There are four kinds of parasites
The intestines are
sometimes infested by parasites, which trouble the patient. The most
commonly noticed parasites in India are: threadworm, tapeworm, hookworm
and the roundworm. They exist in the intestines because they find a
congenial climate for their growth which again is the result of wrong
type of feeding which most people indulges in. patients suffering from
these worms generally acquire a voracious appetite, but in spite of
massive quantities of food they take in, there is no gain the weight.
Sometimes they are pale and sickly and, therefore, gloomy. Infants and
young children are likely to be irritated all the time and are prone to
throw tantrums at the slightest excuse.
The most common and the
least harmful parasite infesting the intestines is the threadworm, or
enterobius vermicularis. When they are expelled from the anus, they tend
to create uncontrollable itch and the patient is forced to scratch his
anus. They are small, thread like creatures, which can be noticed in the
stools of children. The hookworm and the tapeworm reassemble
earthworms: they are, fortunately, less common in our country than
threadworms.
Causes
It is the dirty habits, like
eating food without washing your hands, putting the finger first in the
nostril then in the mouth, eating contaminated food, scratching the anus
and then eating food without thoroughly washing your hands, using
underwear worn by a person suffering from threadworms, constipation, and
mucus in the stools, which encourage the parasites to infest the
intestines.
Treatment
Traditional medicine depends on
drugs to kill the parasites; they may give temporary relief, but that
is more likely to harm the digestive processes and create other
complications. Naturopathy, on the other hand, aims at strengthening the
intestines so that they can purge themselves of the parasites. The
stools of a child suspected to be suffering from threadworms could be
examined visually: in some cases they would be found sticking to the
anus of the child.
Treatment of threadworm-infested patient must
start with cleanliness. A child suffering from it should be administered
a warm water enema to which juice of half a fresh lime has been added.
It should be followed by administration of about 50 to 100 militres of
coconut oil with the help of a syringe through the anus. The child
should be asked to strain himself at the time of passing the stools.
The
best course would be to start the treatment with fasting: if the young
patient or his mother cavils at it, he should be administered fruit
juice or clear vegetables soup mixed with water. Lukewarm enema must be
given during the treatment both in the morning and evening. Enema would
help expel mucus and threadworms from the intestines. Bedclothes of the
patient must be aired in the sun every day and he should stay in a
well-ventilated room.
If the child is walking he should be
encouraged to fast for two days followed by a diet of fruits and boiled
vegetables for five to six days. Raw vegetables like carrot, cucumber
and onions can be given in addition to tomatoes. Mil and cereals should
be totally avoided. Potatoes roasted over the coals and raisins soaked
in water could also be given. After that the patient could be allowed
porridge or gruel. When he has started taking cereals, milk should not
be given to him not lentils.
Cold compresses and mudpack applied
from the navel to the pubes can also help in the initial stages of the
treatment. Juice of garlic could also be taken recourse to since it
kills the parasites without harming the patient.
This course of
treatment could help in dealing with disease like the enlargement of a
spleen, hepatitis low fever, goiter, mumps, discharge of pus from the
ear and swollen eyes in children.