As if the year 2020 hasn’t been wild enough, brace yourself: On July 22, 2020, we entered a 32 day stretch in which ancient scientists warned that “men may behave as wild beasts” and that “the heat of the sun is so violent that men’s bodies at midnight sweat as at midday: and if they be hurt, they be more sick than at any other time, yea very near dead”. Because of the miseries and dangers associated with this time, the 1729 British Husbandman’s Practice advised men to “abstain all this time from women” and to “take heed of feeding violently”.
The days are known as the Dog Days of Summer and throughout Appalachia, they were closely followed by Granny Women and farmers alike.
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When I was about 7-8 years old my mother and daddy along with my grandmothers PREACHED the perils of "dog days" ( mid-July through the end of August). It was absolutely verboten to go barefooted across a dewy yard or pasture with an open wound. One didn't get in stagnant water, especially if one had a cut or sore. There must be something too it. Look at all the people that get bacterial infections (flesh and brain eating afflictions) these days simply from swimming, etc.
ReplyDeleteBaccy. Ya need ta chew Baccy during dog days so's ya don't get worms. Make sure ya stay ta hell outta the riva, river, too.
ReplyDeleteI can attest to that. I chewed Days-O-Work for about 55 years and never did have a bad case of worms.
ReplyDeleteJeff, I remember mud puddles in the barn yard. During dog days there were worms that looked like hairs wiggling around. The hired hands use to tell us kids it was horse hair what came to life. Of course we believed them. Today I'm aware of what they are and they will go into any orifice or wound they can find. Hell, down yer throat. It sounds like your grandma's larned ya good.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean. My theory has been that when the night/day temperature averages combined with ultra high moisture content (humidity, rain, dew) all sorts of nasties can and do survive. Yes, our grannies and their grannies knew the score.
DeleteAir conditioning ended most perceived dangers of Dog Days. It's getting to where things country-raised grandparents and parents said are forgotten or eliminated. The science, you know. This time of year in Texas (before air conditioning), simply moving was often a challenge. Climate change today? Shoot. Go back to 1960 and sit in a country house in Texas.
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