Domestic medicine
Encyclopedia
Domestic medicine or domestic health care is a term used to describe the behavior
al, nutrition
al and health care
practices, hygiene included, performed in the household and transmitted from one generation to the other.
Such knowledge is complementary to the specialized skills of doctors
and nurses. Consisting of preventive and curative tools, often related to first aid and medical herbs uses, the concept of domestic medicine, was first made popular in Western countries
by Scottish
physician William Buchan in the 18th century, and was spread by domestic economy manuals through the following two hundred years. An example of such a manual was written by English homeopath John Henry Clarke
in the 19th century, A Dictionary of Domestic Medicine and Homeopathic Treatment.
Since the mid 20th century the success of scientific medicine, associated to the rise of public and private medical services, disrupted most family self-care traditions, decreasing the transfer of most domestic medicine skills from parents to children.
Positive characteristics can be summarized as:
Conversely, they are bounded and hampered by lack of resources and remedies are usually bio-chemically mild substances only known and available in small geographical areas. Domestic and non scientific medicines are locally rooted.
Domestic and scientific health care systems, as well as in a patient medical treatment, can harmoniously coexist. The knowledge gap between generations has reduced the appeal of domestic medicine, although its resilience can be ascribed to its links with a "spiritual dimension" of human health. Domestic medicine can reduce the cost of medical treatments, more expensive than prevention, and the risk of side effect
s from pharmaceutical drugs, and time and cost associated with care recovery.
Behavior
Behavior or behaviour refers to the actions and mannerisms made by organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with its environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the physical environment...
al, nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
al and health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
practices, hygiene included, performed in the household and transmitted from one generation to the other.
Such knowledge is complementary to the specialized skills of doctors
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and nurses. Consisting of preventive and curative tools, often related to first aid and medical herbs uses, the concept of domestic medicine, was first made popular in Western countries
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
by Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
physician William Buchan in the 18th century, and was spread by domestic economy manuals through the following two hundred years. An example of such a manual was written by English homeopath John Henry Clarke
John Henry Clarke
John Henry Clarke MD John Henry Clarke MD John Henry Clarke MD (1853 – November 24, 1931 was a prominent English classical homeopath. He was also, arguably, the most important anti-Semite in Great Britain. He led The Britons, an anti-Semitic organisation.Dr. Clarke was a busy practitioner...
in the 19th century, A Dictionary of Domestic Medicine and Homeopathic Treatment.
Since the mid 20th century the success of scientific medicine, associated to the rise of public and private medical services, disrupted most family self-care traditions, decreasing the transfer of most domestic medicine skills from parents to children.
Positive characteristics can be summarized as:
- effective, as preventive and complementary to scientific medicine practices;
- an option for those who can’t afford to pay the price of synthesis drugs;
- they fit a set of external environmental conditions that their users are part of, including solidarity networks;
- they assimilate modern medicine or other traditions, continuously evolving.
Conversely, they are bounded and hampered by lack of resources and remedies are usually bio-chemically mild substances only known and available in small geographical areas. Domestic and non scientific medicines are locally rooted.
Domestic and scientific health care systems, as well as in a patient medical treatment, can harmoniously coexist. The knowledge gap between generations has reduced the appeal of domestic medicine, although its resilience can be ascribed to its links with a "spiritual dimension" of human health. Domestic medicine can reduce the cost of medical treatments, more expensive than prevention, and the risk of side effect
Side effect
In medicine, a side effect is an effect, whether therapeutic or adverse, that is secondary to the one intended; although the term is predominantly employed to describe adverse effects, it can also apply to beneficial, but unintended, consequences of the use of a drug.Occasionally, drugs are...
s from pharmaceutical drugs, and time and cost associated with care recovery.