Ever heard of deer horn treatment for snakebites

 KOZHIKODE: You might have never heard of treating snakebites using a deer horn and curing paralysis with an iron rod, but they are effective treatment methods used in some parts of the country. It was at the National Tribal Healers Workshop and Exhibition on Tribal Medicine, jointly organised by the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya and KIRTADS at Chevayur here, that those methods were demonstrated by tribal healers. Gadru and Michael demonstrated the little-known method of curing snakebites without medicines at the workshop. Gadru, who is from the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, belongs to Dhurva tribe whereas Michael, a young enthusiast of tribal medicine, belongs to the Kom tribe of Khoirentak Khuman in Manipur.  Their method is similar to the one used in syringes, which is done with the help of a deer horn and a pointed iron rod having the length of a pencil. The horn will have a large opening at one end. The treatment starts with rubbing water on the injured part. The healer will then make a small hole at the other end of the horn using the rod. After this, the large opening will be placed over the injury and the healer will suck for three seconds at the other end of the horn. As water contains oxygen, the horn will stick to the wound and the small hole will be closed using wax, and then blood and poison will start to fill the vacuum part of the horn. “We call this method ‘Dhooma’ treatment and have been using it for several generations. It is the best remedy for snakebites available in our region,” says Gadru.According to Michael, ‘Sabeng’ -- as it is known in Manipur -- is the only effective treatment available for poisoning among his tribe. “It is quite popular in Manipur and in the parts where there are no hospitals or other facilities.”