Describe the traditional methods of HEALTH maintenance and protection of selected communities of the Hispanic populations.
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that it is caused by a nurse’s or physician’s having touched the baby’s head. This can be understood if we take into account that (1) an infant’s fontanelle becomes depressed if the infant is dehydrated and (2) when physicians or nurses measure an infant’s head they touch this area. If a mother takes her baby to a physician for an examina- tion and sees the physician touch the child’s head, and if the baby gets sick thereafter with caida de la mollera, it might be very easy for the woman to believe it is the fault of the physician’s or nurse’s touch. Unfortunately, epidemics of diarrhea are common in the rural and urban areas of the Southwest, and a number of children tend to be affected. One case of severe dehydration that leads to caida de la mollera may create quite a stir among the people. The folk treatment of this illness has not been found to be effective. Unfortunately, babies are rarely taken to the hospital in time, and the mortality rate for this illness is high (Lucero, 1975).
3. Magic or supernatural causes outside the body. Witchcraft or possession is considered to be culturally patterned role-playing, a safe vehicle for restoring oneself. Witchcraft or possession legitimizes act- ing out bizarre behavior or engaging in incoherent speech. Hispanic tradition, especially in the borderlands (the geographic area along the United States/Mexico border), blends the medieval heritage of medieval Castilian and English traditions with Mexican Indian folk beliefs (Kearney & Medrano, 2001, p. 119). Brujas (witches) use black, or malevolent, magic, while curanderos use white, or benevo- lent, magic. Spells may be cast to influence a lover or to get back at a rival, and cards are read to tell the future. Herbrias sell herbs, amulets, and talismans (Kearney & Medrano, p. 117).
A lesser disease that is caused from outside the body is mal ojo. Mal ojo means “bad eye,” and it is believed to result from exces- sive admiration on the part of another. General malaise, sleepiness, fatigue, and severe headache are the symptoms of this condition. The folk treatment is to find the person who has caused the illness by cast- ing the “bad eye” and having him or her care for the afflicted person (Nall & Spielberg, 1967). The belief in the evil eye, mal de ojo, can be traced back to the mid-1400s and Spain (Kearney & Medrano, 2001, p. 118). It has origins that go back even further in many parts of the world. This belief is common today.
4. Strong emotional states. Susto is described as an illness arising from fright. It afflicts many people—males and females, rich and poor, rural dwellers and urbanites. It involves soul loss: The soul is able to leave the body and wander freely. This can occur while a person is dreaming or when a person experiences a particularly traumatic event. The symptoms of the disease are (1) restlessness while sleep- ing; (2) listlessness, anorexia, and disinterest in personal appearance when awake, including disinterest in both clothing and personal
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hygiene; and (3) loss of strength, depression, and introversion. The person is treated by curandero (a folk healer, discussed earlier and in the section on curanderismo), who coaxes the soul back into the person’s body. During the healing rites, the person is massaged and made to relax (Rubel, 1964).
5. Envidia. Envidia, or envy, is also considered to be a cause of illness and bad luck. Many people believe that to succeed is to fail. That is, when one’s success provokes the envy of friends and neighbors, misfortune can befall the person and his or her family. For example, a successful farmer, just when he is able to purchase extra clothing and equipment, is stricken with a fatal illness. He may well attribute the cause of this illness to the envy of his peers. A number of social scien- tists have, after much research, concluded that the “low” economic and success rates of Mexicans can ostensibly be attributed to belief in envidia (Lucero, 1975).
Religious Rituals
Magico-religious practices are quite common among the Mexican population. The more severe an illness, the more likely these practices will be used. There are 4 types of practices:
1. Making promises. A promesa may be made to God or to a saint; for example, a person may promise to donate money to a cause if he or she recovers from an ILLNESS.
2. Visiting shrines. Many people make pilgrimages to shrines to offer prayers and gifts. This practice has origins in Jerusalem, and later Spain, with the visits to Santiago de Compostela starting in the 11th century (Kearney & Medrano, 2001, p. 110).
3. Offering medals and candles. 4. Offering prayers (Nall & Spielberg, 1967).
It is not unusual for the Mexico people residing near the southern bor- der of the continental United States to return home to Mexico on religious pilgrimages. The film We Believe in Niño Fedencio, demonstrates how these pil- grimages are conducted. The lighting of candles also is a frequently observed practice. Beautiful candles made of beeswax and tallow can be purchased in many stores, particularly grocery stores and pharmacies such as Sr. Garcia’s Yerberia, located in Mexican neighborhoods (Figures 12–7, 12–8, and 12–9). Many homes have shrines with statues and pictures of saints. The candles are lit here and prayers are recited. Some homes have altars with statues and pictures on them and are the focal point of the home. Some Mexicans are devoted to the Virgin de San Juan del Valle and make pilgrimages to the shrine in San Juan, Texas. Figure 12–10 is a retalbo—a painting on wood or a piece of metal that illustrates a HEALING miracle. You can see the ill person lying in bed, the person praying, and the Virgin.