Cold is an infection that keeps on meddling you time on and time again. People .like me in my childhood had a perennial water supply from my nose. I was not put on any antibiotics, any special diet, nor quarantined from my siblings. Cold and I grew together. In the mornings , I had starting trouble. my nose would be blocked , my voice choked,thus no sound came out. Half asleep , I would be dragged from my bed, given a tepid bath, hair combed, and I was dressed up for my school. An oil bath was a must on Tuesdays and Fridays. I used to struggle ,shout,but nothing worked. The oil bath was performed with exact measure of oil warmed with a fragment of garlic, a small piece of red chili, pepper and jeeragam.THe oil was profusely applied on my head and body,. I was made to sit in the bathroom for fifteen minutes. Then shikakai or soap nut powder was rubbed , to remove the oil. The shikakai was mixed with rice boiled water. The bath used to be warm. My cold appreciated. in leaps and bounds. proceeded to school with a big towel in hand. My friends used to make fun of me.I did not mind their provocation, instead , threatened them ,that if they continued their jeering , the infection will catch them. That was the way , I was brought up. in strict military discipline along with the sense of pride and independence.In course of time the cold virus, baffled by the treatment and contempt meted out bade farewell to my system. Immunity developed by itself. I grew hale and healthy.
In recent times, if a child sneezes , the parents rush to the doctor, who prescribes, antibiotics, paracetamol, and cough syrup . The child has to take thrice a day , for five days. The child is given a sponge bath, and put in a separate room. She is not allowed to go to school, instead put in bed with warm clothes and socks. The child is made to feel pretty sick. The confidence is lost. The medicine weakens the system, kills the appetite and renders the child helpless. After five days , she is allowed to have restricted movements. A week later the child goes to school, half tired . A week’s activities is lost.
Feed the cold and starve the fever is the maxim that comes in my mind. Leave the cold to itself . It will disappear in a week’s time. Cold in small children is a growing symptom, that gradually diminishes as the child advances in age.
Meenas Poems 