It's not only the Zulus in South Africa who treat fever by increasing body temperature (11 September, p 30). In the Piedmont region of Italy, the traditional treatment is to cover the patient in blankets and make them drink a full bottle of strong red wine - barolo for those who can afford it, but barbera may also suffice.
In my experience the treatment works for less serious cases.
From Peter Brooks
In my youth, medications such as paracetamol (acetaminophen) were not used to bring a fevered person's temperature down, but to prevent it from rising dangerously high: it acted as a buffer, allowing the patient to "sweat it out" without the risk of an adverse event. At least, that was the information numerous doctors gave our family. Did they all have hold of the wrong end of the stick, or has the original purpose of antipyretics been lost? ...
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