Medicine: Folk Remedies

For 34 years Dr. Joseph L. Miller, 59, of small Thomas, W. Va. has been mending coal miners, delivering their women, treating their families. The hillbillies in turn have taught him their folk remedies, a list of which he read to a Medical Library Association meeting in Baltimore last week. Among remedies which Dr. Thomas found West Virginians using and which he thought big city folks doubtless use, were:

Asafetida suspended in a little sack from the neck to prevent acute infectious diseases like measles, diphtheria, whooping cough.

Necklaces of amber to prevent...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!