From the Bush: The Front Line of Health Care in a Caribbean Village (Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology) [Paperback]

Marsha B. Quinlan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0155085670 | ISBN-13: 978-0155085671 | Publication Date: February 6, 2003 | Edition: 1

This case study will be the first to deal with a topic in medical anthropology. It explores the world of folk medicine in the Caribbean (Dominica) - local beliefs and practices concerning how the body functions and malfunctions and the home remedies Dominicans use to cure common illnesses. The case study goes beyond discussing the exotic medical system of a developing country (which includes sorcery and folk-illnesses) to discuss how folk medicine flourishes in industrialized countries in a way that is little different than that practiced in Dominica. The theme is that cultural ideas about the body and uses of medicinal plants are deeply intertwined. Ideas about illness direct the consequent medical response. The book's topic is important because knowledge of local ethnomedical practice is essential for development of public health interventions in non-Western settings. This realist ethnography is aimed at any member of the generally educated population.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Marsha Quinlan is a broadly-trained medical anthropologist. Her areas of concentration include medical ethnobotany, health behavior in families, and maternal and child health. Quinlan has a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is a contract Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology, Ball State University. She has been in contact with the residents of the study site since 1993."

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing; 1 edition (February 6, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0155085670
• ISBN-13: 978-0155085671
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #201,875 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Ethnography for an intro to Anthropology Class, December 10, 2004

By 

Seth Rosenberg - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: From the Bush: The Front Line of Health Care in a Caribbean Village (Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology) (Paperback)

I recently used Dr. Quinlan's book for a 100 level "global diversity" requirement for non-anthropology majors. Not only did the students respond well to the book, but also seemed to enjoy the reading better than classics by Chagnon and Lee. Her research focuses on home remedies and cultural notions of the body in a rural Caribbean village. Dr. Quinlan provides an excellent example of both qualitative and quantitative research at various levels of inquiry. Her writing style is professional, personal, and concise. I found the book particularly useful when discussing topics such as language and communication, gender, subsistence, and, of course, ethnomedicine. The book is also handy as a case-study in globalization. Dr. Quinlan's book illustrates and emphasizes the need to understand the balance and relationship between home remedies, folk medicine, and western bio-medical health care in an ever-shrinking world.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for students, January 11, 2011

By 

Emily Stender - See all my reviews

This review is from: From the Bush: The Front Line of Health Care in a Caribbean Village (Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology) (Paperback)

I read this book for an intro to Anthropology class and I loved it. I found it easy to read and understand. Dr. Quinlan's insights in to the culture were really interesting, too. I definitely recommend this for anyone interested in medical anthropology or Dominica.