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Scifi and Fantasy Forum: Writer's Discussion: Questions :
Pre-Modern Medicine
Pre-Modern Medicine
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Posted By:  fishtoes Jan 08, 2005 - 01:42 pm |       | Ok, I'm going to try and structure this question so that it makes sense (never a strong point of mine)...
One of many of the aspects of my current in-the-works, is the imperialism and the introduction of new cultures. The invading peoples, while dismissing much of the invadees' (is that a word?) custums, pick up on their form of medicine.
Now this is where it gets fuzzy.
q.1) A lot of pre-modern medicine is based on herbalism, and herbal grimoires, apothecaries, etc etc. What other forms of medicine were used? I suppose I could always go with the trusty whiskey, leeches and prayer method, but that leads me to...
q.2) Does it makes sense for an otherwise more advanced society to be lacking in medicine, whereas a chiefly agricultural society is not?
Any ideas or references, etc. is *greatly* appreciated, as well as needed, hehe.
thanks,
-fishtoes
Well first of all, "chiefly agricultural society?"
By your explanation you seem to truly mean for the "invadees" to be a primitive society. You'd be surprised how advanced almost any agricultural society is. Anything that we would really regard as primitive would have to be hunter-gatherer structure. For good information on the subject read anything by Jared Diamond. In fact, if you want to write a book partly about the subject of "imperialism and introduction of new cultures" you have to read "Guns, Germs, and Steel", by Jared Diamond, and maybe his new book, "Collapse", and maybe also an article he wrote about hunter-gatherers. They are all non-fiction, but easy reads and carry the crucial information you'll need for your book to be as sensible as possible.
About medicine, I'm no expert. But one thing that is crucial is that a technologically superior invading force always brings new diseases with it. Read Diamond for the reasons why.
| Posted By: fishtoes Jan 08, 2005 - 03:43 pm | | wow, thanks.
I didn't mean to call judgements on agricultural societies, either. just bad wording is all.
Let's see the Ancient Egyptians, Mayans, Greek, and other societies used surgical methods with very primitive tools so I don't see why you can't use something like that as a basis. I don't have any links on the subject, but I'm sure you can find the information you need by doing a google search for ancient medical techniques, it might give you some ideas.
| Posted By: Magus Jan 09, 2005 - 09:24 am | | I think the word your thinking of, Fishtoes, is invaders.
A more agriculteral society, in the terms you place your medicines, would probably be more advanced medically just due to the sheer availability of herbs and plants, wheras a more urbanized society may simply lack herbal knowledge and supplies.
I hope that this helps.
No no...invaders invade. Invadees get invaded (at least we think so). Once again Magus, AgricultUral societies actually form in order to support urban areas. Agriculture implies a city for it to feed; or if there isn't one yet, one will spring up soon. And a farmer may just grow wheat and know nothing about any herbs, etc. Your suggestion, Magus, would make sense only if the primitive society is NON-agricultural; hunter gatherers. Then they would have to survive on what they could find, and thusly determine with greater accuracy what herbs and such will help with healing. Then again, as I pointed out, the invaders will bring with them diseases that the natives have never had to cope with, and for which they have no herbal remedies or natural immunities.
| Posted By: Magus Jan 09, 2005 - 11:20 am | | Hmmmm... that's a pretty good point. And, now that I think of it, those herbs would likely make it to the urban cities for selling and trade.
But there could be soully agriculteral societies that would be very well fed and could prosper by selling/trading away store of their food. It could work.
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