A Pembrokeshire Proverb.—‘Eat an apple on going to bed, And you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread.’
[1866 Notes & Queries 3rd Ser. IX. 153]
Ait a happle avore gwain to bed, An' you'll make the doctor beg his bread (Dev.); or as the more popular version runs: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
[1913 E. M. Wright Rustic Speech xiv.]
Have you resolved to be a well person?‥Do you eat an apple a day to keep the doctor away?
[2001 Times 12 Dec. 2]
Related to: doctors; health
Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.
