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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IV, Issue 195, 7 October 1864, Page 3

Singular Superstition: in Scotland. —Some weeks ago a man employed at Contin sawmills, in Eoss-shire, in passing his arm over a circular saw in rapid motion, by some unaccountable means allowed it to come in contact with the saw, which nearly severed the bones between the wrist and the elbow. The man was at once conveyed to his house, and medical aid sent for. Meantime, however, a man was despatched for a person known in a neighbouring parish as a “ blood-letter,” or, wo should rather say, a blood-stopper. This individual undertakes to stop htcmorrhagc, although at a distance of twenty miles from his client, by the use of certain cabalistic words. These words were used in the case referred to, and by the time medical advice arrived the poor man was sinking from loss of blood. He died soon after the arrival of the doctor, and somehow the authorities made an investigation, and the blood-stopper w r as duly examined by the county fiscal. The following is an abstract from his statement before the public prosecutor: —“ It was not the bandage that caused the flow of blood to stop, but certain words I used, and which I decline to reveal. These words I learned from a woman in Strathconon thirty or forty years ago, aad since that time I have stopped bleeding by means of them in hundreds of cases.” We have heard of blood-letters, bloodsuckers, and even of blood-wits, but this is the first time we have stumbled upon a real true specimen of the blood-stopper by means of incantation. He seemed very indignant when he found that the law officers of the Crown had to ask him “ certain questions” about this superstition. —North British Mail. [This is the more worthy of notice just now, as we have heard certain worthy Northerners —dwelling here among us—lament the native superstition at the Wairoa! Perhaps a more superstitious people than the Scotch, does not exist.— Ed. H.3.T ]