The History of Herbal Medicine - Lesson 2

In this lesson, were are going to look briefly at the history of herbal medicine.

The earliest evidence that we have of herbal medicine, dates back to a burial site in Iraq that was used 60,000 year ago,

where archaeologists discovered eight medicinal herbs among those buried there, suggesting the spiritual and ritual significance of plant medicines

As civilizations grew, the use of herbs became more important and so the first written accounts of medicinal plants were made.

One of the earliest surviving written accounts is the Egyptian Ebers papyrus of c. 1500 bce, which lists dozens of medicinal plants, their uses, and related spells and incantations.

Another was found in India, known as the Vedas, written c. 1500 bce, and its includes description of 350 herbal medicines.

In China, the Divine Husbandman’s Classic, written in the 1st century ce, and it has 364 entries, of which 252 are herbal medicines. This Daoist text laid the foundations for the continuous development and refinement of Chinese herbal medicine up to the present day.

Around the same time in Europe, Dios-corides wrote the first European herbal, De Materia Medica describing over 600 plants.

This text had a huge influence on Western medicine, being the principal reference used in Europe until the 17th century.

Pliny the Elder was born in Como, around 23 AD is remembered for his book Natural History, the first encyclopaedia of natural history ever written.

The physician to the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, Galen (131–200 ce), had an equally profound influence on the development of herbal medicine.

Avicenna (980–1037 ce), author of Canon of Medicine, was the most famous physician of the day. Avicenna like many Arabs were expert pharmacists, blending and mixing herbs to improve their medicinal effect and their taste.

On the other side of the world, the ancient civilizations of Central and South America—Maya, Aztec, and Inca— all had herbal traditions with a profound understanding of local medicinal plants.

In Europe the famous German mystic Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179) helped promote and protect herbal medicine in the middle ages.

John Gerard published his Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes in 1597. The herbal contained 1392 pages, and is divided into three books.

Nicholas Culpeper (1616–1654) developed a medical system that blended astrology and the therapeutic uses of local plants.

Culpeper championed the needs of ordinary people who couldn’t afford the the services of a doctor or their expensive formulations

Another important herbalist was Samuel Thomson (1769–1843), who as an unorthodox herbal practitioner who believed that all illness resulted from cold.

Beech studied both herbal and conventional medicine and tried to combine the new scientific knowledge of physiology and pathology with the best of the herbal tradition.

His approach was so successful that at Eclecticism’s height in 1909, over 8,000 members were in practice, all with recognized medical qualifications.

Another significant medical movement, inspired by Thomson’s regimen and influenced by the Eclectics, was Physiomedicalism.

In Europe, conventional medicine was seeking to establish a monopoly for its own type of practice.

Increasingly, the practice of herbal medicine was outlawed in North America and most of Europe,

This was in no small part due to the medical profession itself, which saw herbal medicine as a throwback to the superstitions of the past.

From the late 19th century onward, the aim of organizations such as the American Medical Association and the British Medical Association had been to monopolize conventional medical practice.

Herbal medicine thus neared extinction in many countries, especially in the U.S. and Britain.

More recently herbal medicine is growing in popularity as people are looking for natural solutions to their health problems as people see the limitations of conventional medicine.

About me
The Mental Health Herbalist is a holistic channel on YouTube, dedicated to teaching you about herbs and herbal medicine. Like Hippocrates, I believe food is medicine and can heal and prevent all sorts of illnesses.

Caution
Remember always consult with a doctor if you have an illness and consult with an herbalist if you want to go on a course of herbs. These videos are for information purposes only. If you taking medications consult with a medical doctor. If you want to take a course of herbs I recommend you talk to a herbalist. If you want more information contact me by email.

Music credit

[epicurel]

Thank You for continuing the free course! As always very informative. excellent work Sir

[Tamuschka]

You are amazing. Your videos are useful and informative. Love them all. Thank you.

[mickeymorgan]

this history gives more credibility to the field of study of herbs

[meredithr]

Thanks, this a good starting point for a lot of good reading. And explains why so many vomit inducing plants are recommended in the old books.

[MelMcGuire]

Yea instead of paying so much for health insurance(it's so expensive that I wouldn't even have enough $ left to live a healthy lifestyle like organic food, gym, natural plants etc) I'm going to invest money into healthy living and supplements to keep me from needing medical care. I don't have health insurance but I can afford the meds I'm on out of pocket now and pay out of pocket for a doc visit but I'm actually trying to get off of my pharmaceutical meds for pain, depression and anxiety. I'll take this risk. I'll rely on the great physician above along the way for direction, Amen?😊❤

[michelle]

Wow!!! Very interesting, I was wondering what herbal medicines would one use for migraines of the EYES?

[tomcan]

Is there anyway I can contact you in regards to a detox? I’m from the U.K.

[wildwoman]

Are there Women Herbalists in history? Thanks. Blessed be.