Dear Dr.,

Can you please enlighten the public about a drug reported to be useful for men, but it is an ill wind.  The drugs cancel the victim’s will power and then attack the poor victim at will? Is it true that there is such a drug?

Jenrayo Ikpeme, Oyo

Dear Jenrayo,

Very unfortunately, the truth is that there is such a drug. It’s name is burundanga and its scientific name is scopolamine or hyoscine. Wikipedia says: “Hyoscine, also known as scopolamine, is a medication used to treat motion sickness and postoperative nausea and vomiting. It is also sometimes used before surgery to decrease saliva. When used by injection, effects begin after about 20 minutes and last for up to eight hours. It may also be used by mouth and as a dermal patch.

Common side effects include sleepiness, blurred vision, dilated pupils, and dry mouth. It is not recommended in people with glaucoma or bowel obstruction. It is unclear if use during pregnancy is safe. However, it appears to be safe during breastfeeding.

Hyoscine was first written about in 1881 and came into medical use in 1947. It is on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. Hyoscine is produced from plants of the nightshade family. The name “scopolamine” is derived from one type of nightshade known as Scopolia while “hyoscine” is from another type known as Hyoscyamus niger.

Now, this drug has been useful to perpetrate acts of rape, robbery and assault on victims who include females alone or in nightclubs, elderly people and other targets of violence and robbery especially in Latin America; and definitely in Colombia and Spain. The way it is reportedly used is to slip it into drinks or to suffuse it into ordinary paper like business cards and hand such paper to a woman to help to call a number written on the paper or to keep the business card of a painter, plumber or work-man or some such other contact. The lady sniffs the drug in high doses infused in the paper and begins to lose control and will power. The best thing to say is “ladies beware” of any male approaching you and handing you a piece of paper.

Thought.com says, “Make no mistake, burundanga is real. It is used in the commission of crimes. If you’re traveling in a region where its use has been confirmed, exercise due caution. But don’t rely on forwarded emails for your facts.”

Cheers

 “About to commit suicide!!”

Dear Dr.,


Could you please convince me you cure Staphylococcus? Any stories about people you cured?

Jana Jebba; Jos

 Dear Jana, 

Around July/August 2003, a very successful but unmarried businessman of 32 years of age wanted to commit suicide. The problem was Staphylococcus. Ten years of torment was enough, he had decided. He had been to different hospitals/doctors and had spent a ton of money on the ailment. I was the seventh doctor he was seeing. Herbal practitioners also had been consulted -all to no avail. Marriage? He had deliberately neglected and let go of a relationship he really cherished but felt he could not, in all good conscience, continue with when he knew he had this ailment that had seemingly defied a cure. He was tired and despairing of life – he had seriously considered suicide.

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At 32, he had no woman and was, frankly, not interested at all. He had begun building his own house in Lagos and it was a beauty to behold, judging by the photos he showed me. I asked him how he thought a house was complete without a woman but he was disinterested in that consideration – all he sought was to get well– and he was afraid he was not going to. Along with Staphylococcus — he also complained that his manhood was too small!!! And that, I believe, was contributory to his refusal to marry or even consider it!!! Like I said, despite the fact that God blessed him greatly, he was ready to give it all up and just kill himself — so terrible and wickedly persisting were his Staph woes — itching, movement/ funny feelings in the organ, weak erection, discharge from the penis during urination, frequency in urination, waist and back pain and ache etc., all beset him terribly. The worst was that after treatment the evil symptoms would come back!!! He was in tears as he narrated his woes, imploring me seriously to help him if I could.

I assured him he was going to get well. We finally started treatment after doing extensive tests on him and spending substantial time interviewing him to get to know what was the source of the problem and what clues we could find to help with his treatment and once-for all cure. He paid up promptly and joyfully because he acknowledged the fact that we were giving him very high value for what he was paying for. Needless to say, by October ending that year, he had become so well that he had returned to his lost love and by December I met her and he was discussing wedding plans with her!! No more return of the symptoms or complaints — everything gone and gone forever.

In fact, 15 months after I saw and treated him, he brought his cousin — a lady to see me. He assured me he never saw anything like those challenges again ever since we parted. No wonder he was ready to marry that fast!!! To God’s glory, we cured him –like we will also permanently cure you when you come over to see us. 

 Pregnant but no child in her womb!!

Dear Doc,

 I feel at home with the way you treat people’s questions, and decided to
write you a personal one. I am a young man of 32 years and married for two years now, but no issue to show for it.  Our problem now is that of confusion.  When my wife and I
decided to really start a search for a child, we went for various tests, which showed that my wife was alright but with slight fibroid, which the doctors said would not hinder her from conceiving.  I was found to have a low sperm count problem and was placed on treatment.  This greatly improved to up to 74 million, and I was given a clean bill of health as able to
impregnate my wife.

My wife took in twice and it all went out after the first month.  We
continued until we decided to try herbs to fight the fibroid.  The herb woman told my wife the very first time, that she was one month pregnant.  We rejoiced and started thinking of our baby.  However, lately, she went to hospital for scan after three months, and was told that there was no child in her womb.  Meanwhile, her tummy is protruding, breast enlarging; she feels very heavy, experiences sleepiness and drowsiness in the early mornings, and once or twice has almost thrown up in the morning..

The problem is that with all these signs, is it possible that she is not pregnant?  And if not, what could be growing in her tummy, since it is not fibroid?

Thanks again for your interest.

– Dylan Thomas, Enugu

 Dear Dylan,

There is bad news and then good news for you. The classical diagnosis any Western-trained doctor will give you is what is called Pseudocyesis or False Pregnancy. Ultrasound scan was done for your wife. There is no evidence of a pregnancy or a baby in her womb. The pregnancy is false. Your wife has some funny thing wrong with her. Perhaps she should see a psychologist or a psychiatrist or at least a counsellor. Full Stop; no hope; no way.

What is the good news? About seven years ago, a lady with her husband walked into my consultation room to see me. The lady was in tears. She showed me two reports of scan tests she did from the same scan centre about three months apart. The first showed that there was a baby. The second report showed, like your wife that there was no baby. Husband and wife were devastated. What happened? Where was their baby? She was still looking pregnant!

I treated them for two weeks; they went back for a scan and the scan reported on the same woman that there was a baby in her womb now. Needless to say, they delivered the baby who is a boy and alive and well; a spitting image of the dad.

There are mysterious cases, which we as mere doctors cannot handle without a consideration of not just the physical, but also the physical, together with the mental and not forgetting the spiritual. When we see face-to-face we will successfully handle the challenge of anyone with a similar story. Call the help lines