Abstract

BackgroundThe author reports on the plants, rituals and spells used against worms and the so-called scantu (fright) in some areas of Sicily. The work is based on ethnobotanical research carried out, prevalently, between 2002-2006, in some areas of Eastern, South-Eastern, North-Central and South-Central Sicily.MethodsThis research is based on dialogue. Senior 'healers' were contacted; furthermore, doctors, teachers, farmers and in general 'experts' with herbs and 'magic' rituals. Information was collected about the way the plants of folk medicine are prepared. The interviewees were also invited to recite prayers and spells against helminthiasis.ResultsThe author has highlighted the importance of how, in some parts of Sicily, some ailments like helminthiasis and other correlated pathologies like scantu are 'treated' and, especially within the rural social classes, by folk medicine remedies, herbal practises, particular prayers, rituals and spells.ConclusionAs regards health/illness, it should be noted that in the last ten years conventional medicine has provided very satisfactory results even resolving potentially mortal pathologies. However, in certain social classes, there is no real collaboration between conventional and folk medicine; so for some senior citizens, the 'healer' with his rituals and empirical and magical herbs is still the person to turn to for the 'cure' of particular ailments. Interest in these practises from ancestral heritage in an advanced country like Italy, is only relevant if the aim is to recoup a cultural identity which is already in decline.It is significant to report a piece: on 14 October 2007 the news on a well-known national Italian TV channel reported an interview with a 94 year-old man from Arbatax (Sardinia) referred to as a 'healer' because both his townspeople and others from all over the world go to him for his cures. He is not paid except in kind and has been known to cure St. Anthony's fire, burns, scalding and marine fungal infections, by smearing his saliva over the infected part and reciting 'special words'.

Highlights

  • The author reports on the plants, rituals and spells used against worms and the socalled scantu in some areas of Sicily

  • It is significant to report a piece: on 14 October 2007 the news on a well-known national Italian TV channel reported an interview with a 94 year-old man from Arbatax (Sardinia) referred to as a 'healer' because both his townspeople and others from all over the world go to him for his cures

  • If even the second cycle of treatment does not produce the desired result, most people refer to conventional medicine [10]

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Summary

Methods

"Areas analysed" Research was carried out in the following localities (provinces): Acquedolci, Alcara Li Fusi, Alimena, Caronia, Castel di Lucio, Casalvecchio Siculo, Cesarò, Galati Mamertino, Militello Rosmarino, San Fratello (Messina); Sperlinga, Villarosa, Valguarnera (Enna); Capo Scalambri, Modica, Monterosso Almo, Punta Braccetto, Punta secca (Ragusa); Belpasso, Caltagirone, Sant'Alfio, Santo Pietro di Caltagirone (Catania); Calcarelli, Castellana Sicula, Ganci, Petralia Soprana, Polizzi Generosa (Palermo). Helminthiasis onset in children, follows a strong attack of the jitters (scantu) which would cause 'a shaking up of the worms' ('a-rriminiata rê vièrmi') which usually live intertwined in the stomach This movement would produce symptoms like swelling, stomach pain, vomiting, halitosis, convulsions, persistent cough, sneezing, itchy nose and respiratory problems, due to the disturbed worms climbing along the airways and threatening to suffocate the child ('fari accupari u picciriddu') [4]. Various Italian texts were consulted for phytotherapeutic, ethnobotanical and dialectal data [9,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30]

Results
Conclusion
Background
Napoli M
17. Amodio E
19. Pignatti S
30. Pitrè G

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