1

HEALERS AND MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

Classifying Healers

Popular Folk Professional

2

Popular Sector

Informal, Non-specialist

Early identification & definition illness

Family, Friend, & Community based

Self & home-based treatment

Colloquial Advice

Unpaid

3

Folk Sector: A.K.A ‘Traditional Medicine’

Semi-specialized, limited focus

Community based Apprentice, Reveled or

Experiential Education Paid or Gifted Holistic treatment Shared worldview

Herbalists Curanderos Faith Healers Voodun Mambos Bone Setters Injectionists Spiritualists Midewewin Shaman Faito’o, Fafo

4

Folk Healers

Generally know patient, family & community

Permit community members to assist

Relaxed, familiar setting

Explain the *why* of illness

Dualistic explanation systems: spirit/social world +

individual body

5

Professional Healers

Graduates of formalized program

State sanctioned Standardized & Specialized

Knowledge System Claims to authority backed

by ‘science’ Offers treatment for ALL

types illness

6

Professional Sector

Ayurvedic Chiropractic Homeopathy MD’s (Physicians) Naturopathy Osteopathy Traditional Chinese Medicine Professional Traditional Healers

7

Professionals

Physicians, Doctors of Medicine,

A.K.A: Allopathic medicine Cosmopolitan

medicine, Western medicine, Scientific medicine, Biomedicine

Allopathic: Treat by contradicting

symptom Cosmopolitan:

Epistemology absorbs all successful & popular Tx.

Western: Traces roots to Greek

Hippocratic School & Galen Scientific:

All knowledge & treatment subject to principles of Popperian investigation (hypothesis driven, replicable results).

8

Professionals: Chiropractic

Health = healthy nervous system Founded by David Palmer (USA) Links to “magnetic therapy” Treat with spinal adjustment

(alleviation of ‘subluxations’) Cosmopolitan:

Absorbs therapy & theory from meridian & homeopathic systems.

Western: Roots in USA

Scientific (semi): Do conduct research & recognize biomedical

research.

9

Professionals: HomeopathsLike cures like” (Hippocrates)

Stimulation of the body’s natural defenses by re-producing the symptoms of disease

“Law of infinitesimals”: potency can be improved with dilution.

De-emphasize standard diagnostic symptoms, emphasize individualized Tx & ‘cookbook’ approach.

History: Founded in 18th

century by Samuel Hahnemann

Widely practiced alongside allopathy in USA, until Flexner Report

Post Flexner, accepted women & minority students

10

Professionals: Naturopaths

Philosophy Health is more than being disease free Comprehensive, permanent behavior change is key to

health Physician as role model/guide to behavior change

History Founded by Benedict Lust, early 20th century J. H. Kellogg’s “Wellville” is most famous naturopathic

experiment Places/Politics

Until WWII, widely practiced alongside allopathy Resurgence in 1960s, Bastyr University founded NIH designates Bastyr as the center for HIV/AIDS alternative

therapy research

Today NDs licensed to practice in 11 states (limited privileges) 40%-69% of Americans seek care by NDs 1996, first state-funded clinic founded, Kent, WA

11

Professionals: Ayurveda Philosophy

Ayurveda = Life science in Sanskrit Health = balance in doshas(elements) within tissues

(dhatus) by the proper elimination of waste products (malas).

Rejects objectivism Therapies include herbal remedies, yoga

History Ancient Indian medical system Mid-20th century interest in the west, Deepak Chopra

(MD with ayurvedic philosophy) Today

No formal education or licensing in the US today, many in India

10 clinics exist in NA, one hospital based

12

Alternative Medicines: Aromatherapy & Herbalism

Aromatherapy Odorus parts of plants applied via a number of

delivery systems to affect phsyiological processes (similarity to pharmacology)

Antecedents in history, but really a 20th century phenomenon in the west

Often incorporated into massage, herbalism, other alternative therapies, but no formal discipline

Herbalism Treatment through plant-derived drugs only “Law of Signatures” applies cross culturally Widely practiced until WWII, currently practice is

unregulated, but remedies are subject to FDA approval

13

Despite alternatives, Allopathy Remains the dominant model

Multiple models coexisted in the US up to the end of the 19th century

By WWII, allopathy is the dominant model

Key Historical/Political/Economic events: Founding of AMA and attacks on “quackery” 1910 Flexner Report 1935, Gov’t. definition of Doctor = MD

(amended in 1938) = state protected title.

14

Professionals in general:

Modern practice MDs, Naturopaths and chiropractors are

primary prescribers. Regulated by the state (i.e. Food & Drug

Act), even when self-administered Biomedicine assumes a standardized

diagnostic & treatment regime; Homeopathy & Naturopathy offer a more

individualized diagnostic & treatment system (than biomedicine).

15