Honey, Mud, Maggots, and Other Medical Marvels [Paperback]

Robert S. Root-Bernstein (Author), Michele M. Root-Bernstein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1998

This book covers remedies from ancient Egypt to the rain forests of contemporary Latin America, and challenges the myth that modern clinical practice is the only effective form of medicine. The authors find that modern research often reveals a rational basis for supposedly outdated ideas. Most important, an increasing number of physicians, pharmaceutical researchers, and scientists are beginning to recognize the wealth of knowledge that can be retrieved from abandoned practices of earlier eras in Western medicine and from outside the boundaries of Western ideas entirely.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Eating clay, drinking urine, applying honey to deep wounds and mere plaster to crushed bones: these are all folk remedies for ailments, passed on through the generations and thoroughly discounted by modern science. It is too bad, write scientist-historian couple Robert and Michèle Root-Bernstein, who deplore the loss of proven methods developed without the blessing of the academy, noting that "formal academic systems are only one of many ways in which knowledge is discovered, accumulated, and transmitted." Many scientists are now coming to agree with this view, they write in this fascinating collection of case studies. Researchers have showed that black tea, for instance, has powerful antibiotic properties and that maggots do an extraordinary job of cleaning wounds--as traditional healers have known all along. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The title of this informative and stimulating book suggests that medical cures often lie closer to natural and folk treatment than we sometimes like to admit. The authors, a professor of physiology and a historian, respectively, examine such time-honored methods as bloodletting, clay ingestion, and urine and saliva therapy, concluding that such remedies may still have their virtues and even a place in certain situations. The Root-Bernsteins discuss little-known therapies such as "biotherapy" (the use of maggots to treat gangrene) and geopharmacy (the purposeful eating of dirt) and in an excellent chapter tell how we have come "full circle" in our country's attitudes on circumcision. While making the point that no mainstream or alternative remedy is ever a panacea for anything, the authors conclude that "a multicultural world...can no longer think in simplistic terms of merely transferring Western medical technology to the rest of the world." Highly recommended for medical, academic, and public libraries because of its balanced viewpoint and readable style.?Natalie Kupferberg, Arizona State Univ. West, Phoenix
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books; 1st Marine edition (September 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395924928
• ISBN-13: 978-0395924921
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #262,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cool study of nexus 'tween folk remedies and science, April 30, 1999

By 

David J. Loftus (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honey, Mud, Maggots, and Other Medical Marvels: The Science Behind Folk Remedies and Old Wives' Tales (Hardcover)

Although not being a medical or scientific type, I found this a fascinating book. Some of the behaviors described -- drinking urine or applying it to wounds, placing maggots on festering skin to draw out the dead and dying cells -- possess a horrid fascination for the lay reader, but the authors describe quite dispassionately the possible scientifically valid reasons behind them. Very interesting stuff.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Historical Medical Evolution, February 27, 2003

By 

S. Magnuson (IL, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honey, Mud, Maggots, and Other Medical Marvels (Paperback)

Whether or not you buy the conclusions of the authors in regards to the treatments in this book, their discussion and analysis of these treatments in historical context and why the treatments were effective, is extremely important in understanding the evolution of medicine. And if you are someone who is interested in researching folk medicine or discovery of medical treatments, this book is an excellent resource. It certainly presents a lot of information not ordinarily available to the layperson.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rational, unbiased reports, May 6, 2004

By 

Erni M Kasim (Singapore Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Honey, Mud, Maggots, and Other Medical Marvels: The Science Behind Folk Remedies and Old Wives' Tales (Hardcover)

The author has made an extensive research on the remedies written about in his book. At the end of the book, he has also advised on how we should accept or not accept old remedies or even modern or popular medical habits - he does not rule out modern medicines. I think a very rational view and discussion was presented.

Like all views given, of course there will definitely be some people who would strongly disagree and deny the book's integrity outright. However to benefit more from intelligence of this book is to have an open mind. Even at the end of the book, I can't bring myself to agree on the urine remedy - but I accept the clear explanations given.

I don't normally buy books and initially I borrowed it from the library, but I'm buying it because I think it's a good book to have for reference at home.