Malaria as "Kulir Suram" in traditional Siddha medicine

Walter, Thomas M. (2005) Malaria as "Kulir Suram" in traditional Siddha medicine.

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Abstract

Siddha system is one of the oldest systems of medicine in India. Siddha medicine is being practiced in the southern parts of India. The word Siddha means "an object to be attained", "perfection" or heavenly bliss". According to this system, human body is composed of 96 Tatwas, 72,000 blood vessels and 1300 nerves. The total number of diseases according to this system is 4,444. Besides these, there are 10 Nadi (main arteries), 10 Vayu (vital pranas) and 10 Vegangal (natural functions). All of them play important roles in different functions of the body. Malaria in Siddha: Fever is recognized as a disease (and not as a symptom as in Modern Allopathic medicine) in traditional Siddha medicine. It is further classified into 64 types of which 52 types occur due to intrinsic factors and 12 due to extrinsic causes. Malaria is referred to as Kulir Suram (Kulir – Cold, Chill, Rigor, Suram – Fever) in Traditional (Siddha) Indian Medicine. It is known as ‘Visha Suram’ (Visham – Toxin, Suram – Fever) in Ayurveda. Although the involvement of a particular micro organism (like Plasmodium vivax in modern medicine) cannot be identified as the causative factor of Kulir Suram, Toxin (Visham) is said to be the main factor in Siddha system. This article deals with the Causes, Pro-dromal symptoms, Clinical features, Diagnosis, Line of treatment and Treatment of Kulir Suram (Malaria) as per the Traditional Siddha system of Medicine.

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