Treatment for Measles

Crossing the LuapulaRiver  into the Congo

We're having a great time revealing the Secrets in the little books!!  According to the Traditional Healer booklets from the Congo, measles are diagnosed and treated as follows:

D. MEASLES
1. CAUSES: Tiny virus
2. MAIN SYMPTOMS:
Rash on neck, ears and body, fever, cough, diarrhea, red eyes, white spots inside of mouth.
3. IMPORTANT POINTS:
-Can cause blindness.
-Children die.
-Isolate children to avoid spread to other members of the family.
4. PRECAUTIONS:
-Keep patient clean, wash him regularly.
5.  PREVENTION:

a.       Roots of NGOLYOLYO, make some powder and cut tattoos one in the forehead, one on the neck and last on the chest.

A suggestion for treatment when "Spots Fail to Come Out" was to "mix groundnuts [peanuts] with onions and pound them, smear the baby all over the body."

The diagnosis is right on target but the treatment of cutting tattoos on the body to prevent measles would never pass the CDC in the U.S.!