Study of holy water consumed to treat gastrointestinal ailments in gold deposit areas of May-Hibey, Northwestern Tigray, Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, holy water is used to treat various ailments. This study examined the safety of holy water in May-Hibey, NW Tigray, Ethiopia consumed to treat gastrointestinal ailments. Sensory observation, compositional and elemental analyses of rock samples, and analyses of physicochemical properties and inorganic constituents of holy water samples were conducted. Sensory observation revealed that the water had a musty taste and rotten egg-like odor. Its consumption in drinking rituals caused instant vomiting and loose bowels. Geological studies of rock samples via X-ray diffraction revealed Si (62.456%), Fe (15.441%), and S (7.912%) as major elements. Physicochemical analyses of the holy water samples showed that temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, pH, total alkalinity, total hardness, and concentrations of calcium, magnesium, iron, and sulfate were above the permissible limits of the World Health Organization and the Ethiopian Standards Agency. These imply that holy water is unsafe and may cause health complications. Patients believe instant vomiting and diarrhea after drinking rituals are parts of the treatment process. But such effects might be due to the high sulfate content and other chemical properties of the holy water. Studies for establishing the physiological effects of holy water on patients with gastrointestinal ailments are required.