Including the latest developments in the field of herbal medicine, this classic bestseller presents a fascinating account of the ideas, personalities, advances, and vicissitudes that have shaped the course of medicine and pharmacology in the Western world. The author provides an eloquent and engaging account of the use of herbal medicine from prehistoric times to the present, reaffirming the incalculable value of medicinal plants in the healing arts. She presents a strong case for the cyclical emergence of alternative medicine at times (such as our own) when allopathic methods of treatment have lost their safety and efficacy.
"Probably the most definitive history of the origin and development of herbal medicine in the West . . . should be required reading for every herbalist, pharmacist, physician, and regulatory official."
"A modern classic that can be consulted by all of those interested in getting a keener insight into the trials and tribulations, the pitfalls and rewards, and the history and future of drug therapy from nature."
"A history of grass-roots medicine, researched to the point where those of us who have dabbled in the subject are left feeling embarrassed at the wealth of source material that we left unread."
"To congratulate Barbara Griggs is not only a pleasure but a duty, for she has given us a useful tool, the need of which has been felt but hitherto never filled."
"Well researched, highly readable, and ultimately entertaining."
"This meticulously referenced, captivating book is guaranteed to hold surprises even for those who consider themselves well-informed on the topic."
"Here are the highs and lows, the compassion and the competition and the pain and the joys of 2000 plus years of western herbal medicine. Well-written and extensive."
