Bird Flu as 'Paravai Thodam' in Traditional Siddha Medicine.

Bird Flu as ‘Paravai Thodam’ in
 Traditional Siddha Medicine.
    Dr. Thomas M.Walter, MD (Siddha),
                 Asst. Lecturer,
          P.G. Dept. of Gunapadam,
         Govt. Siddha Medical College,
                Palayamkottai.
             dr.thomaswalter@gmail.com
        http://myprofile.cos.com/thomaswalter

       Dr. H. Nalini Sofia, MD (Siddha),
       Siddha Physician. nalinisofia@yahoo.com

Birds in Siddha
• Domestic Cock and Hen has found its due place
  in the Animal kingdom of Siddha Materia
  Medica.
• Therapeutic values of the various types of hen
  flesh, preparations made out of egg are also
  mentioned.
• Parpam made out of egg’s shell (Muttai odu
  parpam), Anda thylam, Melughu, Seyaneer,
  Karun Kozhi chooranam are some of the
  medicines prepared out of egg and flesh,
  frequently used to treat various ailments in
  Siddha.

Actions.
• According to Siddha literatures, it has
1. Stimulant,
2. Aphrodisiac properties.

•    The egg has
1.   Demulcent,
2.   Laxative and
3.   Nutritive properties.

Therapeutic properties of flesh.

The flesh is useful in treating,
• Side effects of drugs, (Ousatha vegam)
• Painful conditions (Maha vatham),
• Wheezing (swasam),
• Body pain (Thega kaduppu),
• Indigestion (Manthakini) and
• Hemorrhoids (Moolam).

Therapeutic properties of flesh.

•    Apart from the above said properties, the
     flesh also increases the level of:
1.   Semen
2.   Wounds with slough,
3.   Pitham and
4.   Checks obesity.

Uses in Siddha medicine.
• The excreta of hen when given along with
  piper betel, works as an anti-dote for
  scorpion bite.
• The medicine, ‘Kukkidathi chooranam’
  cures 8 types of Gunman (Acid Peptic
  Disease – APD), 18 types of Dysentery
  and Diarrhea.
• It is also useful for patients with
  indigestion.

Symptoms of Bird flu
   Modern view.

The concept of Thodam in Siddha.
•  Thodam is defined as “Touch”. It is classified
   into
1. Touching with hands,
2. Touching with the eyes and
3. Touching (Tormenting) with the body.
     According to the Siddha literatures, the
   second type, i.e., touching with eyes finds an
   important place as it is connected with the
   Iyama and Niyama (Purity of mind and Purity
   of action, respectively) of the individuals.

Transmission to Humans.

Causative factors
•    Thodam is caused by eight factors namely,
1.   Small Birds (Patchi)
2.   Birds (Paravai)
3.   Pull thodam
4.   Etchi thodam
5.   Saliva (Etchil thodam)
6.   Women (Penn)
7.   Men (Aan)
8.   Toads (Therai)

Symptoms of Bird flu
           Modern aspect.
• Some symptoms of Bird flu:
  Fever
  Sore throat
  Muscle aches
  Headache
  Lethargy
  Conjunctivitis (eye infections)
  Breathing problems
  Chest pains

Symptoms of Paravai Thodam
         (according to Siddha texts)
1.   Severe body pain
2.   Vomiting due to indigestion
3.   Labored breathing, pain in the forehead.
4.   Waking during sleep because of pain.
5.   Sunken eyes.
6.   Sudden restlessness, excessive thirst.
7.   Stomach pain followed by dysentery.
8.   Fever from head to toe (due to involvement of
     brain).

Symptoms of Paravai Thodam
      (Bird Thodam) – continued.
9. Dryness of the tongue.
10.Pallor of both eyes.
11.Face will look like broken fresh turmeric
   along with shinning.

    According to the literatures, these
   symptoms may be caused to the children
   even by mere seeing or by the falling of
   shadow of birds over them.

Treatment for Bird Thodam.

•    Decoction:
1.   Cuminum cyminum – Chirakam
2.   Allium cepa – Onion – Vengayam
3.   Root of Cammelina benghalensis –
     Poola
       - made into a decoction and given two
     times daily for 3 – 5 days.

Kulisam and Santhi.
• Kulisam is the habit of tying processed single
  herbs around the wrist or hip.
• Kulisam for Bird thodam:
      On a Tuesday, the root of Abrus precatorius
  (Kundri) is collected strictly according to the
  method found in literatures. Then five colored
  threads are tied around that root and after
  proper humidification, the root is tied to the
  children affected by Paravai Thodam.

Treatment for all types of
               Thodam.
•    Keelanelli Kulisam: Roots of
1.   Keelanelli – Phyllanthus niruri.
2.   Mudakathan – Mukia scavrilla.
3.   Naiyuruvi – Achyranthus aspera
4.   Kaanjankorai -
5.   Vidathari – Mimosa cinerea
6.   Nila kadambu – Asareum europalum
7.   Chiru pulladi – Desmodium triflorum
8.   Pei churai – Lagenaria vulgaris.
       are used for removing all types of Thodam.

Athi mathura mathirai for all types
           of Thodam.
•   Ingredients:
1. Athi mathuram – Glycyrrhiza glabra
2. Mara manjal – Coscinium fenestratum.
3. Korai kilangu – Cyprus rotandus.
4. Athividayam – Aconitum heterophyllum.
5. Vasambu – Acorus calamus.
6. Kadukai thol – Rind of Terminalia chebula.
7. Devatharam – Cedrus deodara.
Processed with the juice of Poduthalai (Lippia nodiflora),
    made into pills and given in mother’s milk or honey,
    twice daily for 3 to 5 days.

References

•   Dr. Murugesa Muthaliar, Kuzhanthai maruthuvam, Fourth edition,
    published by Directorate of Indian medicine & Homeopathy, Chennai.

•   Dr. L. Thiagarajan, Gunapadam – Thathu Jeeva Vaguppu, Fourth edition,
    published by Directorate of Indian medicine & Homeopathy, Chennai.

•   Dr. Murugesa Muthaliar, Gunapadam – Mooligai Vaguppu, Fourth edition,
    Tamilnadu Siddha Medical Board, Chennai.

•   Infectious Diseases Society of America, Avian Influenza (Bird Flu):
    Implications for Human Disease (Updated Jne 2, 2006)
    http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/13/1374

•   The Writing Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO)
    Consultation on Human Influenza A/H5, Avian influenza A (H5N1)
    infection in humans. N Engl J Med 2005 Sep 29;353(13):1374-85.
    http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/13/1374

Thank You.