Hello everyone,

I have found an 1897 fragment of the song in the book LIN McLEAN by Owen Wister (see here):

"Don't want anything on your brain?"

"Nothin' except my hat, I guess," said Lin, and broke into cheerful song:

       "'Twas a nasty baby anyhow,
            And it only died to spite us;
         'Twas afflicted with the cerebrow
            Spinal meningitis!'"

So Joe Offer want to find an *older* reference?

Yours,

John Mehlberg
~
My, mostly traditional, bawdy songs, toasts and recitations website: www.immortalia.com


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