HEALTH

Rise in typhoid cases
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — Even as typhoid cases continue to be reported from various city hospitals, the district administration appears to have hardly taken any note of the reports of contaminated water supply to various areas in the city.

Several typhoid cases were reported during the last three weeks from different parts of the city. Most of the cases had tested positive during medical investigations. According to the doctors treating the typhoid patients, the maximum number of them were children.

The doctors attributed the spread of the disease to contaminated water being supplied for drinking purpose. The district administration had asked for the testing of water sample supplied in various areas, particularly from where the typhoid cases were reported.

Several samples of drinking water supplied in the city have been referred to Punjab Agricultural University for testing. While about two weeks have passed since the samples were referred for testing, the health authorities are tight-lipped over the outcome of the report.

The doctors maintained that the primary cause of typhoid appeared to be contaminated water, but there may be some other factors also. This time the doctors felt concerned due to the unprecedented number of children suffering from typhoid. “It is very difficult to treat the children. The treatment takes at least two weeks during which the patients are administered regular doses of strong anti-biotics. But in case of children the doses are administered through injections”, a doctor of a private nursing home in the Model Town area said.

The doctors have been insisting to used boiled water to ensure prevention of infection. Moreover, they advised that in case of fever the patient should be referred to doctor for investigation. Typhoid patients need sustained treatment.

No specific figures could be ascertained since the Civil Surgeon could not be contacted as she was busy with the launch of a TB eradication programme by the Health Minister, Dr Baldev Raj Chawla. However, most of the private nursing homes revealed that they continue to get one or two typhoid cases daily. 

HERBS & HEALTH
The great Indian kachnar
by Dr. R. Vatsyayan

Kachnar (Bahunia variegata) is found throughout the Indian subcontinent up to a height of 5,000 feet. This evergreen medium-sized tree is favoured by planners to be planted in parks and on roadsides. Kachnar tree can be easily identified from its leaves, which have a peculiar upper margin groove. It has three varieties – red, white and yellow, depending upon the colour of its flowers. The leaves, bark and fruit of the tree have medicinal properties.

Ayurvedic texts have described kachnar as cold (sheet), light (laghu), dry (rooksha), and astringent (kshaya) in effect and taste. Its bark contains tannin, along with a resin of brown colour, whereas the seeds yield a volatile oil. Right from ancient times, kachnar is famous for its curative effect on non-specific enlargement of lymph glands in the body. It also destroys vitiated kapha and pitta. Ancient acharyas have explained kachnar as cleanser of wounds and killer of intestinal worms, besides attributing homoeostatic properties to it.

The buds and bark of the kachnar tree are also a good astringent. Its decoction is used in scrofula (glandular swelling), ulcers and skin diseases. In other diseases such as menorrhagia and piles and also in conditions when bleeding from mucous surfaces takes place, the use of kachnar is of immense value. Here are some of its common uses –

• The decoction of kachnar bark added with a little powder of sonth is given to patients who have non-specific glandular enlargement. Adding purified guggul into this decoction enhances the effect of this decoction. This is also a safe anti-obesity formulation.
• Taking boiled leaves and flowers of kachnar by making rayata is a household remedy for dysentery, where a patient is passing stool mixed with blood. It is also helpful in menstrual disorders. Rural people often include kachnar in their daily meals in this way.
• In case of prolapse of rectum and in bleeding piles, its decoction is used as a local anti-inflammatory and astringent agent.
• In recurrent mouth ulcers and tonsilitis, gargles with its warm decoction have a soothing effect.

There is a famous classic ayurvedic formulation known as kachnar guggal, which is being used in this system of medicine since ancient times. The dose of dried and crushed bark of kachnar is three to six gram whereas the decoction can be taken up to 50 ml in a day. Overdose can cause occasional nausea, which can be set right by taking a little black salt and lemon juice.

SPORT

Cricket tourney
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Dec 27 — The Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS), PAU, defeated Kundan Vidya Mandir (KVM) School by four wickets in the Parle-G Inter-School Cricket Tournament her today.

KVM won the toss and elected to bat first. They scored 157 runs in 29.4 overs. GMSSS achieved the target in 27.4 overs for the loss of six wickets.

Lalit and Jassi of GMSSS scored 46 and 30 runs, respectively, and remained not out. Lalit took three wickets while Vikas and Parveen took two wickets each.