sickness occurs, do not seek
enchanters, nor diviners, nor sorcerers, nor soothsayers, or
make devilish amulets at fountains or trees, or cross-roads;
but let him who is sick trust only to the mercy of God, and
receive the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ with
faith and devotion; and faithfully seek consecrated oil from
the church, wherewith he may anoint his body in the name of
Christ and according to the Apostle, the prayer of faith shall
save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up.

From very early times, says Lady Wilde, the pagan physicians of Ireland,
who were famous as skilled practitioners, were prominent among the
Druids. Although thoroughly conversant with the healing properties of
herbs, they appreciated keenly the influence exerted upon the minds of
their patients by charms, fairy cures, and incantations. Therefore their
methods of treatment were of a medico-religious character, the psychic
element being utilized in the form of various magic rites and
ceremonies, which were important healing factors. The ancient Druidic
charms are still in use among the Irish peasants, the titles of pagan
deities being replaced, however, by the name of Christ and words of the
Christian ritual. In this form they are regarded as magic talismans,
when repeated over the sick, and the peasants have a strong faith in
these mystic formulas, which have a powerful hold upon their
imaginations, having been transmitted to them through many generations
of a credulous ancestry.[13:1]

The peasants of Ireland do not wholly depend upon the skill of their
fairy-women. On the contrary, every housekeeper has an intimate
knowledge of the healing virtues of common herbs. The administration of
these is always accompanied with a prayer. After domestic resources have
been exhausted, especially if the ailment is believed to be of
supernatural origin, recourse is had to the witch-doctress.

In a volume entitled "Beware of Pickpockets" (1605), being a warning
against charlatans, occurs this passage:

Others, that they may colourably and cunningly hide their
grosse ignorance, when they know not the cause of the disease,
referre it unto charmes, witchcrafts, magnifical incantations
and sorcerie. Vainely and with a brazen forehead, affirming
that there is no way to help them but by characters, circles,
figure-castings, exorcismes, conjurations and others impious