`Dukun patah tulang' cures patients with magic

By A. Muhardjo

JAKARTA (JP): Titiek was 13 years old when he was seriously injured in a motorbike accident.

At a nearby hospital, the chief physician on duty - after carefully examining the X-rays and observing the major injuries - decided it was necessary to amputate the much battered and fractured right arm. The right leg, though badly fractured in two places, was to be spared amputation, but Titiek would limp for the rest of his life.

On the third morning after the accident, before the amputation was to be performed, a dukun patah tulang, Pak Latif, was brought to the hospital to help speed up Titiek's recovery with his "magic" therapy.

Under the curious eyes of the chief physician and his medical team, Pak Latif performed his therapeutical antics. Both the fractured right leg and arm as well as the other bruised parts of Titiek's body were massaged with "consecrated" coconut oil.

The underjaw, which had started to swell, received Pak Latif's special attention. With a very careful push, followed by some rubbing of the coconut oil, it was set back in its original bandage around his head. After the dukun left, both the right leg and arm were freed from their casts; with the right arm put in a sling.

Titiek's daily treatment in the hospital continued as before while the dentist did his best to replace all the broken front teeth with artificial ones. But all the painful body parts were massaged with the "consecrated" coconut oil three times a day.

After two weeks of combined hospital care and the dukun's coconut oil therapy, Titiek felt healthier. He was soon able to move, though still cautiously, his severely fractured arm. With somebody's support or a three-foot crutch he was able to stand.

With the physician's permission, he was taken to Pak Latif's home. There, while Titiek remained seated in his wheelchair in the car, Pak Latif came over and performed a short prayer to "consecrate" the coconut oil, followed by another prayer and a massage of all Titiek's affected body parts.

During his remaining one-and-a-half months in the hospital, Titiek continued with Pak Latif's magic coconut oil courses.

Also during his hospital stay Titiek had to strictly avoid eating the dukun's prescribed taboo food items. When he was discharged from the hospital, he made tremendous progress in his recovery.

Miraculous

A well-noted physician, Prof. Samekto, also a specialist in bone fracture therapy, described Titiek's speedy and almost complete recovery as miraculous, amazing and perplexing.

"It would take at least some six months for him to recover had Western scientific medical treatment been applied," said the professor.

Convalescing at home for another one-and-a-half months - neither going for medical treatment at the hospital nor to the dukun, but maintaining a healthy diet while gradually increasing exercising his fractured right limb - Titiek soon returned to school.

Remember, had this young man listened to the advice of the chief physician, he would now be limping his way through the "best" years of his life with no right arm.

Now Titiek is 28 and as healthy as any normal man.

Last year I fell off the roof of my house and suffered broken ribs and a disjointed left arm. After fruitless first-aid treatment at two hospitals which failed to detect my injured arm, I decided to follow Titiek's advice and visit Pak Latif.

In fact it was Titiek, who was my neighbor, that recommended Pak Latif's treatment to me when the first hospital failed to treat my broken ribs. The physician had said that due to my old age there was no point in dealing with the broken ribs so he only gave me painkillers.

I had dismissed the idea of going to Pak Latif because I did not believe much in the healing therapies of such dukun. But not knowing where else to go - complete hospital treatment would cost me millions of rupiah - I was desperate and agreed to seek Pak Latif's help.

The results were astonishing. In a matter of four days I could move my disjointed left arm freely in all directions without the slightest pain. I was also able to walk without the support of any crutch or cane, which before the dukun's therapy was unthinkable. After about a week I could go anywhere without worrying about my health.

In my case, had I had stayed in the economy ward of the hospital for some three weeks, my combined hospital bills would have approached Rp 2.5 million.

In contrast, the three rounds of Pak Latif's therapy, including the cost of the coconut oil, cost a mere Rp 45,000.

The dukun's rate is not strictly a fixed one. It may run to Rp 5,000 or less, or from Rp 7,500 to Rp 10,000 or more. It entirely depends on the financial capabilities as well as the generosity of the patients.

I have seen young boys or girls come on their own for therapy, but not having money to give, paying by expressing their gratitude with a genuine smile.

These youngsters were served equally well as the paying patients. Maybe in this dukun's lofty morality lies one of Pak Latif's secrets of being able to perform his therapeutical healing wonders!