The word of the day for January 17, 2008 is "erysipelas" — noun — : an acute febrile disease associated with intense edematous local inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by a hemolytic streptococcus.
In this case the word came after the write-up. Today is St. Anthony the Abbot's saint day. (I get this from his write-up in PATRON SAINTS INDEX) Apparently he was known for miraculously healing skin diseases like erysipelas. As pork fat was often applied as a remedy for skin diseases, St. Anthony's representations often showed him accompanied by a pig. I had wondered about the origin of the phrase "tantony pig" and here it is.
Apparently St. Anthony was a popular fellow because his patronage extends to amputees; animals; basket makers; basket weavers; brushmakers; Burgio, Sicily; butchers; Canas, Brazil; cemetery workers; domestic animals; eczema; epilepsy; epileptics; ergotism; erysipelas; gravediggers; graveyards; hermits; hogs; Hospitallers; monks; Mook, Nederlands; pigs; relief from pestilence; Saint Anthony's fire; skin diseases; skin rashes; swine; and swineherds. Pretty busy fellow. Mind he is not the St. Anthony for finding lost objects. That is St. Anthony of Padua, who was much later on the time line, has his day in June and has an equally busy patronage.
Our quote for the day is from Ann E. Bray:
;^) Jan
2 comments:
Just as well that I aint having to find a sentance with todays word in at...never heard of it before !! Mind you perhaps my brain is water logged...with all the rain we are having..it is never ending, floods all around us, but thankfully we are quite high so not in any danger from our local bye brook. Though I looked at it yesterday and another days rain andnbit will overflow the bridge..Love Sybil x
I have heard of this skin condition but only today took time out to try and pronounce it as its quite a difficult word to get your tongue around.
Ery..sip..elas. There ...that should do it and set it in my mind. It doesn't sound a nice disease either.
My younger brother Francis also has Anthony as a name. Now I can tell him about the saint.
I love being educated by your entries.
Thanks for that Jan. HOpe Lloyd is well? And little Bubbles too.
Love
Jeanie xxxx
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