Chicken Pox and Superstitions

Chicken pox is a viral disease. But in Kerala, there are a lot of superstitions associated with this, especially among villagers. Part of the fear comes from the people's ignornace (still!) of mixing Chicken pox with the deadly Small Pox. Small Pox is now eradicated in India and the Whole World. But it used to attack people in Kerala in the 50s and even in the 60s.

First of people call both diseases by the same name "Vasoori" in Malayalam (ÕØâøß). Small Pox is highly infectious and deadly. So it was correct that patients were isolated. But Chicken Pox is very very different from Small Pox and is not a deadly disease!

Kerala Superstitions:

It goes something like this. The disease is caused by the wrath of some local god or goddess. The person is isolated. Relatives move out leaving the patient alone in a house (a leftover custom from the deadly Small Pox). The patient is put under the care of special "Vasoori caretakers" or çÈÞGAÞV as they are called in Malayalam. These guys are supposed to be brave and can withstand all the wrath of the angry gods, though very often the bravery comes from the alcohol (arrack) they liberally consume.

These caretakers (çÈÞGAÞV) are totally unscientific and have no knoweldge about the pox itself. Not only they don't give any proper food for the patient, but they intimidate the patient with further horror stories of vampires and yakshis. It is a pity that knowingly people are entrusting their loved ones to the brutal custody of these ignorant caretakers (çÈÞGAÞV)! Neither doctors nor the educated people have done anything to remove this fear of the Chicken Pox.

Chicken Pox is unnecessarily quarantined in Kerala. In Western Europe parents want their children to get it as early as possible. Very often, you get immunity for life. Even if you get it again, it won't be serious at all.

There is a big danger because of the quarantine. That is a large percent of Keralites do not get Chicken Pox while they are young. But even the Chicken Pox is dangerous once you get it at an adult age. Beyond 30 or 40 the seriousness increases! What is a mild disease for children can be fatal for adults! Many Keralites get it i Bombay. Many still die in Kerala after getting the disease at an adult age.

Chicken Pox patients should drink a lot of water and eat fruits. In Kerala neither is given. There must be 'motion' every day. But in Kerala we know of cases where the Chicken Pox patient had not been to toilet for one week (an extremely dangerous situation!). Usually the effect of virus (head-ache, fever and boils) last for one week. The pain and discomfort from the boils can last for another week. But once virus is inactive the fever disappears.

Chicken Pox virus never disappears from your body! That is why you don't get the disease again. In fact what we call disease is the reaction of the body to the virus - the first time. Second time the body already has the virus and does not respond!