Joan Melissa I.

Somera 14 January 2021

Traditional Medical Practices and Alternative Medicine in the Philippines

1. “Agubuob”
 This method is used for patients suffering from measles or chicken pox by means of a vapor bath
 The preparation is done by using dried onion skin and setting it on fire to create a source of steam
or vapor. The patient will then sit on a chair with slits (to facilitate steam displacement) and will put
a blanket around his/herself, and the ignited onion skin will be put under the chair.
 It is said that the patient will immediately feel an increased itching sensation upon contact with the
vapor, and this will facilitate faster healing and faster drying-out of the lesions in chicken pox.

2. Vinegar
 This method is used for patients with fever
 Preferably, locally-made vinegar (sukang Iloko) is used. An acceptable amount of vinegar is placed
on a basin, and a piece of cloth will be soaked. The cloth will then be taken out from the basin and
excess vinegar will be removed. Finally, the vinegar-soaked cloth will be placed on the patient’s
forehead.
 It is said that putting a vinegar-soaked cloth on the patient’s forehead will provide a soothing effect
for headaches and facilitate faster heat dissipation, thus faster recovery.