Natural Science and Technology
NST1502
_____________________________________________
Portfolio EXAM Oct/Nov 2021
Unique number: 864580
_______________________________________________
Megan Swanepoel
Student number: 69313946
, SECTION A:
Activity 1.1:
The use of medicine for healing people has altered markedly since the beginning of
traditional healing. Long before the advent of Western medicine, Africans had
developed their own effective way of dealing with diseases. Medical technology
advancements have revolutionized the practice of medicine in the previous 50 years,
but they have also saved lives, provided access to care, and improved quality of life.
Patients and their families must make a decision when seeking medical help in a
place where traditional and western medicine coexist.
When talking about traditional healing, it refers to health practices, approaches,
knowledge, and beliefs that use ceremonies, plant, animal, or mineral-based
medicines, energetic therapies, or physical/hands-on techniques to promote First
Nations healing and wellness. Where modern medicine necessitates consistent
dosages that vary only by body weight or disease severity, traditional healers are
more likely to prescribe a one-of-a-kind dosage or mix of drugs depending only on
the patient's symptoms during the consultation. Western doctors are medical doctors
and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists)
that use medications, radiation, or surgery to treat symptoms and diseases. This is
the most frequent style of health treatment in the United States and the Western
world. It is also known as "allopathic," "conventional," or "traditional" medicine.
Testing and diagnosis are areas where Western Medicine shines.
Traditional African medicine is a comprehensive healthcare system divided into three
degrees of specialization: divination, spiritualism, and herbalism. The traditional
healer delivers health-care services based on his community's culture, religious
background, knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs. In African traditional settings, there
was always an explanation as to why someone was suffering from a certain disease.
Many traditional medical practitioners are good psychotherapists. Treatment of an ill
person involves not only aiding his or her physical being, but may also involve the
spiritual, moral, and social components of being as well. Herbal medicine is the most
widely used system of medicine in the world today. It is used in all societies and is
common in all cultures. Herbal medicines are also called botanical medicines,
vegetable medicines, or phytomedicines. They are made up of whole plants, parts of
plants, or other plant materials. In Nigeria, herbal medicine has continued to gain
momentum, some of the advantages being low cost, affordability, availability,
acceptability, and low toxicity. According to WHO, at least 80% of people in Africa
still rely on medicinal plants for their health care. The preparation of herbal
medicines may vary according to place and culture. With experience, a particular
method is chosen to increase efficiency and decrease toxicity. Other methods
include smoking a crudely prepared cigar containing dried plant materials or by
passive inhalation. Others are steaming and inhaling the volatile oils exuding from
the boiling plant material. Many plants are used in African traditional medicine, but
little information is available on their active ingredients/constituents. Herbal
medicines contain chemical components or phytochemicals that are responsible for
the various therapeutic effects. Many modern pharmaceuticals have been modeled
on or were originally derived from these chemicals. Morphine and codeine, derived
from the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), are used in the treatment of pain relief.
The process of making new medicine for traditional healers differs a lot from culture
to culture and even from country to country. They don’t follow the exact process.
NST1502
_____________________________________________
Portfolio EXAM Oct/Nov 2021
Unique number: 864580
_______________________________________________
Megan Swanepoel
Student number: 69313946
, SECTION A:
Activity 1.1:
The use of medicine for healing people has altered markedly since the beginning of
traditional healing. Long before the advent of Western medicine, Africans had
developed their own effective way of dealing with diseases. Medical technology
advancements have revolutionized the practice of medicine in the previous 50 years,
but they have also saved lives, provided access to care, and improved quality of life.
Patients and their families must make a decision when seeking medical help in a
place where traditional and western medicine coexist.
When talking about traditional healing, it refers to health practices, approaches,
knowledge, and beliefs that use ceremonies, plant, animal, or mineral-based
medicines, energetic therapies, or physical/hands-on techniques to promote First
Nations healing and wellness. Where modern medicine necessitates consistent
dosages that vary only by body weight or disease severity, traditional healers are
more likely to prescribe a one-of-a-kind dosage or mix of drugs depending only on
the patient's symptoms during the consultation. Western doctors are medical doctors
and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists)
that use medications, radiation, or surgery to treat symptoms and diseases. This is
the most frequent style of health treatment in the United States and the Western
world. It is also known as "allopathic," "conventional," or "traditional" medicine.
Testing and diagnosis are areas where Western Medicine shines.
Traditional African medicine is a comprehensive healthcare system divided into three
degrees of specialization: divination, spiritualism, and herbalism. The traditional
healer delivers health-care services based on his community's culture, religious
background, knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs. In African traditional settings, there
was always an explanation as to why someone was suffering from a certain disease.
Many traditional medical practitioners are good psychotherapists. Treatment of an ill
person involves not only aiding his or her physical being, but may also involve the
spiritual, moral, and social components of being as well. Herbal medicine is the most
widely used system of medicine in the world today. It is used in all societies and is
common in all cultures. Herbal medicines are also called botanical medicines,
vegetable medicines, or phytomedicines. They are made up of whole plants, parts of
plants, or other plant materials. In Nigeria, herbal medicine has continued to gain
momentum, some of the advantages being low cost, affordability, availability,
acceptability, and low toxicity. According to WHO, at least 80% of people in Africa
still rely on medicinal plants for their health care. The preparation of herbal
medicines may vary according to place and culture. With experience, a particular
method is chosen to increase efficiency and decrease toxicity. Other methods
include smoking a crudely prepared cigar containing dried plant materials or by
passive inhalation. Others are steaming and inhaling the volatile oils exuding from
the boiling plant material. Many plants are used in African traditional medicine, but
little information is available on their active ingredients/constituents. Herbal
medicines contain chemical components or phytochemicals that are responsible for
the various therapeutic effects. Many modern pharmaceuticals have been modeled
on or were originally derived from these chemicals. Morphine and codeine, derived
from the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), are used in the treatment of pain relief.
The process of making new medicine for traditional healers differs a lot from culture
to culture and even from country to country. They don’t follow the exact process.
