NATIVE AMERICAN

MEDICINE
Native American History
Brad Jones

Native American Medicine

Euro-Americans perceived to be superstitious
rites of little value
Indians made important contributions to medicine
Often more advanced than Colonial medicine,
steeped in Humoral Pathology
Practices - centered around shamanism & rational
therapy (pragmatic)

Native American Medicine

200+ drugs contributed to modern pharmacopeia
New frontiers opened by coca leaves, curare,
birth control, antibiotics
Obstetrics & treatment of wounds more rational
than Colonial medicine
Treatment combination of rational and religious
practices

European Discoveries
Jacques Cartier (1535-36) & men wintered on St.
Lawrence River near present Montreal
Scurvy treated with concoction of leaves & bark
James Lind (British naval surgeon) read Cartiers
account 200 years later; discovered cure for
scurvy
New England tribes used bearberries to prevent
scurvy

European Discoveries
New England tribes drank sassafras broth to ward
off fevers;New Englanders saw this as
savagery;Though Indian hygiene was far better than
Europeans
17th century - David de Vries - one of first to
describe Indian sweat baths
A practice unknown to Europeans (like bathing)

Treatments
Pinkroot used by Cherokees as vermifuge (worm
remover)
Cathartics (evacuate bowels), emetics (induce
vomiting), febrifuges (break fevers), & poultices
Treatment of wounds, surgical removal of foreign
objects; Treatment of fractures, sprains,
dislocations

Treatments
Psychotherapeutic effects of curing
Efficacy of belief - faith in healers & participation
of community effective
Curing ceremonies designed to restore ill persons
health & to reintegrate him/her back into the
community
Liquid diet (for some), sweating, purging, fever
medicines, rest, some lancers

Treatments
Some whites preferred Indian doctors
Ex: James Adair, traveled in Southeast in 1770s
Noted Indians were defenseless against introduced
diseases
Sweatbath was detrimental for smallpox victims

Treatments
Colonial doctors poorly trained and equipped
and were ready to receive useful information from
any source
Until end of 19th century, American doctors were
disliked, distrusted, feared Mercury, bleeding,
calomel;Many Indian healers gained much respect William Bent saved from throat infection by
Cheyenne shaman sinew

Treatments
Sinew thread, attached sandburs to end, dipped in
hot buffalo tallow
Stuck down Bents throat, tallow melted, thread
jerked, infected membrane removed
Herbal cures - influenced white Indian doctors
versed in native plant lore
Ex: botanic doctors, herb doctors, Thompsonians

Treatments
Patent medicine vendors, physicians, charlatans
Donald McKays Indian Worm eradicator; Modoc
Oil
Medicine shows ca. Civil War WWI
Plant contraceptives, long nursing - birth
spacing;Dentistry - Indians had better dental
health, better diet