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Article: African-American folk medicine has rich history.
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- March 19, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The next time you pop a capsule of St. John's Wort _ the herb that's become wildly popular as a treatment for mild depression _ you'll be taking part in an ancient and honorable folk tradition: African-American folk medicine.
For centuries, African-Americans have used St. John's Wort, a plant once called High John the Conqueror, to treat scrapes, strains and burns.
``It was considered one of the most powerful herbs for healing and bringing good luck,'' says Yvonne Chireau, a religion professor at Pennsylvania's Swarthmore College and a leading authority on African-American folk medicine.
Long before such remedies received a stamp of approval ...