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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clinical pearls from two master herbalists, October 31, 2004
This review is from: Plant Medicine in Practice: Using the Teachings of John Bastyr, 1e (Hardcover)
John Bastyr, ND, learned first learned herbalism from his mother, who followed the Kneipp system of herbalism and nature cure. He was eventually licensed as a physician, began practicing medicine in the 1930s, and continued in practice for almost 60 years. For 35 years, he lectured on medical herbalism among other topics to physicians-in training, first at National College of Naturopathic Medicine, and later at Bastyr University, which was named after him. (Note: He had no role in the founding or administration of Bastyr University). By the 1970s, he was possibly the most clinically experienced medical herbalist in North America. His student from that time, William Mitchell, N.D., after practicing twenty-five years himself, confirming and expanding on Bastyr's observations and experience, has offered this textbook of materia medica. Mitchell also draws on the clinical observations of naturopathic colleagues in his own generation. The book reflects without a doubt more accumulated clinical experience than any similar book in print in North America today. Bastyr's methods of herbalism reflect roots in the Eclectic medical tradition, but they are clearly expanded and developed through his decades of experience and teaching. While his observations make up the foundation of the book, most of the work is actually Mitchell's, and Bastyr's teachings are "spun" somewhat with the addition of some constituent-science. The title is thus misleading, but for the advanced student or professional practitioners, Bastyr's clinical pearls, proven and passed on by Mitchell, are treasures.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An irreplaceable text, December 23, 2008
This review is from: Plant Medicine in Practice: Using the Teachings of John Bastyr, 1e (Hardcover)
I only logged on to the Amazon site to find publishing data for Dr. Mitchell's book, and was shocked to find only two (2!) reviews -- and one of them insulting and negative. I couldn't leave without writing this.
Plant Medicine may not be an "A-to-Z" comprehensive guide to herbal medicine. It may not cover everything with the detachment and impartiality that people expect from a book of this sort these days. What Plant Medicine is, is a conversation with a knowledgeable, experienced, thoughtful, and erudite physician, sharing what he feels is of value, sharing a few decades worth of experience, and having the integrity to say "I don't know" when he doesn't know!
I would certainly not recommend Plant Medicine to anyone as their first herb book, or their second. Or their third. But it will refine and distill existing herb knowledge in a practitioner who is already at least somewhat experienced with the plants.
And, I must add, Mitchell's description of how to use "Placebo" as an adaptogen is one of the most insightful, simple, subtle, and *ethical* pieces of writing on medicine I have ever encountered.
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5 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Practically Worthless, September 29, 2004
This review is from: Plant Medicine in Practice: Using the Teachings of John Bastyr, 1e (Hardcover)
About what I would expect from one of the founders of Bastyr Naturopathy College (Bill Mitchell). This book is chock full of erroneous hype, but very little substance. The herb monographs lack any practical information and are based on heresay, at best. While the cover looks quite impressive, one peek inside reveals a rather amaturish job. Anybody who pays almost seventy dollars for this is sure to be dissapointed!
Much better choices on the subject are "Herbal Medicine" by Weiss and Fintelmann or Schulz, et al. "Rational Phytotherapy"
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