HEALTH

Guarding against malaria

Malaria is the most common disease during rainy season. It is caused by mosquitoes carrying certain parasites in the blood. Fever may appear every day or every second or third day in the beginning and if untreated it may assume a chronic form called malarial cachexia with a tendency to frequent relapses.

General symptoms are fever preceded by chilling, headache and excessive sweating, besides cramps in the legs and back. Fever may go up to 103-104 °F and come down after two or three hours, accompanied by excessive sweating. But it again rises after some time along with chilling.

The parasite: Four definite species exist in man. Plasmodium vivax; plasmodium avale; plasmodium malaria and plasmodium falciparum. The cycle of parasites are: plasmodium vivax 48 hours; plasmodium avale 48 hours; plasmodium malaria 72 hours; and plasmodium falciparum uncertain (generally 48 hours). The culex mosquito, the common mosquito in houses, breeds in tanks, etc. When resting its one pair of legs is elevated above body, a definite distinction from anopheles. Anopheles breeds in sluggish streams and small pools and its activity is confined to night. Only female mosquitoes are blood sucker, while males feed solely on vegetable juices.

Malaria is generally of three types, depending upon the parasites that cause it: tertian fever, quartan fever and malignant tertian malaria. An acute malaria attack has three stages: cold stage, hot stage and sweating stage. The cold stage begins with a feeling of chill even in the hottest weather. The hot stage comes on as the temperature of the body rises, beginning with hot flushes, which lengthen till the body feels burning hot, the fever rising to 105-106 °F. After the fever has reached its highest point, the third stage begins. It starts with profuse sweating and gradual lowering of body temperature as the sweat cools it. If malarial parasites block small blood vessels of the brain, cerebral malaria may develop, which is very serious and in most cases fatal.

Precautions and general remedies: Be careful about personal hygiene and keep surroundings clean. Living rooms should be properly ventilated. Complete bed rest is essential. Spraying of chemical substances is necessary. Stagnant water should be removed or sprayed with an oil. Keep the body covered to protect it from mosquito bites.

Special care should be given to diet and nursing. Eat light and easily digestible food such as rusk, roasted bread slice, desi (herbal) tea, and fresh fruit juice. Boiled ilaichi milk should be given after every two hours in small quantities.

When the temperature is high, cold packs may be applied to the forehead. Otherwise patient should be kept warm. Solid food should be stopped but plenty of water should be given.

Ayurvedic medicines like sudarshan and karan powder, mahamritunjay ras, godanti bhasam and honey are also effective against malaria.

Grapefruit contains natural quinine and is valuable in treating malaria.

— Dr Anil Dheer

Two-day workshop on homoeopathy
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 11
“Drug addiction is harming socio-economic, moral and cultural framework of our society,” said Dr Deepinder Singh of Lord Mahavira Homoeopathic Medical College at a two-day seminar-cum-workshop on homoeopathy that began on the college premises here today.

The seminar is being organised by the International Council of Ayurveda, Punjab, and SOSVA, Chandigarh.

Prof Sarabjeet Singh from the Department of Journalism PAU was the chief guest. He said, “Being modern does not mean rejection of old research. We must attach ourselves to our roots. We are living in an era of convergence and the need is to promote the Human System of Medicine.”

He said the main problem faced by the country was poverty. Students must come forward and take proactive measures to save society.

Project convener for promotion of alternative system of medicine and general secretary of the International Council of Ayurveda, Dr Ashok Sharma, discussed aims and objectives of the workshop. He said there was a great scope for cultivation of medicinal plants.

Dr S.K. Sharda, Vice-Principal of the college, extended a vote of thanks. Dr B.K. Dutt, chairperson of the Punjab chapter of the International Council of Ayurveda, and Dr Anil Kapoor also shared their views on the occasion.

SPORTS

City cagers in North zone team
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, July 11
Four Ludhiana lads figure in the North Zone basketball team which will play in the South Zone Basketball Championship for senior men slated to be held at Yanam (Pondicherry) from July 18 to 22.

According to Dr S Subramaniam, former basketball coach, NIS, Patiala, on the basis of their performance during the last Junior National Basketball Championship conducted here from June 7 to 14, six cagers from Punjab have been selected to represent the North Zone. Local lads are Jagdeep Singh, Yadwinder Singh, Talwinder Singh Sahi and Snehpal Singh while two other players from Punjab are Lakhwindre Singh (Bhatinda) and Mandeep Singh (Gurdaspur).

Jagdeep Singh and Yadwinder Singh, both students of local Everest Public Senior Secondary School, Moti Nagar have already represented India during the international meets. Jagdeep Singh, student of X class was the member of the Junior Indian Basketball team which took part in the Asian Schools Basketball Championship in China while Yadwinder Singh, a plus two student represented the nation in the Asian Junior Basketball Meet at Makoh, Malaysia.

Meanwhile Mr Teja Singh, senior coach, Punjab, Mr Gurpreet Singh, SP (D) and President, District Basketball Association have expressed hope that these cagers would more laurels to the state and the country in the future meets.

Athletes dream big
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, July 11
Not content with their appointment with the Indian Railways, two upcoming girl athletes- Rajni Rani, a distant runner and the sprinter, Rupinder Kaur dream it big. They are working overtime to bring laurels to their department as well as the nation.

Acknowledging their talent and performance during the national championships, these two promising athletes have been rewarded by the Indian Railways.

The railways conducted selection trials at Ferozepore in March where their performance was considered favourably, Rajni Rani and Rupinder Kaur were picked up and recruited in the department.

Rajni Rani of Sunam in Sangrur district, a student of BA Part II of local Government College for Women and Rupinder Kaur of Dhamot, district Ludhiana, student of local Ramgarhia College, Miller Ganj have excelled at the national level tournaments.

They participated in the trials conducted here at the Guru Nanak Stadium on Thursday to select the players for the forthcoming National Federation Cup Athletics Meet to be held from July 28 to 30 at Hyderabad.

Rajni Rani’s favourite events are the gruelling 5000 mts and 10000 mts races and she won the title in the All India Inter-Varsity Cross Country races held last year in Karnataka while Rupinder Kaur has titles ( 100 mts, 200 mts and 400 mts) in her kitty during the National School Games held at Trivandrum. Their coach, Prem Singh too has high hopes of these athletes when he says that the girls have a lot of talent and are capable of doing miracles.