• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Odds / How Does Abracadabra Cure a Fever?

How Does Abracadabra Cure a Fever?

July 8, 2020 by Karen Hill

ABRACADABRA
ABRACADABR
ABR ACADAB
ABRACADA
ABRACAD
ABRACA
ABRAC
ABRA
ABR
AB
A

According to an old superstition popular during the Middle Ages, the word “Abracadabra” could cure a fever. All the sufferer had to do was write the word six times in the shape of an upside-down pyramid, by dropping one letter of the word on each line.

The sufferer hoped that just as the letters disappeared, so would his fever.

The paper containing this upside-down pyramid was worn as a pendant around the neck for nine days, then thrown over the shoulder into an eastward flowing stream.

Related Facts

  • What Causes a Fever?
  • What Causes Hay Fever?
  • What is cat scratch fever and what causes it?
  • Where Did the Expression "Hair of the Dog" For a Hangover Cure Come From and What Does it Mean?
  • How does radiation therapy help cure cancer by damaging cells?
  • How do scientists manufacture genes and How does gene therapy help cure disease?

Filed Under: Odds

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Why Did the Egyptians Make Mummies?
Next Post: Can an Egg Drop 600 Feet and Not Break? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2021 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy