During my recent stay in Yorkshire, I was able to avoid the common tourist error of looking for Darrowby. No such place exists–Herriott made it up. But the natives in Yorkshire talk almost as funny as their neighbors to the north.

I wonder if Mormonspeak sounds as foreign to outsiders sometimes as the Darrowby dialect sounded to Herriott?

Back in the sitting room, I told him about Bart Sharpe. ‘Something about boring out a cow that was going on three cylinders. He talked about her ewer and felon – I didn’t quite get it.’

Farnon laughed. ‘I think I can explain. He wants a Hudson’s operation doing on a blocked teat. Ewer is the udder and felon the local term for mastitis.’

So, another different ailment that goes by the same name.

In fact when I read that ad all I could think was that they were playing up the racial purity thing in an era of social Darwinism.

Ardis: Thanks for looking up a “fancy appliance.” And thanks for the warning – will check it out a little later.

And I’m pretty sure that “felon” appeared in one of James Herriott’s books–although there it afflicted animals, not humans.

As for treating felons with boiling water–I suppose that’s a step up from boiling oil, but it’s probably still a violation of the U.N. Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Warning: The photo might not be suitable for some workplaces.