The use of the head louse as a remedy for jaundice in Spanish folk medicine: an overview.

Background: In Spain, head lice are considered a therapeutic resource for the treatment of jaundice. All folk remedies based on the ingestion of these insects meet in the present document, previously dispersed among a large number of references. Methods: An overview of the Spanish literature has been carried out. The most important databases have been consulted. All related works have been examined. Results: Although the method of preparation is diverse and the dose varies, the primary recommendation is a transference ritual consisting of taking nine live lice for nine days on an empty stomach without the patient's knowledge. This traditional knowledge survives in Spanish society, and constitutes an example of the interrelation between Spanish and Latin American folk medicines. Conclusions: The survival of this therapy in the worldview of certain rural communities suggests the need to take into account the beliefs, ideas and behaviour patterns of popular culture in relation to health and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antecedentes: En España, los piojos de la cabeza son considerados un recurso terapéutico para el tratamiento de la ictericia. Todos los remedios populares basados en la ingestión de estos insectos se reúnen en el presente documento, previamente dispersos por un gran número de referencias. Métodos: Se ha llevado a cabo una revisión exhaustiva de la literatura española y han sido consultadas las bases de datos más importantes. Se han examinado todos los trabajos relacionados. Resultados: Aunque el método de preparación es diverso y la dosis varía, la recomendación principal es un ritual de transferencia consistente en tomar nueve piojos vivos durante nueve días en ayunas y sin el conocimiento del paciente. Este conocimiento tradicional sobrevive en la sociedad española, y constituye un ejemplo de la interrelación entre las medicinas populares española y latinoamericana. Conclusiones: La supervivencia de esta terapia en la cosmovisión de algunas comunidades rurales sugiere la necesidad de tener en cuenta las creencias, ideas y patrones de comportamiento de la cultura popular en relación con la salud y la enfermedad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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