American Folk Medicine

The UCLA Conference on American Folk Medicine, held from December 13-15, 1973, marked a pioneering interdisciplinary exploration of folk medical practices across the Americas. Sponsored by the UCLA Center for the Study of Comparative Folklore and Mythology, in collaboration with UCLA’s Medical History Division and the Society for the History of Medical Science, the conference brought together 25 scholars from diverse fields. These experts shared insights into the historical, cultural, and magical aspects of folk medicine. Although Professors John Q. Anderson and Bruce Jackson could not attend in person, their papers were included in the proceedings. Professor Thelma G. James, an expert on ethnic folklore, was scheduled to present on "The Influence of Magic in Folk Medicine" but was unfortunately unable to participate due to illness. The closing session, “Summary and Prospect,” was skillfully chaired by Professor Thomas R. Forbes of Yale University, while Dr. Charles H. Talbot from the Wellcome Institute delivered a keynote banquet address titled “Classical Survivals in Folk Medicine,” setting the stage for discussions on the historical underpinnings of folk medical practices.The conference, organized by Wayland D. Hand, Robert G. Frank, Jr., Michael O. Jones, and Donald J. Ward, was structured to encourage rich cross-disciplinary dialogue. Sessions spanned topics from the history of medical practices in diverse ethnic communities to the persistence of traditional healing methods. With support from various contributors, including Dean Sherman Mellinkoff and Martha Gnudi, the conference took place in part within UCLA’s Bio-Medical Library, enhancing the academic exchange with access to extensive medical and historical resources.Funded by the National Institutes of Health, this conference underscored the UCLA Center’s commitment to advancing the study of folklore and traditional medicine. The event and subsequent publication of its proceedings aimed to deepen understanding of how folk medicine embodies cultural heritage and influences medical practices. The collaboration between folklore and medical history scholars highlighted the potential for further interdisciplinary research in the field of folk medicine across American communities.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1980.