Critical Approaches to the History of Western Herbal Medicine : From Classical Antiquity to the Early Modern Period

Choice Outstanding Academic Title 2014

Why has the history of Western herbal medicine received such little research coverage in any systematic and authoritative way, even though it has figured large in both lay and learned healthcare of the past? What methods and sources are most appropriate for the study of medicinal herbs and herbal practices of the past? This collection provides historians with a coherent guide to a variety of sources in relation to medicinal plants that they have thus far lacked.

Critical Approaches to the History of Western Herbal Medicine encourages a serious re-assessment of research in the history of herbal medicine and provides examples of appropriate methodologies and critical examinations of relevant sources. In this innovative collection, historians and researchers from a range of disciplines come together to share material on the identification and use of medicinal plants, the activities of people involved with herbal medicine and the investigation of past herbal therapeutic beliefs and practice. Classical and medieval scholars, social and literary historians, archaeologists and ethnobotanists all contribute to this exploration of the history of Western herbal medicine.

“Historical research underpinning Western herbal medicine lacks systematic and scholarly documentation, largely due to the advent of biomedicine in the early 1900s. This book provides a solid foundation for fleshing out this important historical record. This is an invaluable resource for readers interested in the historical aspects of herbal medicine. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals/practitioners.” —CHOICE

“This is a broad investigation of sources for the history of herbal medicine … it certainly will inform and delight researchers in this very broad field of study.” —Herbalgram