"Such mean little boys, when they were not dancing, with string, and marbles, and cramp-bones in their pockets, and the most untidy legs and feet — and heels particularly."

Cramp bone, the patella of a sheep; -- formerly used as a charm for the cramp. Halliwell. He could turn cramp bones into chess men." Dickens. -- Cramp ring, a ring formerly supposed to have virtue in averting or curing cramp, as having been consecrated by one of the kings of England on Good Friday.

Well, wwh, you and of troy immediately saw the good of wrapping a head in vinegar and paper. What about this cure by these sheep bones, the patella specifically, for cramps? See any logic in this story or just superstition?

I think it similar to rabbit's foot being good luck charm.
Didn't bring the rabbit any luck.

isn't cramp bones a old nick name for dice? not that cramp bones were dice-- but they were cut and marked and used to play a game something like 'craps'(or is craps a contrantion of cramp?) -- and when dice became cheaper (and more people live in cities, and not in the country side where they could get sheep bones easily) 'dice' subsituted -- and keep the old name.. at least for while..

i have gotten my floor installed in my living/dining computer room space, and have purchaced my first set of bookcases, and soon will be unpacking (after 14 long months of being packed away) some dictionaries and other books! hurrah!--then i will have 'partridge's dictionary of slang once again available... to confirm such sillyness!