cooling mudpacks: the aesthetic quality of therapy 171
It is possible to interpret these three ways of talking about the outcome of
Kuttappan’s treatment as approximations of the concept of “cure” as complete
eradication of a problem—although it is diffi cult to say whether a return to
normalcy is implied. It is probably signifi cant that these eff orts to speak of
something like complete change or complete absence occur in the context
of discussing allopathic care. Unfortunately, Kuttappan’s problems did return
after “all of his illnesses had changed” following allopathic therapy. Kuttappan’s
wife’s expectations about ayurvedic therapy probably also remained unfulfi lled
since we learned from reviewing medical records on a follow-up visit to the
GAMH that Kuttappan had been released before completing therapy. We
never learned exactly why he was released early. He may have reacted in a
paranoid manner to the staff , as he did in allopathic treatment, and left volun-
tarily. Or he may have been released because of violent outbursts that occurred
while he was staying at the GAMH.
Mathew John, a 35-year-old Christian man, was being treated at the
GAMH accompanied by his father. Benny and I interviewed Mathew John
and his father later in the course of fi eld research after I had begun to notice
complaints about unpleasant treatments and became interested in reactions to
allopathic therapy. Mathew John’s comments should be viewed in the context
that Benny and I were explicitly asking Mathew John to evaluate his allopathic
treatment. After hearing general, unspecifi ed complaints about allopathic
therapy from several patients, we felt it would be appropriate to ask Mathew
John specifi cally what he did not like about allopathic treatment:
Benny: What kind of treatment did you receive in allopathy?Mathew John and Father (together): Th ey gave ECT fi ve times plus tablets and
injections.Benny: Did you like allopathy?Mathew John: I didn’t like it.Benny: What specifi cally didn’t you like?Mathew John: I didn’t like ECT.Mathew John had been hearing sounds, and he was afraid he was being
pursued by evil spirits and people who were trying to hurt him. He had a
good income as a clerk in a public school, but his pathologies undermined
his ability to work. His family sought treatment at an allopathic hospital