~Istudy Guide(~

MEXICAN HERBAL REMEDIES ~ISTUDY GUIDE(~ The University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio MEXICAN HERAAL REMEDIES ~ISTUDY GUIDE(~ JOE GRAHAM For use with The Institute of Texan Cultures' slide set or filmstrip and audio tape Joe Graham was the Folklorist-in-residence at The Institute of Texan Cultures, 1977-79. ©1979 The University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio 801 South Bowie at Durango P.O. Box 1226 San Antonio, Texas 78294 512/226-7651 Jack R. Maguire, Executive Director Pat Maguire, Director of Publications and Coordinator of Programs This publication was made possible, in part, by a grant from the Houston Endowment, Inc. Printed in the United States of America contents Introduction. .. 5 Herbal Remedies in Historical Perspective ..... .. 5 Folk Belief or Superstition? . .. 6 The Function of Folk Belief in Society. .. 6 Wha t is Folk Medicine? . .. 6 A Folk Medicine System ............... 7 Some Common Medicinal Herbs Used by Mexican Americans . .. 8 Study Questions ........................ 10 Learning Activities ..................... 11 Useful Terms to Know ................... 12 Supplemental Reading List .............. 13 How to Show The Audiovisual Presentation, Grandmother's Tea ...... 14 Audio Script ........................... 15 Credits ................................ 20 - J This Study Guide is to be used with The Institute of Texan Cultures' audiovisual presentation, Grandmother's Tea, Mexican Herbal Remedies. I IntQoduct Ion This production is designed to wasn't until well into the 20th century acquaint the student with the use of that significant changes occurred in herbal remedies in the Mexican general medical care. World War I saw American culture. It also provides the the development of controls for typhoid, occasion and the stimulus for a tetanus and diptheria. The 1930's saw discussion of medical practices in the coming of sulfa drugs (first miracle general and for an interesting and drugs), and World War II ushered in the potentially rewarding excursion into era of antibiotics such as penicillin. folk beliefs. While the information in the Prior to the development of these presentation is not controversial, the new medicines, people in the United discussion and questions which may States and European countries were follow can touch on potentially sensitive dependent upon substances found in subjects. The material in the "Sup plants, animals or minerals to treat plemental Reading List" section of this their illnesses. Europeans who came to guide offers interesting and useful the New World were greatly impressed information for those who would like to with the knowledge of herbs found pursue the subject further. among the Indians of the United States and Mexico. As late as 1829 Sam HERBAL REMEDIES IN Houston preferred the treatment of the HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Indian medicine man to the ministra The pharmacopoeia or contents of the tions of a nearby army hospital when he "medicine chest" did not change signifi became gravely ill from what was cantly between the time of the Greeks probably malaria or typhoid fever. and the advent of modern medicine. Many of the herbs used by the Indians While there were some significant of both the United States and Mexico break-throughs in medicine in the 19th found their way into the European century which permitted the control of treatments. Occasionally these Indian some of the more serious illnesses such groups and their present-day descen as smallpox, it wasn't until the 20th dents still rely on herbs as medicines. century that many illnesses were Many Mexican American children have curable or even controllable. Vaccina been treated with herbal remedies. tions against smallpox became popular While most of the drugs and patent in England in the 1820's, the germ medicines now dispensed by pharmacies theory of disease was verified in the in the United States and in Europe are 1850's and 1860's, antiseptics were the product of chemical processes, some introduced in the 1860's, the tubercle are made from plants and animal bacillus and cholera bacillus were dis products. Many modern drugs were covered in the 1880's, and the relation developed by isolating the active agents ship between mosquitoes and malaria in herbal remedies and then producing was discovered in the late 1890's. But it them synthetically. 5 William Withering, a medical doctor the majority of the class. This is in Shropshire, England, discovered particularly true if those students are digitalis, an important drug in the treat from various cultural or ethnic back ment of dropsy and heart disease, by grounds. To label those beliefs as observing that the country folk treated "superstitions" is to judge not only the themselves with a tea made from the belief but also the believer, and by leaves of the foxglove plant. He extension, even his culture. experimented with it and found that it worked. Thereafter, it became included THE FUNCTION OF in the British pharmacopoeia. FOLK BELIEF IN SOCIETY A number of modern pharmaceuticals Folk belief serves an important have come from herbs used as remedies function in any culture. It often by different Indian groups of the provides the answer to "why" or "why Americas. For example, Ipecac is now me" questions in otherwise seemingly used to produce emetine, a substance inexplicable happenings. When we used in emetics, expectorants and know the why, we at least feel that we amoebicides. Curare and quinine, both know how to control our fate. substances from tree barks found in When their knowledge and skill are South America, were used by Indians not adequate to insure success or to for centuries before western medical prevent catastrophe, people call upon science discovered them. Curare is used powers beyond their own. They may say as a relaxant in shock treatments and in a prayer, repeat a magic incantation, certain mental illnesses, and as an perform a ritual, cross their fingers, anesthetic for surgery. Quinine, of hold their breath, wear "lucky" clothes course, has long been important in the or carry a rabbit's foot. The greater the I treatment of malaria. risk, the more apt they are to rely upon I Not all herbal remedies, of course, are these acts to insure success. Since effective because of their pharmacologi illness often involves the greatest risk cal value. Many are placebos, or (a threat to life itself), one can expect I pharmacologically inert substances, seemingly irrational behavior on almost which produce their effects as a result everyone's part from time to time. I of the belief the patient has in the person administering the substance. WHAT IS FOLK MEDICINE? Too, some herbs are dangerous in the Folk medicine consists of the cures, II hands of those who do not know how to remedies and beliefs passed from per use them. Teachers should warn son to person and usually from I students not to experiment! generation to generation outside such formal institutions as medical schools, FOI.JK BELIEF professional associations and libraries. I OR SUPERSTITION? Folk medical beliefs and practices per , I "Folk belief" and "superstition" mean sist because people continue to use essentially the same thing, but the term them often in spite of the opposition of "superstition" carries with it a negative, organized medicine and scientific judgmental connotation not present in medical theories. "folk belief." Folk medicine is based on belief and Teachers need to be aware that this experience, rather than scientific verifi filmstrip will probably stimulate the cation and evaluation. Those who discussion of a number of beliefs which believe in and use folk medicine do not differ from his/her own or from those of require an explanation of why or how it 6 works. They are satisfied that it works. the doctor but also in penicillin, in the The scientific approach to the use of existence of bacteria (which we aloe vera, for example, differs consider probably have never seen but accept on ably from the folk medical approach. faith), and generally in the scientific The scientist, when he hears that aloe approach to solving problems. vera may have curative properties, experiments with it to make sure that it A FOLK MEDICINE SYSTEM is the aloe vera itself which has When we think of folk medicine in the medicinal value and not some other Anglo culture, we think of a random factor. He then attempts to isolate the collection of beliefs and practices, often active agent, so that it might be mass unrelated to the dominant medical produced, perhaps even synthetically. system in our society. We think of The folk approach is different. removing warts, of curing hiccups. In Consider this personal example. A most cultures, however, folk medicine is friend tells me that aloe vera is very usually a whole system of fairly well good for burns and cuts. I consider my organized, fairly consistent and inter friend trustworthy, so I try it. It seems nally logical ideas which constitute a to work, so I use it for burns and cuts theory of medicine -ideas about what when a member of my family needs it. I causes illnesses, how to cure them, and do not ask why it works. It works, so I about man's relationship with his use it. I tell my friends about it, and human, natural and supernatural envi they use it. My children grow up using ronments. The folk medical belief it, and when the time comes, their system is usually consistent with other children will probably use it. aspects of the culture, particularly Laymen in our own scientifically religious belief. The folk medical belief oriented society accept scientific system helps members of different medical theory and practice in much the societies to meet their own medical same way the folk accept folk medical needs, as they define them.

Load more