What is 'hair of the dog'?

[stevelloyd]

Where does the phrase 'hair if the dog' come from

[Joshua_R]

If I remember rightly, someone posted this very question a month or so back. Pity I saw the question but didn't catch any answers! Many years ago there was a popular belief in an alternative medicine with a slightly holistic theme. Anyway, the doctrine went - "What makes you bad can make you better". So the cure for a dog bite was to drink a concoction containing a "hair of the dog that bit you". This phrase carried over into everyday use, particularly relating to a hangover, where a "hair of the dog" is an alcoholic drink the day after alcohol caused your hangover.

[sgs]

If you want to see the answers given last time go to question 4112 there's also an article on canine metaphors at question 4112

[incitatus]

It derives from a "cure" for rabies, as practiced by medieval (and some ancient Greek) physicians. If a person was bitten by a rabid dog, the dog was found and the wound was bound up with a few hairs from the dog. Allegedly this prevented rabies from developing.