Sneezing After Sex Prevents Pregnancy — Peter Engel

Old Wives' Tales: Are they really words of wisdom or just plain nonsense?

-Does cracking your knuckles cause arthritis?
-Can microwave ovens make men sterile/
-Is it true that swallowed chewing gum never digests?

These are the words we heard at Grandma's knee-the raw horse sense we've counted on to guide us through life. But are these words to live by or just dangerous outdated myths? Readers will be surprised to learn that many of these tales are actually good sound advice-a leaf of cabbage, for instance, really will work to reduce swelling. And it's also true that an oatmeal bath can help cure poison ivy. But other old wives' tales are not only false ("Lemon juice will get rid of freckles") but often downright dangerous ("Press a half-dollar to a wound to stop the bleeding").

From the profound to the preposterous, Sneezing After Sex Prevents Pregnancy is a funny and informative look at the words of dear old Grandma.