Where There Is No Doctor 2011 23
Spanish Name: LA CONGESTIÓN (CONGESTION) Name in Your Area:
Any sudden upset or illness that causes great distress is called la congestión by
Mexican villagers. People speak of congestión of:
the head,
the chest,
the stomach,
or the whole body.
It is said that la congestión strikes persons who break ‘the diet’ (see p. 123),
by eating foods that are forbidden or taboo after childbirth, while taking a medicine,
or when they have a cold or cough. Although these foods usually cause no harm
and are sometimes just what their bodies need, many people will not touch them
because they are so afraid of getting la congestión.
Different illnesses that are sometimes called la congestión are:
• Food poisoning, from eating spoiled food: causes sudden vomiting followed
by diarrhea, cramps, and weakness (see p. 135).
• A severe allergic reaction, in allergic persons after they eat certain foods
(shellfish, chocolate, etc,), take certain medicines, or are injected with
penicillin. May cause vomiting, diarrhea, cold sweat, breathing trouble, itchy
rash, and severe distress (see p. 166).
• Any sudden upset of the stomach or gut: see diarrhea (p. 153), vomiting
(p. 161), and acute abdomen (p. 93).
• Sudden or severe difficulty breathing: caused by asthma (p. 167), pneumonia
(p. 171), or something stuck in the throat (p. 79).
• Illnesses that cause seizures (fits) or paralysis: see seizures (p. 178), tetanus
(p. 182), meningitis (p. 185), polio (p. 314), and stroke (p. 327).
• Heart attacks: mostly in older persons (p. 325).
Spanish Name: LATIDO (PULSING) Name in Your Area:
Latido is a name used in Latin America for a pulsing or ‘jumping’ in the pit of the
stomach. It is really the pulse of the aorta or big blood vessel coming from the heart.
This pulse can be seen and felt on a person who is very thin and hungry. Latido is
often a sign of malnutrition (p. 112)—or hunger! Eating enough good food is the only
real treatment (see p. 110 and 111).