>Why a hair?

Wasn't it supposed to be a Medieval remedy or something? I remember reading about it being some kind of cure for rabies - to take a hair (possibly 'cause it's the easiest bit of the dog to get hold of?) of the dog that bit you and either swallow or apply it to the wound.


I somehow came to the conclusion a while back that the metaphor suggested itself because of how furry/dry the tongue felt.

(But don't forget this comes from the guy who thought that Premarin was a contraceptive, name derived from "Pre-Marital Intercourse")