Table of contents

I. HEALTH AND POPULAR THOUGHT

The body

Hair

• • Hair colour
  • Hair and illness

Colour of the eyes

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

Health bodily signs

• • Fatness
  • Build
  • Other health signs

Temperament

• • Types of temperament
  • Basque categories

Environmental influence

Climate

• • Night air
  • Night dew and dampness
  • Winds

Improving the air in the patient's room

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

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

 

II. SYMPTOMS AND GENERAL REMEDIES

Fever or temperature

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

Sweating

Measures to make people sweat

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

Rubs

Liquids or other items used in the rubs

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

 

III. FOLK MEDICINE

Folk medicine

Healers

• • Local healers
  • Bonesetters
  • Healers of different illnesses

People who apply healing practices

• • Carers

 

HEAD

IV. HEAD AILMENTS

Headaches

Headache remedies

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

Dizziness and sickness

Sickness

• • Sickness remedies
  • Sickness caused by braziers
  • Travel sickness

Alienation

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

 

 

VI. EYE DISEASES

Stye

Remedies

• • Applying an iron key
  • Applying a gold ring

 

 

SKIN

VIII. SKIN IRRITATIONS AND LESIONS

Abrasions, urratua and surface wounds

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

Skin cracking

Cracking remedies

• • Urine
  • Lard and wax
  • Plants
  • Skin

Calluses

Empirical remedies

• • Plants
  • Water baths and curettage

Eczema, legena

Empirical remedies

• • Oils
  • Plants
  • Herbal tisanes
  • Healing waters

 

IX. SKIN CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AND INFECTIONS

Chilblains

Remedies

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

Boils

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

Whitlows

Empirical remedies

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

Spots and acne

Spots

• • Remedies

Acne

• • Remedies

Scabies

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

 

X. SKIN MARKS. HAIR AND NAILS

Warts

Empirical remedies

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

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

Baldness

Baldness remedies

• • Recommendations and beliefs
  • Empirical remedies
  • Ointments

 

BLOOD

XI. BLOOD

Blood impurities

Remedies to deal with blood impurities

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

 

INTERNAL ORGANS

XII. RESPIRATORY DISEASES

Cold

General remedies

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

Stuffy nose

Remedies for stuffy noses

• • Salt water
  • Stisanem inhalation

Sore throats

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

Chest cold

Remedies for chest colds

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

Pneumonia

Cupping

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

Consumption

Remedies and precautionary measures

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

Rib pain

Rib pain remedies

• • Applying heat
  • Poultices
  • Other remedies

Hiccups

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

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

Dropped stomach

• • Causes and names
  • Remedies

Stomach ulcer

• • Remedies

Indigestion, betetasuna

• • Remedies

Heartburn

• • Remedies

Vomiting

Causes of vomiting

• • Natural causes
  • Circumstantial causes

Emetics

• • Means to cause vomiting

Poisoning

• • Remedies for poisoning

Diarrhoea

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

Constipation

Empirical remedies

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

Worms

Causes

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

Worm eliminating medicines

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

Belief remedies

• • Garlic
  • Rue

 

XIV. LIVER, KIDNEY AND OTHER ENTRAILS

Jaundice

Remedies to cure jaundice

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

Kidney diseases

Diuretics and remedies for cystitis

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

Remedies for kidney stones

• • Stone breakers
  • Onions

 

BONES

XV. LUMBAGO AND RHEUMATIC AILMENTS

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

Remedies for lumbago

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

 

 

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

Gangrene

Remedies and prevention

• • Cauterisation and bleeding
  • Poultices
  • Herbal tisanes

 

XVIII. BITES AND STINGS

Dog bites

Rabies

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

Snake bites

Empirical remedies

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

 

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

Lightning strike

Protecting people

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

 

THE REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE

XX. REPRODUCTION

Menstruation

Precautionary measures during menstruation

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

Breast-feeding ailments

Out of sorts

• • Applying heat
  • Charm to protect the breasts
  • Comforters

Pregnancy terminations

Abortions

• • Abortifacient plants and other methods

 

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

Skin diseases

Dandruff

• • Names and identification
  • Remedies

 

 

BELIEF-BASED MEDICINE

XXIII. BELIEFS ABOUT THE CAUSE OF SOME DISEASES

Evil eye and its health effects

Protective remedies

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

 

XXIV. HEALTH AND POPULAR RELIGION

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

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)

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)

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)

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

Skin diseases

• • Springs and wells with healing waters

• • • Dandruff or herpes
    • Boils
    • Warts

Rabies

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