مجله طب جنوب
سال بیست و دوم شماره 1 (بهار 1398)

One of the dangers that threatened mother and baby was a mythical creature called Al. Al has always been a panic for parturient women, and in many parts of Iran, there is still a fear that Al by stealing puerpera’s liver or changing the baby or doing other things can somehow harm both of them. The purpose of this research is to identify Al and alzadegi and study the different ways of coping with it in different regions of Iran.

The data of the present research is the result of anthropological researches based on fieldwork (in-depth interview and observation technique) and documentary based and library research methods. To collect these data, all of the field study, documentary based and library research methods have been used. Interviews with the elderly in different and numerous regions as native informed individuals have been one of these methods.

Al-assault treatment was being started from the very first moments of childbirth. As dystocia
considered one of the possible effects of Al's damage, there are ways to hide the placenta and methods to prevent Al presence in the culture of most regions of Iran. The effort to prevent puerpera from staying alone in the early days after childbirth is consistent with the current recommendations for the recognition and treatment of postpartum depression. In culture of most regions of Iran, Al has been identified in different types and genus (kinds). For the disposal of Al, in addition to the use of materials such as gunpowder and onions, keeping metal tools (preferably iron) such as skewer, Needle (or bodkin), horseshoe, dagger, knife or even a sword in puerpera dress or near her is advised. "Fencing", drawing a line around the puerpera and the baby and benefiting from healing techniques, such as reading parts of the Qur'an were found as the most common methods of fighting with Al.

In all cultures, Al is a legendary creature that damages puerpera and the baby. Folks still believe in this folktale in some regions, and it contributes to the formation of an important part of customs associated with human birth. People do things to treat alzadegi, which is closely related to their beliefs and the way they deal with nature and the dangers they confront; but obviously, by recognizing and treating alzadegi in different regions, common and different cultural characteristics in dealing with the harms that threatens human life can be achieved.

The village of Kamercheh Oliya in the Moosa-abad plain is located in the central part of Torbat-e-jaam city, Khorasan Razavi province. Over the years, its population has migrated to the province’s center and Mashhad for employment and the village now has about 100 inhabitants. The Kamercheh Oliya has kept many of its traditions, customs, and ceremonies because of being far from the province center and its remoteness. The purpose of this research is to study the traditional medicine anthropology and to understand the therapeutic methods available to the people of this village.

The data of the present research is the result of anthropological researches based on fieldwork (in-depth interview and observation technique) and documentary based and library research methods. To collect these data, all of the field study, documentary based and library research methods have been used. Interviews with the elderly as native informed individuals have been one of these methods.

In general, along with the use of Medicinal species of animal origins such as " mache olagh", " var avard " (or the first donkey dung), another method of smoke therapy called "kokh golun" and using certain foods such as "khigine sir "and the "chehel bori"treatment method are the most commonly used treatments for the diseases in this village. Physical illnesses such as ischuria, nocturia, toothache and some Mental illnesses and disorders, such as "chehel oftadan", have been widespread in this village.

Traditional medicine in the eastern part of Khorasan and distant parts such as Kamercheh Oliya have preserved their antiquity. The use of natural treatments, smoke therapy, prayers therapy and so on, is itself evidence of the claim that has been largely The use of natural therapists, smoke therapy, prayers and so on, is evidence of the claim that has so far been kept to a large extent by elderly in the village. On the other hand, there is a wide range of oral and religious heritage in the villagers’ culture about diseases and treatments that have not been documented yet; therefore, the necessity of this research becomes more evident. A study on traditional medicine can identify these methods, exchanges and cultural effects among people living in the region and elsewhere.

Icterus / Jaundice is a type of gastrointestinal and abdominal disorder that is associated with a change in color and yellowish of the patient's skin and eyes. In terms of traditional Iranian medicine, jaundice is a liver dysfunction and a type of biliary atashi disease, which ancient physicians described as a yellowish or black coloration of the body. The disease is treated among different ethnic groups in Iran in various traditional ways (both herbal and non- herbal). The purpose of this study was to find out the therapeutic methods of Icterus disease that has been used in the northern and southern regions of Iran (West Azarbaijan and Hormozgan). The research also seeks to examine the traditional way of treating the disease in the two mentioned regions using fieldwork and documentation methods in a comparative perspective.

The data of the present research is the result of anthropological researches based on fieldwork (in-depth interview and observation technique) and documentary based and library research methods. To collect these data, all of the field study, documentary based and library research methods have been used. Interview with the fishermen as indigenous people has been one of these methods.

Since ancient times, traditional treatment of diseases has been one of the most well-known methods of treatment in different ethnic cultures. Considering the extent, richness and cultural-ethnic diversity of Iran, treatment with this method has a special place. In general, along with the use of various medicinal species such as jaru, yellow Watermelon, bulagh uti, camel's thorn fruit and some other herbal species, methods such as scarifying, using a yellow bead, cauterizing, giving the patient live fish, using mineral water, and use of certain products derived from several types of fish (Gin, Parrot fish etc.) as tan shuye (body cleaner), were considered the most common treatments for jaundice in both regions.

A wide variety of therapeutic methods, herbs (botanical / herbal medicine), marine products and healing rituals has been recorded in both geographic regions. Various methods found in traditional medicine of a region are also found in other areas with many similarities. A study on traditional medicine can identify these methods, exchanges and cultural effects among people living in the region and elsewhere.

In traditional medicine, there is another curative and preventive approach in addition to wet cupping (bloodletting) and cupping, that has been used for a long time, but is nowadays less commonly used and unknown to most people. This traditional treatment is called phlebotomy in folk medicine. In the city of Gonabad, in addition to the term “phlebotomy ", it is also called "Rag Zadan". The aim of this study is to identify how to treat the pain and suffering of patients who practice phlebotomy to cure physical and mental diseases.

The data of the present study is the result of field studies by the author, anthropological studies and fieldwork (in-depth interview and observation technique with native healers or " rag zan" in Gonabad city). To collect these data, all of the field study, documentary based and library research methods have been used. Local healers are expert at practicing this treatment through the
experience they have learned from their ancestors. Interview with Gholamreza Hajian, one of these healers as a native indigenous person, has been one of these methods.

Different areas of the body are considered as the spot of venesection while practicing phlebotomy for treating and curing various pains. Usually, the organs of the various regions of the body such as the neck, forehead, back and below of the knee, or the so-called local term (kase che), are used to heal a variety of pains, including hemorrhoids, back pain, varicosis, hypertension and the treatment of some infertility. Pain such as low back pain, leg pain, gout, migraine, eye jaundice, male sexual disability, irregularity of the woman's Menstruation, breathlessness, colic (enteralgia) of women, Lok or so-called "Seghl", are other examples of these Diseases.The mentioned rag zan also considered hygiene issues and used onion to
disinfect the lancet (bistoury).

The phlebotomy treatment method is still common in the Gonabad city. Many patients from different parts of Khorasan and even Iran experience this type of treatment. Research on this treatment method in other parts of Iran can be the starting point for discovering new ways of treating some diseases.

The “Pir-e patr” ritual is one of the healing ceremonies among Baluchs (Baluchis) of Iran, which is similar to other rituals with elements such as music, spirituality and spiritual hierarchy. In this ritual, the formation of the healing process can be seen in the form of a threshold process with the emergence of an ultra-structured community. The purpose of this research is to identify the subject matter, record it ethnographically and analyze its anthropology.

The data of the present research is the result of anthropological researches based on fieldwork (in-depth interview and observation technique) and documentary based and library research methods. To collect these data, all of the field study, documentary based and library research methods have been used. Interviews with Sheikh Seyyed Mohammad and Sheikh Mahmoud, two of those who held the Pir-e patr ring as indigenous people has been one of these methods.

Aside from the links of this rite with the way and followers of Sheikh Abdul Qader Gilani, due to the closeness of the cultural area of Sistan and Baluchistan (the Baluchi culture of Iran) to the culture and civilization of the Persian Gulf, it may also be related to rituals originating from Africa, including Zar. That is why the ceremony in addition to the Islamic characteristics, also features the native culture of the region.

When we examine the anthropology of the Pir-e patr ritual, we encounter religious beliefs that are part of the popular rituals. This rite must be a healing ritual, in which the spiritual and mystical power of the Pīr and the musical, inner, symbolic and spiritual harmony of believers and ritualists in a sacred space are seen as the source of healing. Research on this healing ritual can initiate a way to discover the unknowns of other healing rites in Iran.

The current population of the Yazd Jews is the survivors of a very large and ancient congregation of this people in central Iran. The long inhabitancy of this people in Yazd during the history of Islamic Iran, on one hand, and the current small numbers of these people, demonstrates the necessity of a comprehensive ethnography of this population. The present study aims to collect, study and analyze the beliefs and medical behaviors of Yazd Jews based on the recognition of these people's health and remedial beliefs and behaviors.

The data of the present research is the result of anthropological researches based on fieldwork (in-depth interview and observation technique) and documentary based and library research methods. To collect these data, all of the field study, documentary based and library research methods have been used. In this research, due to the limited information collected from field research method, the library research results have been used further. An interview with three Jews in Yazd (two indigenous people living in Yazd and one rabbi (hakham) and a physician residing in Tehran) as native informed individuals has been one of these methods.

For centuries, Jews have been renowned for their expertise and proficiency in medicine in the Iranian culture. Generally, in the medical culture of Jews, special attention has been paid to individual health, maintaining food health and provision of the healthiest raw materials for food. The particular diet of the Jews has unique features such as avoiding the simultaneous consumption of dairy and meat dishes. The Yazd Jewish pathology has a great deal to share with the original Iranian ethno-medicine, and has proposed ways to treat diseases such as al-zadegi, bad e sorkh and naftalus.

The Jewish community of Yazd, which always historically and sociologically has faced with the problem of poverty and scarce population, has never been able to step out of the level of daily livelihoods, and all of its cultural and civilization achievements have not been sustained and perpetuated from generation to generation due to widespread and successive migrations. So nowadays, it is very hard to talk about the medical culture of the Jews in Yazd. Research on this culture with immigrant Jews in Tehran, Shiraz and Isfahan can be the starting point for discovering new points in this field of Iranian ethno-medicine.