# Survival > Bushcraft Medicine >  Ever heard of asphidity?

## Wildthang

And no, I'm not talking about Rick :Smartass: 

When I was a kid I had a friend that was Afro American and when he would get sick, his grandmother would make him wear a bag of stinking stuff around his kneck for a few days, she called it asphidity. He didn't know what was in that bag, but the smell got worse the longer he wore it. Now whether or not it worked is another thing, but he didn't die and always got over his cold or flu.
His grandma tried to put on on me one time and I ran home and didn't go back until I felt better :Scared:  I think this remedy is more voodoo than medicinal but I always thought it was so funny when Phil had to wear that bag of stinking stuff! I think the stench made you get better because you wanted to get rid of the odor so bad, your mind would convince you that you felt better!

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## crashdive123

http://www.samuelmerritt.edu/preside...ric-healthcare

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## kyratshooter

When I was a kid smallpox and polio wre both still realities, along with measles, diptheria, whooping cough and a list of other ailments we no longer have to deal with if we have proper innoculation. 

If a bag of stinky stuff kept infection far enough away that it could not enter your lungs or contact your skin it was serving its purpose.

More a prevention than a healing.

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## Delta 5168

Yep, I had a great aunt who wore one.  Don't know what was in it, but you didn't want to be down-wind of her!

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## hunter63

Never heard of this....Thanks for posting, I can consider this as something learned today.

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## Wildthang

> Never heard of this....Thanks for posting, I can consider this as something learned today.


Well You have won a free bag of Grandma Givens assphizity with free shipping. One requirement as the grand prize winner is you must wear it for one week, and fill out a questionare on the healthful affects you experienced while you are stinkin like a pole cat for a solid week :Scared:

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## Old Professor

I never wore one but in my parents generation (as kids) it was a quite common home remedy. I recall my parents talking about how strong the odors were. Appearently there is no  single receipe for what is in the bag.

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