Folk Medicine

Typhoid Fever

• nine yellow limes
• one teaspoon of pot salt
• a container of boiling water.

Method: Wash the limes and boil them. Then squeeze the juice, add the salt and a bit of ashes (obtained from the wooden fires). Add this to some warm water and bathe. This would stop the fever instantly. By Mc Donald Elie

Herb A Pique – Also Called Zaber pick.

Uses: Herb a pique is used for all types of Fever and is specially recommended for Malaria

Where Found: This plant is quite common and may be found throughout Trinidad and Tobago.
It thrives best on rich soil or on land which has been burnt.

Description: It grows to a height of three to four feet. The leaf resembles a small tobacco leaf and the stem is very succulent. The leaf is bitter to the taste which is like quinine.

Preparation: 1. Pick the green leaves with the stem and hang to dry indoors. Keep away from sunlight. One leaf is enough to prepare one dose. Boil a single leaf as in the preparation of tea. Add sugar to taste and drink half teacup twice a day. It is best to take the first dose on waking in the morning and the next on going to bed. This preparation must not be taken for more than a day or two at a time as it weakens the body and may cause nervousness.

2. Zaberpick can also be prepared in Vermouth. Place three leaves in one pint (10 to 12 ounces) of Vermouth and leave for a week. Take one wine glass full twice a day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

Precaution: This preparation must not be used by pregnant women as it is known to induce abortion.