The Dead Hand in Ancient Irish Medicine

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From Ancient Cures, Charms and Usages of Ireland by Lady Wilde

To obtain the power and secrets of witchcraft, it is necessary to visit a churchyard at midnight, and cut off the hand of a recently buried corpse with your own hand. This is preserved by drying or smoking, and can then be used with great and fatal effect. Old women are known as the strongest tools of the devil, and as having the most fatal powers of witchcraft. These witch-women are recognised at once by their glittering eyes and long, skeleton fingers ; and if they have a dead hand in their possession, their influence is irresistible.

If a witch-woman overlooks a beautiful child, it is doomed to die. If she overlooks the churn, the butter will be carried off to her own churn, though she has nothing but water in it. Beware of her.
When she enters the place, put a red coal under the churn, and tie a branch of the rowan tree on the child's cradle, and a red string on the cow's tail then they are safe. Every one who enters while churning is going on should take a turn with the dash, and say: "God bless the work;" but a witch- woman dare not say the words; therefore, if she refuses, she is known at once to be fatal and unlucky.

Stroking by the hand of a dead man can cure many diseases. It has also the power to bring butter to the churn, if the milk is stirred round nine times with it while a witch-prayer is recited. But many awful things must be done, and evil rites practised, before the witch-words can be learned and uttered.

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