themselves, confining attempts at translation to those that are archaic and
have a recognised modern synonym.
All too often, unfortunately, folk records have been mediated through
practitioners of official medicine or pharmacy, who have placed their own
sophisticated interpretations on the ailments in question when reporting
them. This may well have led to an element of distortion. Allegedly folk
records of complaints such as diabetes sound particularly suspicious, though
it is always possible that a genuinely folk remedy has been used before or after
diagnosis by a physician.
MODE OF USE
Many records extend to details, sometimes quite elaborate, of how a partic-
ular remedy is or has been prepared and applied. For reasons of space it has
only been possible to include these in the following pages in a few cases. Read-
ers seeking information on this aspect may find following up the reference to
the source of the record is well rewarded.
38 Names of Ailments