Month: September 2020

1. Introduction to Medicine Used by African Americans During Slavery in Colonial America

Posted on by Healthy Lifestyle
Reading Time: 2 minutes

When a slave became sick, we received the best care we could be given from our own. The master let our old mammy doctor take care of us by giving us herbs she gathered in the woods, which included cami seeds, peach tree leaves, red oak bark, used for fever, chills and malaria, in addition to privet weed for tuberculosis, and things that the white doctor could not cure. But if we got an arm or a leg broken then master would still take us to the white doctor to get it fixed, but that was all he could do as our mammy did much better than the white doctor with her herbal teas. When she gave you a tea made from herbs you knew it would end up curing most of your ailments. – John Mosley, born in Texas, in 1851

Academics have historically been able to determine certain points of intricate social relationships of those living under slavery by examining medical work and healthcare in those times, bringing them to a better understanding of that life. How a society practices medicine can offer a glimpse into relationships of an interpersonal and economic degree. In the United States in particular, these practices have been able to provide this data throughout all eras of the country’s existence. The difference in quality in medical care experienced by the white race historically in the United States as opposed to other races, in particular blacks during slavery, provides many insights into certain social, economic and cultural dynamics. Despite this breadth of information regarding the majority of society, historians have run into trouble attempting to get insights into the healthcare experiences of slaves. The reasons for this lack of information is due to inadequate keeping of medical records, the scarcity of data for this purpose in particular, and the general illiteracy rate at the time.

These series of articles attempt to examine the medical care provided to slaves by non-slaves as well as other slaves during the antebellum and Civil War era. Our focus will surround practices used by African Americans at the time, both free men and those who were enslaved, for the treatment of diseases and injuries, in particular alternative medicine and plant based, or herbal, medicine. Through the study of folk medical practices utilized by slaves at that time, in conjunction with the materia medica written about it, we can form some understanding of the complexity of human relationships during slavery.

1. Preface and Introduction to Herbal Medicine in Pregnancy and Lactation

Posted on by Healthy Lifestyle
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Pregnant women often take over the counter medication during their pregnancy. It is somewhat intriguing to know this happens as many pregnant women assume it’s a healthier alternative to prescription medication, which often undergo clinical studies to assess risk of teratogenicity. Media and advertising contribute to pregnant women not having a full understanding regarding the risk factors of natural health products and supplements. Studies have not thoroughly examined the rate of women that use natural health products and herbal supplements, but despite this, some studies have concluded that there might be up to 60 percent of pregnant women who take these types of supplements either during the pregnancy or during planning and preparation for a pregnancy. Pregnant women refer to natural remedies such as peppermint and ginger tea to alleviate symptoms of nausea and vomiting. One study in North Carolina involving midwives shows that half of the respondents recommended that their patients use some sort of herbal medicines for pregnancy related issues.

Regardless of the facts, one must keep in mind that almost half of all pregnancies are unplanned and having to take some sort of medication or being exposed to harmful chemicals is not unheard of during the first trimester of the pregnancy. Even though it’s commonplace that natural health products are used by pregnant women as well as lactating women, there are not enough clinical studies that can provide insight into how harmful these products can potentially be. Those who have done the research published monographs that list 1/3 of natural health food products on the market as having the potential to cause harmful effects during pregnancy and lactation. The problem with these findings is that how this information is assessed in order to come to the conclusion of being harmful – most of the findings derive their data from that of research into using herbs as abortifacients, which are substances that induce abortions, or uterine stimulants, as well as data of genotoxicity and teratogenicity from animals. Data for the effectiveness of these natural supplements also tends to be very limited in publications on this subject.

The data presented in these series of articles are among the few that will look at the insufficient level of research into natural health supplementation’s impact on pregnancy and lactation. Even though the herbs, supplements, and vitamins used by pregnant women in this list is not complete, it does list many of the commonly used ones at the time of this publication. Through meta-analysis of various studies used to compile these series of articles and the research within, the qualitative level of the evidence used for the studies has been thoroughly examined to determine the safety of various natural food supplements used by pregnant and lactating women. The newest research from medical literature should be inserted into those supplements making claims that include “use of this herbal product should occur only after careful assessment of the benefits and risks of this product”. Healthcare providers that are constantly catering to patients need a source that is reliable and easy to be accessed when it comes to the effects of natural products and supplements on pregnancy and lactation. It is our imperative that this text be utilized by healthcare professionals whenever possible to use as a reference for any pregnant patients who might pose questions as to the safety of natural health supplements during their state of being. In addition to this, as natural health supplements become increasingly popular, hopefully these texts will be useful and relevant to those who seek information.

Pregnancy and lactation are a basic part of the human experience and condition, providing nurture for thousands of years of human development and biological evolution. Despite being around for as long as humans have been birthed, it has been and still remains a painful and unpleasant experience for many women throughout this time. Ever since the earliest days of the caveman and tribal humans, it was commonplace to use plants and herbs found in the wild as a way to alleviate the aches and pains, and smooth the process that was pregnancy, the delivery of newborns and lactation. Despite the advancement of Western medicine and the standardization internationally to apply this style of medical science, herbs and natural health supplements are commonly used alongside Western medicine in many cultures. The next section, The History of Botanical Concoctions as an Aide to Pregnancy, Delivery and Lactation, will examine some historically used herbs during these processes, and will serve to provide references to their respective documented cases.