Traditional Bone Setter

Reviben Pratapbhai Chaudhary is a 53 year old local healer. An illiterate lady, she belongs to Vanagala village in Mehsana district, Gujarat. The local population, about 2,500 odd people of Vanagala and neighboring villages, contact her for the treatment of human and animal bone problems (mainly dislocation of joints). She helps others, often at the cost of her work, without any fee.

Reviben has gained considerable experience and expertise in setting bones. Relating how she started treating patients, she mentions that once when she had gone to collect fodder with another lady, that lady had dislocated the joint of her leg. Reviben set the bone and applied a sort of ointment made up of turmeric and salt (both of which were heated in proportion to make the ointment). After that, she gradually started treating children’s ailments, pregnancy problems and various veterinary diseases and disorders like fracture and dislocation of joints.

Reviben has learnt the remedies and cures for many other problems such as sprain, yoke gall, retention of placenta, foot and mouth disease, bloat, intestinal worms, etc. But currently she is only treating the dislocation of joints as the majority of her patients approach her with that problem. She visits over 16 neighbouring villages to offer free services.

Seed flour of Guar or cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) (Five kg); turmeric (Curcuma longa) (50 g), salt (50 g) and a small quantity of water are mixed together and gently heated. This paste is applied on the fractured limb which is then bandaged. This treatment is repeated at an interval of 8- 10 days for 1-2 times. The animal is cured within 20-25 days.

Alternative treatments for fracture
Boil pearl millet grains in water along with salt and turmeric (Curcuma longa). Make a paste and apply this warm paste on the affected part for 2-3 days. Take river sand. Add some water, turmeric and salt. Make a paste and apply that on the fractured bone.

Dislocation of joint in animals and humans:
A paste is made of dung, mud, salt and turmeric (Curcuma longa). The paste is gently heated and applied on the affected part. This should be done for 2-3 days.

Yoke gall in bullock
Salt mixed with warm water is used for fomenting the affected part.

For bringing the animal into heat:
Seeds of Chanothi (Abrus precatorius) are powdered and used.

Alternate remedy
The central dark purple/blue part of one peacock feather is fed with chapati or roti or wheat bread.

Foot and Mouth Disease
Hot ash from the chullah or indigenous oven is collected and spread on the platform where animals rest. The ash controls the maggots in wound.

Bloat
Mustard (Brassica juncea) oil is drenched to the animal. This cures bloat.

Intestinal Worms
Salty water is drenched to the animal. This leads to expulsion of intestinal worms.

Stopping the bleeding when an animal’s horn gets broken
Apply a paste made of dudheli (Pergularia daemia) on the horn. This stops bleeding.

Khujali or Itching An extract of dudheli (Pergularia daemia) is applied on the affected part for two days to cure itching.

Shwas chadhe or Asthma
Ramji or geru or ochre is mixed with water and drenched to the animal.

Arthritis
Wrap leaves of dhatura (Datura fastuosa) on the affected part.

Diarrhoea in animals

Leaves, branches and fruits of gundi (Cordia gharaf) are fed to animals.