Description

The focus of this essay is the historical socio-political context of orthodox medicine and herbal medicine for women and by women. Herbal medicine has an important place in the majority of people’s health throughout history and throughout the world (Halberstein 2005). The historical socio-political context of medicine will aid our understanding of the role that biomedicine and herbal medicine have played in women’s health, in the 20th Century. Emerging interest in herbal medicine and complementary medicine (Patersons 1997) requires a model of health to enable much-needed research to be carried out, reflecting the proper true practice in herbal medicine. An honest research model is required to suit the practice of herbal medicine as well as, and satisfying, the rigors of science.