Thousands swallow live fish hoping to cure asthma in India

People mobbed a stadium in India to get an old Hindu remedy criticized by doctors

Tens of thousands of people suffering from asthma in India mobbed a stadium, hoping an herbal formula would cure them.

The remedy involved them swallowing live sardines smeared with a yellow herbal paste.

The Associated Press reports, doctors have criticized the practice, but that didn't stop 70,000 people with wanting to believe.

Here is a CBS News video from last year on practice:

The Goud family, who provides the secret fish and herbal formula, say they received it from a Hind saint about 170 years ago. They refuse to reveal the mix and give it away for free because the saint warned them the remedy would lose its potency if commercialized. The controversial practice is banned for children under 14.

One man died of a heart attack and many others needed to be treated for breathing problems after waiting hours for the treatment.

The day for receiving treatment is chosen by astrologers and after being treated people must keep a strict diet for 45 days.

Eating live fish may be a folk cure for some Indians but a Japanese restaurant is also serving its food live - in this case, frogs.

Citizen journalism website Stomp received a disturbing video that shows the frog being stabbed alive and then having its skin cut off by the chef. The edible organs are removed and served as fresh sashimi.

The Japan Daily Press reports that it's not common to eat cooked frog, but the practice is rare in Japan.

(CP photo)