Amador ServinApril 17

Almost everyone hangs logs with (hives of) royal bees next to their house. The honey is very sweet. After giving birth, women take a 50-50 mixture of honey and alcohol, two inches of each in a glass. Men who have suffered a severe blow at work also take this to “cleanse the stomach” (“limpia el estómago”). They also place one or two drops of honey in the eye for (that is, to counteract) the evil eye.

Camilo Jiménez

Preventative medicine to counteract epilepsy is used for newborns. Esencia Maravillosa—“Marvelous Essence,” a patent medicine, is painted on the veins of the extremities, on the back, chest and head. They also take a dose of royal honey, “Esencia” and alcohol. Everyone does this because if a child contracts this there is no salvation. This is given frequently under the direction of the midwife until the child has passed the time of peril.

For evil eye one puts honey in the eyes with a bit of refined cotton.

Francisco Mendoza

There is a patent medicine to cure alcoholism. It also stops the urge to smoke: two spoonfuls every time one feels the desire. Leonardo Ronquillo took it and no longer smokes or drinks. (Camilo Jiménez took it before I left and he did not get drunk again.)

Arcadio Servín

When a snake bites someone, people suck it with their mouth full of alcohol and tobacco. Plácido Cecilio was bitten by a pit viper --“rabo de hueso,” literally “bone tail” [likely a Bothrops asper, also known as a fer de lance]. He immediately burned the effected area with the end of a cigarette and nothing happened to him.

Silvestre Cuevas

Royal honey is given to children who are unable to nurse from their mothers. It is mixed with olive oil.

Amador ServinApril 17

For asthma one places a cloth [soaked] with zapote oil on the chest of the child.

Benifacio JiménezApril 20

To remedy a hangover after a drunk one eats lots of sugar cane.

Melchor García

To remedy a hangover one must have a little more rum, then coffee and a large meal in order to sweat a great deal to bring out the heat that is inside.

The house of Carmen’s mother (the departed wife of Silvestre)

Silvestre CuevasMay 5

The fat of a cow is kept in the house of his mother-in-law to use when one is cut or to extract chiggers. They apply gasoline after taking out the chiggers.

Silvestre CuevasMay 20

When the umbilical cord falls off, it is kept, because when pus is excreted from the eyes, the umbilical cord is used to absorb the pus.