My reptilian adoration must have conspired with the universe somehow. I keep seeing lizards and geckos lately. First it was the Changeable Lizard suntanning on a fence a few days ago, then a gecko resting on a toilet window pane, now I come face-to-face with these ones sun-dried for traditional Chinese medicine.
Believed to be a cure for asthma, tuberculosis, coughs and other respiratory ailments, the orange-spotted species here seemed to be the Tokay Gecko, a mid-sized lizard sometimes kept as pets and popularly used in Asian folk medicine.
Is this a way of scaring your love ones with the ghastly medicine to show you care? Just like how scary photos are printed on cigarette boxes to scare smokers out of smoking?
Or how the government shows it cares for the health of Singaporeans by scaring us with high medical bills so much so that we are frightened into exercising and keeping fit? Hmm…
