Popular medicine
The scientific concept of illness as a "series of alterations of the organism causing its instability" is quite modern. Until quite recently the causes of illnesses constituted, if not a mystery at least an outstandable mix of quasi-empirical observations, magical thought and religious beliefs. This plurality of explanations and causes did not avoid Barriola make a first classification in a classic study on popular medicine: " Some of them (illnesses) are produced by direct aggressions to the organism such as injuries, fractures, animal bites or burns. (...) Another group is made up of diverse pathological processes whose manifestations are directly perceived by the senses, even when they are not correctly interpreted. (...) Lastly, there is a third group of illnesses in which it is not possible to find a natural cause nor can the healer or peoples concentrate their thoughts on a particular alteration of the organism. So, the first two groups of illnesses would have a natural cause while the third group would be explained by the presence of evil spirits, witchcraft, black magic and other beliefs. This classification distinguishes then, three components in primitive medicine: empirical (observation and experimentation), magical and religious. In the Archive we will consider traditional and home remedies, beliefs and memories of quack doctors healers, witch doctors, etc and the healing powers of plants, animals, fountains,etc.
- Download PDF1 The ethnoanthropological genre of popular medicine
- Download PDF2 The study overview of popular medicine in Navarre
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