Folk Wisdom and Mother Wit - John Lee--An African American Herbal Healer

This book combines historical biography with a focus on the role of the practitioner in the folk health-care system, and ethnobotany, including a description of the active ingredients of the herbs used in African American herbal medicine. The contributions of European Colonial, American Indian, and African practices to the development of contemporary African American folk medicine are discussed. In addition to showing John Lee's approach to folk medicine, the volume provides descriptions and illustrations of the main herbs used. Folk Wisdom and Mother Wit provides a basic historical framework and background to the continuing viability of a folk medical system based on a pluralism combining biomedicine and traditional health care. As such, it will be of value to scholars and students of medical anthropology as well as Black Studies.

List of contents

Foreword
Introduction
Historical Overview of African American Folk Medicine
Becoming an Herbalist
Diagnostic System
Classification of Materia Medica and Illustrations
Herbal Repertoire
Appendix
References
Index

About the author

Arvilla Payne-Jackson, John Lee

Product details

• Authors: John Lee, Payne-Jackson Arvilla
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: ages 7 to 17
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.09.1993
• EAN: 9780313288685
• ISBN: 978-0-313-28868-5
• No. of pages: 192
• Weight: 482 g
• Series: Contributions in Afro-American and African Studies: Contemporary Black Poets
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature > Letters, diaries; Ethnic Studies, GARDENING / General, MEDICAL / Alternative & Complementary Medicine, MEDICAL / Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, complementary medicine, Therapy & therapeutics, Gardening: plants and cultivation guides, Therapy and therapeutics, Gardening: herbs, Complementary and alternative medicine and therapies, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Cultural & Ethnic Studies / General, Geography and World Cultures: Folklore