The Manure Cure

Preserved By Jeffrey Rowan Lockhart © 1987

Issue: July, 1987

Found written by my great aunt Frances Almoth Scholz. Myrtle and Meeks were Almoth's sisters and Hayden was Myrtle's husband. From the letter:

Myrtle and Hayden had a horse and buggy and Myrtle drove down to the Yadkin River to see us often (about 2 or 3 miles). Her horse was named Jerry and she could hook him up to the buggy right by herself and she would always take me for a ride.

One day while we still lived at the Yadkin River, Meeks and Mama with some of the neighbors were out in the yard beside the well washing clothes. Everybody did not have a well so they would come to our house to wash their clothes. Well Meeks came by me carrying a bucket of water she had just got out of the wash pot and little Almoth was playing with some of the other kids and by accident [I] stuck my arm in that bucket up to my elbow. It happened so quick that no one could help it – so the first call went to the doctor – I think his name was Doctor Mink and he lived in Spencer – the second call went to Myrtle – we had a phone. Myrtle got there about the same time as the doctor – I bet she really made Jerry trot. The skin on my arm was hanging down like a piece of paper – I can still see it right today – everybody was crying and of course I was bawling – even the boys were crying – well the doctor told the boys to go out and get up the freshest cow manure they could find (we had a cow) so the doctor took his scissors and cut all the skin off that was hanging off and the boys came right in and he packed my arm in that cow manure hard and all clean up to where it was scalded (that is right pure cow manure) – then Myrtle put me in the buggy and rode me around until I went to sleep – don't guess Hayden got any hot supper that day – anyway I don't have a scar and no bad effects afterward.