • Poultices
    • Other remedies

Hiccups

Names and causes

Empirical remedies

    • Scaring them away
    • Drinking water
    • Holding one's breath
    • Turning garments inside out or an object over
    • Pressures and postures

XIII. STOMACH AND INTESTINES

Stomach upsets

Names

Causes of stomach upsets

    • Excessive eating and drinking
    • Chills
    • Nerves, annoyances and genetic causes

Stomach pains and their remedies

    • Camomile tisane
    • Peppermint, linden, wild tisanes
    • Infusions of other plants
    • Applying heat to the stomach
    • Poultices and rubs
    • Dieting
    • Digestive beverages

Urdailena

Dropped stomach

    • Causes and names
    • Remedies

Stomach ulcer

    • Remedies

Indigestion, betetasuna

    • Remedies

Heartburn

    • Remedies

Burping and belching

Miserere colic

Vomiting

Names

Types of vomit

Causes of vomiting

    • Natural causes
    • Circumstantial causes

Emetics

    • Means to cause vomiting

Poisoning

    • Remedies for poisoning

Diarrhoea

Causes

Names

Empirical remedies

    • Fasting and dieting
    • Rice, lemonade, white wine
    • Quince, egg white, grated apple and other fruits
    • Dairy products
    • Different anti-diarrheal cures

Plant tisanes

    • Tea, camomile and loosestrife
    • Rose hip, yarrow and bramble shoots
    • Flax and other plants

Contemporary transitions

Constipation

Causes

Names

Empirical remedies

    • Fruit diet
    • Raw oil and castor oil
    • Drinking water

Plant tisanes

Soap cuttings

Enemas and implements to insert them

Pharmaceutical remedies and contemporary transitions

Worms

Causes

    • Eating sweets
    • Drinking milk or water
    • Contact with dirt

Names

Symptoms and effects

Worm eliminating medicines

    • Garlic
    • Concoctions
    • Herbal tisanes
    • Poultices
    • Enemas
    • Pharmaceutical remedies

Belief remedies

    • Garlic
    • Rue

Tapeworm

Appendix: Curing hernia on St. John's Eve

XIV. LIVER, KIDNEY AND OTHER ENTRAILS

Liver diseases

Causes of liver ailments

Remedies for liver ailments

Jaundice

Causes of jaundice

Symptoms of jaundice

Names for jaundice

Remedies to cure jaundice

    • Swallowing lice
    • Drinking tisanes
    • Resting and eating clean food
    • Belief remedies

Gallbladder diseases

Causes of gallbladder ailments

Remedies for gallbladder ailments

Spleen diseases

Causes of spleen ailments

Belief remedies for spleen ailments

Kidney diseases

Ailments and names

Diuretics and remedies for cystitis

    • Corn whiskers
    • Horsetail
    • Couch grass. Cherry stalks
    • Parsley
    • Different tisanes
    • Applying heat

Remedies for kidney stones

    • Stone breakers
    • Onions

Belief remedies for kidney ailments

Heart diseases

Causes

Names

Remedies

Dropsy

Disease and symptoms

Empirical remedies

Belief remedies

Cancer

Names

Beliefs and considerations

Remedies

BONES

XV. LUMBAGO AND RHEUMATIC AILMENTS

Rheumatism

Causes of rheumatism

Remedies to cure rheumatism

    • Applying heat
    • Rubbings
    • Baths
    • Tisanes and decoctions
    • Remedies with garlic
    • Remedies with nettles
    • Dormouse fat and badger fat
    • Copper bracelets
    • Potato or chestnut in the pocket
    • Other folk remedies

Lumbago

Causes of lumbago

Remedies for lumbago

    • Applying heat
    • Rubbings, massages and baths
    • Waist back support and applying patches
    • Folk remedies

Sciatica

Synovitis

Stiff necks; cramps and sore feet

Hump

Causes and names

Remedies

Beliefs and social aspects

Rickets

Names

Causes

Remedies

XVI. FRACTURES AND DISLOCATIONS

Bone fractures

Bonesetters

Consulting local healers

Operations carried out by the healers

Continued existence of the healers

Sprains and dislocations

Names

Remedies for twists

Common remedies for sprains and dislocations

Dislocation healers

Blows

Bruising

Salt water

Herbs and poultices

Appendix: Zantiratua

INJURIES

XVII. WOUNDS AND BLEEDING. EXTRACTING THORNS

Stopping bleeding caused by wounds

Small wounds

    • Water and disinfectants
    • Applying pressure
    • Cigarette paper and cobwebs
    • Thistles and other plants
    • Ash and powdery substances Other practices

Serious wounds. Tourniquets

Curing and infection of wounds

Gangrene

Causes

Remedies and prevention

    • Cauterisation and bleeding
    • Poultices
    • Herbal tisanes

Tetanus

Causes

Remedies and prevention

Extracting thorns/bones and foreign bodies

Using pins, needles and spikes

Using tweezers

Applying gall and other animal products

Plant remedies

Treating puncture infections

Wounds caused by nails

Bones stuck in the throat

Appendix: Lightheaded wounded

XVIII. BITES AND STINGS

Dog bites

Treating the wounded

Rabies

    • Christmas Eve bread
    • Causes of rabies
    • Symptoms of the disease
    • Treatment
    • Folk healers
    • Outcome of the disease

Snake bites

Folk remedies and healers

Empirical remedies

    • Cauterisations
    • Plant remedies
    • Applying hen cloacal swabs
    • Lancing, sucking and applying tourniquets
    • Different remedies

Attacks by others animals

Insect bites/stings

Bees and wasps

Mosquitoes, horseflies, lice and fleas

Ticks and scorpions

XIX. FROSTBITE, HEAT-STROKE, CHOKING AND LIGHTNING STRIKE

Frostbite

Heat-stroke

Remedies against heat-stroke

Choking

Lightning strike

Protecting people

    • Caution with trees. Hawthorn
    • Caution with metal tools
    • Caution with livestock
    • House-related prevention
    • Other prevention

Remedies applies to lightning injuries

Sudden death

THE REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE

XX. REPRODUCTION

Menstruation

Names

Precautionary measures during menstruation

    • Referring to the woman herself
    • Referring to touching food and plants

Remedies for menstrual pain

Pregnancy and delivery

Breast-feeding ailments

Out of sorts

    • Applying heat
    • Charm to protect the breasts
    • Comforters

Cracked nipples

Pregnancy terminations

Miscarriages

Abortions

    • Abortifacient plants and other methods

Avoiding pregnancy

Sterility and fertility

Beliefs and social aspects

Menopause

EARLY CHILDHOOD

XXI. CHILDHOOD ILLNESSES

Infectious diseases

Measles

    • Disease and names
    • Remedies

Whooping cough

    • Disease and names
    • Remedies
      • Clean air
      • Snail slime
      • Prickly pear sap
      • Kerosene
      • Breathing smoke
      • Tisanes and milk
      • Sweating
      • Drinking water
      • Vaccination

Mumps

    • Disease and names
    • Remedies
      • Bran and poultices
      • Sheep's wool
      • Tissue

Chickenpox

Rubella

Diphtheria

Scarlet fever

Other diseases

Skin diseases

Dandruff

    • Names and identification
    • Remedies

Scabs

Impetigo

Jaundice

Spots

Swellings

Digestive ailments

Stomach ache

Constipation

Respiratory diseases

XXII. TEETHING. BED-WETTING. SPEAKING AND NERVE PROBLEMS

Teething

First teeth

Permanent teeth

Bed-wetting

Precautions to avoid bed-wetting

Associated beliefs and folk remedies

Speaking problems

Names

Causes

Remedies

Nervous spasms

Names

Causes of convulsions

Remedies against convulsions

BELIEF-BASED MEDICINE

XXIII. BELIEFS ABOUT THE CAUSE OF SOME DISEASES

A curse as the cause of the disease

Names

Spells and curses Belief in their effectiveness

Effect of the curse

Beggar's or gypsy's curse

Common curses and wishing ill

Cursing formulas

Lahiga gesture

Evil eye and its health effects

Names

Agents

Patients

Symptoms

Survival of the belief

Protective remedies

    • Gospels
    • Ancient kutunes (charms)
    • Sash
    • Religious medals

Curing the evil eye

    • Blessed water from three churches
    • Family water and indigo water
    • Father's shirt
    • Clothes worn inside out
    • Diagnosis using molten led

XXIV. HEALTH AND POPULAR RELIGION

Vows and promises

Promise to put on a religious habit

Vows leading to pilgrims to shrines

Chapels and shrines frequented in case of illness

To pray for offspring

    • Santa Casilda. Briviesca (Burgos)
    • San Fausto. Bujanda (A)
    • Our Lady of Angosto and Golden Chapel (A)
    • San Miguel de Aralar (N)
    • Our Lady of Ujué. Javier Castle (N)
    • San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Andra Mari de Almike (B)
    • Andra Mari de Agirre. Gorliz (B)
    • Loyola Basilica (G)
    • Sandaili (San Elías). Oñati (G)
    • Other places of pilgrimage

Pregnancy and delivery

Early childhood diseases

Offering up the children at shrines

    • Our Lady of Olmo. Quintanilla de Valdegovía and Our Lady of Angosto (A)
    • San Antonio de Urkiola (B)
    • Our Lady of Antigua. Orduña (B)
    • Our Lady of Gardotza. Berriatua (B)
    • San Miguel de Aralar (N), Our Lady of Dorleta and Our Lady of Arrate (G)
    • Santo Cristo de Lezo (G)
    • Corpus Christi altar. Agurain (A)

Breastfeeding problems

Rickets

    • Our Lady of Arrate. Eibar (G)
    • Santa María Magdalena de Lamindano. Dima (B)
    • Santa Magdalena. Atharratze (Z)
    • Other places of pilgrimage

Delay in learning to walk

    • San Kiliz. Otazu (A)
    • San Miguel de Villabona. Artaza. Foronda (A)
    • San Esteban. Oñati (G)
    • San Bartolomé. Antzuola (G)
    • Santa Ana. Albiztur (G)
    • San Buenaventura. Unanua (N)
    • San Vicente (Bixintxo). Heleta (BN)
    • San Esteban. Errezil (G)

Delay in talking and stuttering

Cry babies

Spells

    • Our Lady of the Spells. Arbeiza (N)
    • San Antonio de Urkiola (B)
    • San Pedro de Zarikete. Zalla (B)
    • San Felicísimo. Deusto (B)
    • Our Lady of Vega de Haro (La Rioja)
    • San Bernardo de Barria monastery(A)
    • Santa Isabel. Idiazabal (G)

Sleep disorders

    • San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Bermeo (B)
    • San Juan de Olaberria (G)
    • San Bartolomé chapels
    • San Bartolomé oratory Sangüesa (N)
    • San Mamés. Zamudio and Kortezubi (B)
    • Our Lady of Uba, Altza and Santa Marina, Astisanesu (G)
    • San Miguel Bekoa, Errezil. San Esteban, Bergara. San Isidro, Oñati. San Pelayo, Zarautz (G) and Lekunberri (N)

Bed-wetting

Adult diseases

Headaches

  Placing the head in recesses

    • San Miguel de Excelsis. Aralar (N)
    • San Esteban. Usurbil (G)
    • San Pedro de Zegama and Our Lady of Zikuñaga. Hernani (G)
    • La Bien Aparecida chapel. Ampuero (Cantabria)
    • Shrine of the Maundy Thursday Monument

  Placing the head inside the bell

    • Golden Chapel. Murgia (A)
    • Our Lady of Antigua. Ondarroa (B)
    • San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Bermeo (B)
    • Our Lady of Okon (A)
    • San Martín. Castillo-Elejabeitia (B)

  Garments, water and making the way to the chapel

    • Santa Felicia. Labiano (N)
    • San Guillermo. Obanos (N)
    • San Víctor de Gauna (A)
    • San Víctor. Obecuri (A)
    • Santa Águeda. Alonsotegi (B)
    • Santa Águeda. Natxitua (B)

  Other practices

    • Santísima Trinidad. Andagoia (A)
    • San Prudencio. Getaria (G)
    • San Formerio. Ribera Alta (A)
    • San Pantaleón. Zalla (B)
    • Santa Leocadia. Urnieta (G)
    • Santa Elena. Irun (G)
    • Our Lady of Dorleta Gatzaga (G)
    • Other places of pilgrimage

Eye diseases

Earache

Toothache

Sore throats

Rheumatism

Skin diseases

    • Springs and wells with healing waters
      • Dandruff or herpes
      • Boils
      • Warts

Stomach aches

Fevers

Dropsy

Rabies

    • San Bernardo de Barria (A)
    • Santa Quiteria
    • San Roque
    • Other protecting saints