The Sin Nombre virus is found in deer mice, common in the Southwestern part of the United States. This virus is not new to the area but the particular strain that caused the outbreak in 1993 was a new strain to the area. The Native Americans in the area have remedies for the virus. The best method for containing the outbreaks is to prevent contamination from the mice. Mice are scavengers that feed on what they can find including grains. Since 1993 there have been no outbreaks of the hantavirus but several people a year are infected and half of the infected people die from pulmonary complications. There is no placental transfer of the hantavirus from the mother to the fetuses she carries but the young deer mice can become infected with the hantavirus at any time after birth (Hantavirus, n.d.). Many deer mice carry the virus in their body fluids and tissues. They infect other mice through fighting for mates because the skin can be scratched or bitten by another mouse (Frequently Asked Questions: Hantavirus and Zika Virus, n.d.). The deer mouse can live up to eight years but in the wild most live a …show more content…
Mr. Andy Natonobah, a Navajo medicine-man, described the ceremony used for healing. The ceremony was passed down for generations in his family for the cure of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. The ceremony uses inotropic herbs in high dosages (A Description of a Navajo Healing Ceremony for Hantavirus, 2001). The purpose of the inotropic herbs is to increase the contractility of the heart muscle to prevent the hypoxia which comes from the buildup of fluid in the lungs. Capsicum, blue cohosh, ephedra, Pau d’Arco, and gentian would have been available to the medicine-man in previous years. These herbals have known inotropic properties (Dharmananda, 2003). Navajo medical beliefs concur with public health recommendations for preventing the disease (Frequently Asked Questions: Hantavirus and Zika Virus,
Hantaviruses are a genus of virus that are single-stranded, negative-sensed RNA viruses with a tripartite genome, represented by 45 different species across a worldwide distribution (Dearing and Dizney, 2010). They are pathogens primarily hosted by small mammals, in the family Muridae, with rats and mice making up the majority of these hosts. Hantaviruses first came to be known when two major disease events occurring in the twentieth century lead to the discovery of both old and new world hantaviruses (Johnson et al 2010). Old world hantavirus were first discovered during the Korean War (1950-1953) when over 3,000 U.N and Korean soldiers became stricken with hemorrhagic fever with
The Native American woman interviewed has a strong holistic approach when viewing medicine compared to Western civilization. Before seeking any medical attention she states she will first try teas, herbs and other supplements in soothing common ailments. She often bakes
A medicine man begins by setting up an altar. This altar, usually has some type of antler to hold the sacred pipe. Then he sets four different sacred herbs in the middle of the lodge or teepee. There are four sacred herbs in the Native culture that are used for sweats. One is sage, which purifies a room of all negative energies. The second herb is sweet grass which brings in spirits from the other side to heal you. The third herb is cedar which is for purification purposes. The fourth herb is tobacco. Tobacco has always been sacred to the Native American culture. The tobacco is used to smoke in the sacred pipe. This pipe is used to bless the earth (Winona LaDuke
Many traditional Native medicines and healing practices were discouraged with the advent of Western medicine, but now there is a movement to return to traditional ways (Zubek, 1994, p. 1924). Modern Western medicine treats the symptoms to cure a diseased state when the body is out of homeostasis. Native American healing traditions do this as well with herbs and plants suited to the purpose. These Native healing traditions also include sacred rituals, chants, and purification rites to help bring the spirit and mind of the afflicted back into balance. In effect, treating the whole person, not only the disease. A blending of these two healing practices could bring about better prognoses for today's patients. The purpose of this paper is
There are three parts to the way that traditional Navajos view sickness and healing. There is ceremonial healing, church healing and biomedical healing. The ceremonial healing traditionally been the main avenue for health care on Navajo lands. This involves ritual healing performed by a Shaman. Native american church healing involves work with the church and involves faith and a priest. Biomedical healing is relatively new on the reservation (Csordas 2000). The implementation of Indian Health Services has really opened the door for the Navajo reservations. They are able to receive modern health care when they had to go hundreds of miles before.
Native American traditional medicine and spiritual healing rituals go back for thousands of years, these traditions often focus on different variations of alternative medicine. This knowledge is passed on throughout generations, many of the tribes learn that by mixing natural plants such as herbs and roots they can make remedies with healing properties. It is believed that being healthy is when people reach a state of harmony not only spiritually, mentally but physically. To be able to overcome the forces that cause illness people must “operate in the context of relationship to four constructs —namely, spirituality (Creator, Mother Earth, Great Father); community (family, clan, tribe/nation); environment (daily life, nature, balance); and self (inner passions and peace, thoughts, and values)” (Portman & Garret, 2006, p.453). In this research paper I am going to show evidence of the tremendous influence that Native American medicine and spiritual healing have over modern medicine in the course of healing
"Native American medicine is based on widely held beliefs about healthy living, the repercussions of disease-producing behavior, and the spiritual principles that restore balance." -Ken "Bear Hawk" Cohen (Chrisman 1).
The Yellow Fever virus came from Central or East Africa. With transmission between primates and humans, the virus has been spread from there to West Africa. The virus was probably brought to the Americas with the slave trade ships from 1492 after the first European exploration. The first case of Yellow fever was recorded in Mexico by Spanish colonists in 1648. Consequently, the virus started to spread also in North America. In Philadelphia in 1793, more than the 9% of the population die. The American government had to escape from the city that was the temporary capital. One of the most famous outbreaks happen in Europe in Barcelona in 1821.How explains the article "The 'plague' of Barcelona. Yellow Fever epidemic of 1821", the outbreak of
Blending old with new, traditional and modern Western medicine and treatment give the Navajo the best of both worlds culturally. Medicine from the Navajo perspective is about healing people by restoring balance and harmony to the spirit. Prayer as well as balance healing rituals like “Walking in Beauty” (O’Brien,
An increasing number of medical schools are now offering courses in alternative medicine for their students, and some hospitals already have alternative medicine departments. The availability of healers and doctors practicing holistic medicine has also increased in recent years, and more and more people are educating themselves in these new fields. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that between 65 and 80 percent of the world’s population (about 3 billion people) rely on traditional medicine as their primary form of health care.
The Ebola Haemorrahagic Fever, or Ebola for short, was first recognized as a virus in 1967. The first breakout that caused the Ebola virus to be recognized was in Zaire with 318 people infected and 280 killed. There are five subtypes of the Ebola virus, but only four of them affect humans. There are the Ebola-Zaire, Ebola-Sudan, Ebola-Ivory Coast and the Ebola-Bundibugyo. The fifth one, the Ebola-Reston, only affects nonhuman primates. The Ebola-Zaire was recognized on August 26, 1976 with a 44 year old schoolteacher as the first reported case. The Ebola-Sudan virus was also recognized in 1976 and was thought to be that same as Ebola-Zaire and it is thought to have broken out in a cotton factory in the Sudan. The Ebola-Ivory Coast was
In addition, the incubation time of the virus is uncertain. Researchers think that it takes between one and five weeks after the initial contact with the virus before victims start showing symptoms of the illness. These early symptoms can vary significantly from person to person. While most people will feel fatigue, fever and muscle aches in the large muscle groups. Other may also experience chills, dizziness, and abdominal pains. A week later, infected people will begin to experience coughing and a shortness of breath as their lungs fill with fluid. It is important to note that most hanta virus victims became ill even though they did not see rodents or their dropping, and others have had a large amount of contact with both before they became sick (CDC.gov pg. 1). Because of the wide variety of symptoms, hanta virus has gone through several different names.
The origin of the disease has been described at the end of the movie where we find out that a bat with a virus known as paramyxovirus that infects a pig. The pigs that are for human consumption were located near a forest that was being cut down. The pig in turn infects human beings of the earth through a chef. The agent which is very infectious is known as MEV-1 and its potential spread is estimated at 6-7 which suggests that the virus is highly transmissible from one person to the next. The virus has been compared to that of a smallpox virus with a mortality rate of up to 30%.
Severe Acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a respiratory illness that had recently been reported in Asia, North America, and Europe. SARS was first reported is Asia in February of 2003, over the next few months it spread to more than a dozen countries. By late July 2003, no new cases were being reported and the global outbreak was declared over by the World Health Organization. During this time period 8,098 people worldwide became infected with SARS and out of these 774 died. In the United States a total of 192 SARS cases had been reported, including 159 suspect and 33 probable cases. Of the probable only 8 had laboratory evidence of SARS-CoV infection. Luckily, no SARS relate deaths occurred in the US.
The Ebola Virus is an extremely deadly virus found in Africa. There have been multiple outbreaks across Africa and one in the United States. The Ebola virus basically causes uncontrollable bleeding externally and internally. Then your organs become liquefied. This usually results in death(www.encyclopedia.com). The following report contains info on the characteristics and history of the Ebola Virus.