Folk Medicine

1
Folk Medicine

• Folk Diseases and Folk Remedies

2
What is Folk Medicine?
Folk Medicine is the healing that roots itself in
the traditional practices of the culture or the
society. It can best be described as being
comprised of two different and interrelated
subjects Folk Diseases and Folk Remedies
3
The Four Common Folk Diseases

• Evil Eye (or Ojo)
• Cause Ojo occurs when a person with a powerful
  gaze looks at someone or something without
  touching them.
• Symptoms Sudden high fever, vomiting, headache,
  fainting, and sometimes convulsions. In the case
  of objects, the object is either lost or broken.
• Diagnosis Is done by passing a raw egg over the
  patients body and then cracking it. If the egg
  appears cooked, the patient suffers from Ojo.
• Prevention Carry an Ojo de Venado (buck eye)
  amulet.

4
2. Empacho (or Tripida) Cause Empacho occurs by
eating soft food or difficult-to-digest
substances. These substances supposedly stick
to the stomach wall. Symptoms Anorexia, stomach
ache, vomiting, painful Diarrhea, and general
abdominal fullness. Diagnosis By a healer noting
the symptoms and checking for direct abdominal
tenderness. More positive diagnosis is made by
rolling a chicken egg over the abdomen. If the
egg appears to stick to a particular area, the
patient is considered to suffer from Empacho.
5
3. Caida de Mollera (or Fallen Fontanel) Cause
Mollera Caida is commonly felt to be caused by
maternal neglect. It is considered to be caused
mechanically by having the nipple be pulled
from the baby too suddenly and therefore causing
a suction. Sometimes it is also attributed to a
sudden jolt, bump or fall. Symptoms Dehydration,
crying, inability to achieve sufficient suction
while nursing, fever, and diarrhea. Diagnosis
Noting the babys fontanel position in
association with any of the more common symptoms.
6
4. Susto/Espanto (or Fright) Cause Susto is
supposed to be caused by a sudden frightening
experience such as an accident, a fall, a sudden
death, or supernatural experience (ghost
apparitions). Susto is considered to be highly
dangerous because it is causes the separation of
the soul from the body. Symptoms Nervousness,
anorexia, insomnia, listlessness, involuntary
muscle tics, and diarrhea. Diagnosis Noting the
symptoms and then correlating is to the viewing
of a frightening experience. Prevention When
away from home carry a whole nutmeg.
7
What cures have you heard of for these diseases?
8

• Cures for the Four Common Folk Diseases
• Ojo
• Have the perpetrator touch the person.
• When that isnt an option, you should pass a
  fresh egg over the persons body, and then broken
  into a bowl of water and covered by a cross of
  palm leaves, or straw and put under the head of
  the patients bed. In the morning the egg is
  examined, and if it looks curdled, the patient is
  cured.
• Empacho
• To cure Empacho you need to rub the patients
  stomach or back, and then pop the skin on the
  back. Sometimes teas are useful.

9
Cures (continued) Caida de Mollera Pressing
upwards on the soft palate with the thumb,
sucking the anterior of the fontanel, holding the
baby upside down over water with or without
shaking, and other possibilities include applying
raw egg, oil, or warm water to the
fontanel. Susto Oral remedies can include orange
and chamomile teas, while the most effective (and
common) treatment is the barrida. During the
barrida, the patient is recounts the frightening
experience while lying down on the floor. The
healer sweeps the body with fresh herbs while
reciting Christian prayers. This returns the
soul.
10
Causes of Folk and Mainstream Diseases
Natural causes Injuries, physical decline,
stress and virus/germs resulting in physiological
changes which are scientifically unchallenged. 
  Mystical causes Karma, destiny, taboo, soul
lost or putatively mediated conditions as a
response to violations.   Supernatural causes
Gods, ancestors, spirits or ghosts who
vengefully react to provocation. Magical
causes Sorcery and witchcraft with the intent
to harm the victim.
11
Folk Remedies
Depending on the perceived cause of the disease
(or affliction), the folk group discovers
remedies that directly impact the cause, not just
the symptoms. Generally, this is where Folk
Medicine and Mainstream Medicine come into
conflict. Folk Remedies can include PrayerHerbs
FoodsLifestyle Changes
12
My grandma used to
This is how many of todays commonly used folk
remedies are passed down. For example, how many
remedies can you think of for the common
cold? Drink lots of fluidsEat Chicken SoupDrink
Mint TeaDrink Echinacea TeaGargle with Salt
Water (for sore throats and cold symptoms)Eat
lots of oranges (for the Vitamin C)Lather your
chest with Vicks and bundle up (congestion)
13
Links and Credits
Folk Remedy Links http//www.health911.com/remedi
es/rem_indx.htm http//www.rootsweb.com/tnstewar/
folk.htm http//about-the-web.com/shtml/reports/13
-038.shtml CreditsSome information was
gathered from Dr. Ari Kievs book Curanderismo
lectures by Dr. Nancy Neff (Baylor College of
Medicine) and from Dr. Robert Trotter, PhD.