How did a traditional medicine save Hồ Chí Minh's life?
On the eve of the August Revolution in 1945, Hồ Chí Minh fell seriously ill at Tân Trào in the Resistance Zone. A traditional healer of the Tày ethnic minority cured him with a special root. The memoir, From Pác Bó to Tân Trào.
There was much to do, but Uncle Hồ was ill. He'd had a high fever for some days. He tried to work anyway. Whenever I asked him about his health, he simply said, "You go and do your work. I'am all right". I noticed, though, that he was getting weaker and thinner. We had to special medicne for him, just some anti-cold and quinine tablets. He had taken them, but his condition did not improve. Normally he would never lie down during working hours, but now he was bedridden and had first of delirium. I was the only 1 of his close associates worried.
"I don't have much to do", I said one day. "Can I stay with you tonight?"
He opened his eyes and nodded waekly.
That night, I stayed with Uncle Hồ in his hut in the middle of the forest. He talked about the political situation whenever he was awake. He would say, "Now is the golden opportunity. Whatever the sacrifice, we must make it to win back our independence, even if we must burn the Trường Sơn Mountain Range". Whenever he remembered something important, he told me, as if he knew he was too weak now and wanted to make sure I understood. Throughout the night he swung between first of consciousness and delirium.
The next day, I asked the local people if they had any remedies. They told me about a traditional healer of the Tày ethnic minority who could treat high fever, I sent a horseman to fetch him. The physician felt Uncle's pulse and forehead. Then he burned a piece of root he had just taken from the forest. He mixed its ashes with thin rice soup and gave the mixture to Uncle. The next day, the fits of delirium were gone. Uncle ate the special soup several more times. His fever receded. Even though he was weak, Uncle rose and started again.
After the event, pharmacist Đỗ Tất Lợi spent many years searching for the medicine that had saved Hồ Chí Minh's life. He finally found it to be the root of the mã liên an plant [Streptocaulon juventas (Lour)]. In Chinese it is called malianan. This plant grows widely in Tân Trào Commune, Tuyên Quang Province.
There was much to do, but Uncle Hồ was ill. He'd had a high fever for some days. He tried to work anyway. Whenever I asked him about his health, he simply said, "You go and do your work. I'am all right". I noticed, though, that he was getting weaker and thinner. We had to special medicne for him, just some anti-cold and quinine tablets. He had taken them, but his condition did not improve. Normally he would never lie down during working hours, but now he was bedridden and had first of delirium. I was the only 1 of his close associates worried.
"I don't have much to do", I said one day. "Can I stay with you tonight?"
He opened his eyes and nodded waekly.
That night, I stayed with Uncle Hồ in his hut in the middle of the forest. He talked about the political situation whenever he was awake. He would say, "Now is the golden opportunity. Whatever the sacrifice, we must make it to win back our independence, even if we must burn the Trường Sơn Mountain Range". Whenever he remembered something important, he told me, as if he knew he was too weak now and wanted to make sure I understood. Throughout the night he swung between first of consciousness and delirium.
The next day, I asked the local people if they had any remedies. They told me about a traditional healer of the Tày ethnic minority who could treat high fever, I sent a horseman to fetch him. The physician felt Uncle's pulse and forehead. Then he burned a piece of root he had just taken from the forest. He mixed its ashes with thin rice soup and gave the mixture to Uncle. The next day, the fits of delirium were gone. Uncle ate the special soup several more times. His fever receded. Even though he was weak, Uncle rose and started again.
After the event, pharmacist Đỗ Tất Lợi spent many years searching for the medicine that had saved Hồ Chí Minh's life. He finally found it to be the root of the mã liên an plant [Streptocaulon juventas (Lour)]. In Chinese it is called malianan. This plant grows widely in Tân Trào Commune, Tuyên Quang Province.
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