Foreword in Engish Foreword... · Jeremy Ross is the foremost Western pioneer in this field. With...

AClinicalMateriaMedica:120HerbsinWesternUseByJeremyRoss

FOREWORDAsaWesterntrainedmedicaldoctor,Iwasverygladinthemid1980‘s,tohavefound,atlast,tworeliableguideposts,twogatesthatopenedtomethevastlandofChinesemedicine.OneofthemwasFoundationsofChineseMedicinebyGiovanniMaciocia,theotheronewasZangFu,writtenbyacertainJeremyRoss.In1992,IheardhimlectureforthefirsttimeatacongressintheNetherlands,andIwasfascinatedbytheclarityofhisteachingandbyhissenseofhumour.Icouldn‘tknowthenthathewasalreadyworkingonhisgreatendeavour,theintegrationofWesternphytotherapeuticalknowledgeandChinesemedicine.IrealizedthisonlywhenIwasentrustedwiththehonourabletaskoftranslatinghisfirstbookonthistopicintoGerman.IthinkthatthisisthemostimportantprojectofJeremy‘sprofessionallife.NeverthelessIbelievethatitwilltakesomemoregenerationsofscientistsandpractitionersofChinesemedicinetomergetheWesternandChineseapproachestothiscomplexfield.Undoubtedly,JeremyRossistheforemostWesternpioneerinthisfield.WithtenaciousperseveranceheunearthstheWesternknowledgeonhealingplants,wisdomthatgoesbacktoantiquityandforsolongseemedtobeburiedandlost.HisscientifictrainingenablesJeremytomergechemicalandbotanicalknowledgeandtraditionaldescriptionsofplantpropertiesintoavividpictureoftheplant.Thisisfollowedbythemostsignificantstep:JeremyRossisfarfrombeingapuretheorizer,hehasbeenworkingformany

years with this therapeutic approach. Heknows about success and failures intherapy, which gives likeable authenticityto his publications and, above all, to hislectures.JeremyRossisnotapuristinthefieldofChinesemedicine.HeissometimesaccusedofproducingauniformblendofChineseherbalmedicineandWesternphytotherapy.Myopinionisdifferent.It‘snotapulpfromthekitchenblenderthathepresentstous,butratherhesetsabigtablewitharichchoiceofdishesforus,wellorderedandeasilyaccessible.Some,likemyself,maydecidetostaywiththeChineseknowledgeonhealingplants.ButifourChinesecolleaguesshowinterestinincorporatingWesternherbsintotheirtherapies,whyshouldn‘twedothisourselves?FromitsbeginningsChinesemedicinehasbeenlivingontheinterchangebetweentraditionandrenewal.Jeremy‘sforward‐lookingvision,supportedbyhishardandsometimesexhaustingwork,hasopenedyetanotherdoor.AndthatiswhatIwanttothankhimfor.AndreasHöll