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The Philosophy of African Medical Practice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2021

Richard C. Onwuanibe
Richard C. Onwuanibe*
Affiliation:
Cleveland State University
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Extract

The philosophy of African medical practice is rooted in the African world view. Those locating the cause and cure of sickness in traditional practice ask about the ultimate who, rather than what. The answers given are in terms of the cosmological beliefs of the people. I shall deal with the philosophical issues in African medicine with particular reference to causes and cures of sickness in the traditional practice, the human person in this practice, the Christian, the colonial, and modern impact on this view, and a look towards the future. In doing this, I shall show that African traditional medical practice has important contributions to make in technologically oriented medicine.

Type
Research Article
Information
African Issues , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , Fall 1979 , pp. 25 - 28
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 1979 

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References

Notes

1. Not tribe which is a derogatory term from the colonial era.

2. Roscoe, John, The Northern Bantu, New York; Barnes & Noble, Inc., 1966, p. 91 Google Scholar.

3. Basden, G. T., Niger Ibos, London: Frank Cass & Co., Ltd., 1966, p. 55 Google Scholar.

4. Cf. the ancient Greek concept of madness as a medium of divine inspiration.

5. See Green, M. M., lbo Village Affairs, New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1964, pp. 53ffGoogle Scholar.

6. See Werth, Lee F., “Normalizing the Paranormal,” American Philosophical Quarterly, vol. 15, no. 1, Jan. 1978 Google Scholar, for a discussion of a similar problem with regard to precognition.

7. See SirFrazer, James, The New Golden Bough, New York: The New American Library of World Literature, Inc., 1964, pp. 35ffGoogle Scholar.

8. See John Roscoe, op. cit., p. 55.

9. See Gibbs, James L. Jr., ed.. Peoples of Africa, New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1965, p. 271 Google Scholar.

10. Ibid., pp. 272-273.

11. Nicol, David, ed.. Black Nationalism in Africa 1867, New York: Africana Publishing Co., 1969, p. 147 Google Scholar.

12. Davidson, Basil, The African Genius, Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1969, p. 151 Google Scholar.

13. See Singer, Philip, ed.. Traditional Healing: New Science or New Colonialism? New York: Division of Conch Magazine, Ltd. (Publishers)Google Scholar; Esho, F. O., African (Yoruba) Case Studies in the Application of Metaphysical, Herbal, and Occult Therapies, New York: Division of Conch Magazines, Ltd. Google Scholar, Lambo, J. O., Catalogue of African Herbs, New York: Division of Conch Magazine, Ltd Google Scholar. See also Horton, Africanus, The Diseases of Tropical Climate and their Treatment, London, 1874 Google Scholar, for pioneering research in this area. For the history of African diseases see Hartwig, Gerald W. and Patterson, K. David, eds.. Disease in African History, Carolina, N.: Duke University press, 1978 Google Scholar.