Cholera

Treatment

The treatment should in the beginning aim at combating the loss of fluids and salts from the body. To allay thirst, water, soda water or green coconut water should be given for sipping although this may be thrown out by vomiting. Therefore, only small quantities of water should be given repeatedly, as these may remain for sometime within the stomach and stay of every one minutes means some absorption. Ice may be given for sucking.

This will reduce internal temperature and restrict the tendency to vomit. Intravenous infusions of saline solution should be given to compensate for the loss of fluids and salts from the body. The patient may require five liters or more a day. Care should, however, be taken to avoid water logging the patient. Potassium may be added to the infused fluid. Rectal saline may sometimes prove useful for adults. Normally, half a lit re of saline , with 30 grams of glucose, should be given per rectum every four hours until urine is passed freely.

After the acute stage of cholera is over, the patient may be given green coconut water and barley water in very thin form. When the stools begin to form, he should be given butter-milk. As
he progresses towards recovery, rice softened to semi-solid form mixed with curd, may be given. The patient should not be given solid food till he has fully recovered. Liquid and bland foods, which the patient can ingest without endangering a reoccurrence of the malady, are best.
Lemon, onion, green chillies, vinegar and mint should be included in the daily diet during an epidemic of cholera.

Home Remedies

Certain home remedies have been found beneficial in the treatment of cholera. The foremost among these is the use of lemon ( bara nimbu). The juice of this fruit can kill cholera bacilli within a short time. It is also a very effective and reliable preventive food item against cholera during the epidemic. It can be taken in the form of sweetened or salted beverages for this purpose. Taking of lemon with food as daily routine can also prevent cholera.

The root bark of guava (amrud) is another valuable remedy. It is rich in tannis and can be successfully employed in the form of concentrated decoction in cholera. It will arrest vomiting and symptoms of diarrhea.

According to Culpepper, an eminent nutritionist for children and young people, nothing is better to purge cholera than the leaves and flowers of peach (arhu). They should be taken in the form of syrup or conserve. The leaves of drumstick (sanjana) tree are also useful in treatment of this disease. A teaspoon of fresh leaf-juice, mixed with honey and a glass of tender coconut water, can be given two or three times as a herbal medicine in the treatment of cholera.

Onion is very useful in cholera. About 30 grams of this vegetable and seven black peppers should be finely pounded in a pestle and given to the patient. It allays thirst and restlessness and the patient feels better. The fresh juice of bitter gourd (karela) is another effective medicine in the early stages of cholera.

Two teaspoons of this juice, mixed with an equal quantity of white onion juice and a teaspoon of lime juice, should be given Cholera can be controlled only by rigid purification of water supplies and proper disposal of human wastes. In case of the slightest doubt about the contamination of the water, it must be boiled before use, for drinking and cooking purposes.

All foodstuffs must be kept covered and vegetables and fruits washed with a solution of potassium permanganate before consumption. Other precautions against this disease include avoiding all uncooked vegetables, thorough washing of hands by all those who handle food, and elimination of all contacts with the disease.