Pill to kill SARS
Dharamsala (TibetNet), 23 April 2003: The panic surrounding the fast-spreading viral disease SARS, which has reportedly claimed more than 200 lives, has also taken over the Tibetans in Dharamsala. Although it is still not a major concern, with only couple of cases reported in India, the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (TMAI) is taking no chances. A newly blessed pill which offers protection against the disease is now being distributed by the Institute.
This morning, the main clinic of TMAI was thronged with people eager to receive the new pill. It was a long queue at the gate, but the faithful believers in the special pill waited with patience. The outbreak of plague in Surat a few years back also saw a similar demand for a protective medicine.
When asked about the frenzy, an old woman with graying hair was quick to share her rudimentary knowledge of the disease: ‘The disease has come from China and it is a deadly one.’
Considering the number of pills each person held in his or her hand, the clinic’s stock would soon be exhausted. ‘Buy me five pills for my relatives back home’, a young man shouted from behind.
A background on the pill from the TMAI:
The Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute has done some research on the disease, and has produced a pill that can prevent infection by the virus. It’s a combination of herbs and minerals wrapped in black cloth and sealed with a colorful string. Anyone possessing the pill must keep it attached to one’s body and smell its fragrance so as to keep the three elements in proper balance.
The Institute is still in the process of finding a proper medicine that would totally cure anyone suffering from the epidemic viral disease. The Institute continues to look for a solution to this disease.