Capturing
a Cold
Young babies are liable to
become ill easily, because their bodies are still delicate. For example,
they may take cold and have blocked noses so that they cannot breath
easily. If a child has these symptoms people must make a medicinal poultice
to apply to the top of its head. They use onions or bulbs of sweet peas
pounded and mixed with turmeric, red lime, and liquor. They dip cotton
into this medicine and form it into a flat, round, thin plaster with
a hole in the center, and apply this to the child's head. The juice
of the pounded onions remaining from making the poultice for the head
is used to apply to the bridge of the nose and to the body. This method
of applying a poultice to the head and smearing the body of the child
until its appears red and blotched all over is called "capturing
a cold."
Coated Tongue
About fifteen days after
birth, the child's tongue may develop white coat called "fine powder".
If it is left it will become thicker and thicker and turn into pharyngitis,
making the tongue stiff so that the child cannot suck the breast. It
is necessary to take a diaper which is moist with the child's urine
and wipe the white coat off the tongue. Sometimes people use the "gum"
or raw bananas to wipe; if they can get the "gum" of "water
bananas," then all the better. They cut the raw banana in two and
wipe out the "gum" onto a cloth.
Heat Rashes and Hiccups
Sometimes childrenhave heat
rashes; that is, they have rashes on the face and body consisting of
fairly large transparent white pimples. If these pustules burst, the
pus will spread and be messy and malodorous. People are to sprinkle
diatomaceous earth and crystals of Pogostemon cablin on these
rachel! If a child has hiccups, they must tear off a corner of a diaper
and apply it to the top of the head or the forehead of the child. While
applying it they must hold their breath . If they fear that the cloth
that is applied might drop off, they are to moisten it with saliva.
This is a terribly simple procedure.
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Information from:
"Essays on Cultural Thailand" by Office of the National Culture
Commission.
