Media Share 9/MEDIASHARE_09.ISO/mag&info/herbs.zip/CHAPTER.1

Text File | 1992-06-02 | 4KB | 70 lines

         MODERN MEDICINE------------ROOTED IN ANCIENT TIMES
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Herbs have been used successfully for over 4000 years in China for
healing and balancing the body's energy.  The use of herbs as body
cleansers, rejuvenators, tonics and relaxers have been practiced by
mankind, all over the world, from the very beginning of mankind's
history of imperfection.  These natural remedies are still in use
today.

The code of medical ethics known as the Hippocratic Oath is still
taken today by graduating students in many medical schools.
Hippocrates, the so called, Father of Medicine,lived from 460-377
BCE, and was one of the most observing and industrious men who ever
lived. He was the first to conceive the idea of diagnosis and also
exercised great care in regulating the diet of persons afflicted
with acute diseases.  Wounds were treated with the view of guarding
against undue loss of blood.  Herbs, diet, baths, fresh air, massage,
rest and quiet formed the bulk of his treatments, and he made his
followers swear on oath that they would give no poisonous remedies
to their patients. Can modern medicine always say this?  Between
three and four hundred plants are mentioned in what are know as the
Hippocratic Writings.

The familiar sign Rx, which is generally found in the upper left-
hand corner of the modern prescription, has been traced to the pagan
symbol for Jupiter.  It has been said, that the ancient practice of
placing this symbol at the head of prescriptions was instituted in
the time of Nero, when the Christians were being brutally persecuted.
The early Christians, whether physician or patient, were put to
death, for refusing to use this symbol, their consciences would not
let them use this or any symbol such as this one.  These early
Christians worshiped only the Creator, whose name can still be found
in most Bibles today at Psalm 83.18.

The symbol indicated an allegiance of the physician to the State,
whom Jupiter was the God of, and none could obtain medicine without
this symbol.  The symbol  meant, "Take thou in the name of Jupiter."
The ancients employed the Greek word `Physis', meaning the natural
constitution, to signify pharmacy and sorcery, and that in this way
those who taught and practiced the healing art, came to be know as
"physicians."

From the many facts existing, we may well believe that there is not
a single disease in man that may not be alleviated or cured in some
herb or other, if  we but knew which plant and where to find it.
For, who has not often seen, not only our own domestic animals, but
many of the untamed creatures of forest, field, and sky, seek out
some one particular herb when laboring under sickness or some
derangement?  Our Creator has, of course, wisely implanted a definite
instinct  in these creatures, in order to serve for it's health, or
restoration to health, from disease.  In man, however, such instinct,
is not instilled.  Man has been given reason and judgment and a
disposition to investigate the laws and mysteries of creation, in
order to secure his own health.  An old proverb says, "There are
sermons in stones, and books in running brooks;" so do we behold
volumes of wisdom in all the herbal kingdom--every emerald and
variegated leaf, in every tinted blossom.  In all, there is a
voiceless language, eternally singing significant songs of the
Creator of all things.

In Hypocrites day only a few hundred plants were known which could
alleviate pain and suffering, today, thousands have been analyzed
and investigated and cataloged!  We have, at our disposal, a wealth
of information about illnesses, herbal cures, and the convenience
of having what we need delivered to our door!  So, the question is--
why suffer when we don't have to?

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