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From: rbg@cbosgd.UUCP (Richard Goldschmidt)
Newsgroups: net.nlang.africa,net.med
Subject: Re: Re: Is there any benefit in African Medicine
Message-ID: <1145@cbosgd.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 7-May-85 12:25:40 EDT
Article-I.D.: cbosgd.1145
Posted: Tue May  7 12:25:40 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 8-May-85 05:29:20 EDT
References: <315@link.UUCP> <954@cbdkc1.UUCP> <492@gatech.CSNET> <317@link.UUCP>
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In article <317@link.UUCP>, Wale Akinpelu (>) replies to Carter Bullard (>>)

>>The problem that I have with  the statement of Mr. Stanions above, is that
>>he thinks that traditionalist African medicine is "natural healing" whereas
>>western medical practice is some sort of black magic.  
>> 
>>There really isn't any difference between the two.
>> 
> I disagree with you completely. First there is a difference between Arfican
> medicine and Western medical practice. In African medicine, while attempt 
> is made to relieve you of your pain, they also try to find the cause
> of the problem which sometimes could be related to a dispute between
> people. Second African medicine is "natural healing". 
>
> Wale Akinpelu
> {ihnp4,allegra,research}!hou2a!link!aaa

I was not convinced of the difference between "African medicine" and
"Western medicine" by the example Wale gave here.  A common class of drugs
used in chemotherapy (which block cell division) are related to either
colchicine or vinblastine both of which are derived from plants.  The
herbal treatments provided may have had a similar mechanism.  You'll
have to find a better example ...

-- 
Rich Goldschmidt     {ucbvax,ihnp4,decvax,allegra,seismo} !cbosgd!rbg
		     ARPA:  cbosgd!rbg@seismo or cbosgd!rbg@ucbvax