Folk Medicine in Southern Appalachia by Anthony Cavender

Author:Anthony Cavender
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
Published: 2003-03-10T16:00:00+00:00

ABORTION

The dearth of information on abortion reflects not only the sensitive nature of the topic, but perhaps also the fact that for ethical reasons the procedure was seldom performed. Though it was probably rare in the past, some women did resort to abortion. Methods included jumping repeatedly off a high place; severe blows to the abdomen; insertion of a stick, knitting needle, coat hanger, or wire into the uterus; vaginal douches of water and turpentine or carbolic acid; and ingestion of toxic substances like pennyroyal tea, which has been used for centuries as an abortifacient in the Old World. Drinking a solution of gunpowder and water or whiskey, a solution also used to induce labor,310 may be specific to Southern Appalachia, but all the aforementioned abortion methods were well known throughout the United States in the nineteenth century.311 In his book Eve’s Herbs,John Riddle notes the contemporary use of Queen Anne’s lace as an abortifa-cient among women not only in the mountainous regions of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, but also in Indiana and New York. A tablespoon of the plant’s seeds are first crushed and then ingested with a glass of water immediately following coitus. Riddle states that the use of Queen Anne’s lace as an abortifacient extends back to the fourth century in the Old World, and that knowledge of its use by Southern Appalachian women was acquired by word of mouth over many generations.312

A recent investigation of vernacular sexual beliefs current among Southern Appalachian youth found that knowledge of many of these abortion methods still circulates among young people in the region, including blows to the abdomen via a punch or kick, insertion of a coat hanger, jumping vigorously up and down, douching (but with Coca-Cola or vinegar instead of turpentine or carbolic acid), and ingestion of excessive amounts of nonspecific prescribed or over-the-counter medications.313

Not surprisingly, older sources consulted contain no information on contraception. The investigation of vernacular sexual knowledge among Southern Appalachian youth cited above, however, identified several contraception beliefs and practices.314 One of the more frequently reported beliefs is that a girl cannot get pregnant the first time she has sexual intercourse. Douching with Coca-Cola or vinegar was reported as both a contraceptive and abortifacient measure. It is thought that the “acidic” content of these substances creates an unviable environment for sperm. A related and frequently reported belief concerns the consumption of yellow no. 5 coloring agent contained in beverages like Mountain Dew and Mellow Yellow, which is thought to shrink the penis and testicles and lower a male’s sperm count. Some informants said they heard of young men who discounted the belief that these beverages shrink the penis and testicles but drank Mountain Dew regularly to ensure against impregnation. It should be noted that these and other contraceptive beliefs are actively circulating among young people throughout the United States.315

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