Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PART I AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF MEDICAL ETHICS
- PART II A CHRONOLOGY OF MEDICAL ETHICS
- PART III DISCOURSES OF MEDICAL ETHICS THROUGH THE LIFE CYCLE
- PART IV THE DISCOURSES OF RELIGION ON MEDICAL ETHICS
- PART V THE DISCOURSES OF PHILOSOPHY ON MEDICAL ETHICS
- PART VI THE DISCOURSES OF PRACTITIONERS ON MEDICAL ETHICS
- 19 The Discourses of Practitioners in Africa
- 20 The Discourses of Practitioners in India
- 21 The Discourses of Practitioners in China
- 22 The Discourses of Practitioners in Japan
- 23 The Discourses of Practitioners in Ancient Europe
- 24 The Discourses of European Practitioners in the Tradition of the Hippocratic Texts
- 25 The Discourses of Practitioners in the Ninth- to Fourteenth-Century Middle East
- 26 The Discourses of Practitioners in Medieval and Renaissance Europe
- 27 The Discourses of Practitioners in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Europe
- 28 The Discourses of Practitioners in Eighteenth-Century France and Germany
- 29 The Discourses of Practitioners in Eighteenth-Century Spain
- 30 The Discourses of Practitioners in Eighteenth-Century Britain
- 31 The Discourses of Practitioners in Eighteenth-Century North America
- 32 The Discourses of Practitioners in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century France
- 33 The Discourses of Practitioners in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Spain
- 34 The Discourses of Practitioners in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Germany
- 35 The Discourses of Practitioners in Eighteenth- to Twentieth-Century Russia and Soviet Union
- 36 The Discourses of Practitioners in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Britain and the United States
- 37 The Discourses of Practitioners in the Modern and Contemporary Islamic Middle East
- PART VII THE DISCOURSES OF BIOETHICS
- PART VIII DISCOURSES ON MEDICAL ETHICS AND SOCIETY
- Appendix: Biographies: Who Was Who in the History of Medical Ethics
- Bibliography
- Index
19 - The Discourses of Practitioners in Africa
from PART VI - THE DISCOURSES OF PRACTITIONERS ON MEDICAL ETHICS
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 May 2012
- Frontmatter
- PART I AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF MEDICAL ETHICS
- PART II A CHRONOLOGY OF MEDICAL ETHICS
- PART III DISCOURSES OF MEDICAL ETHICS THROUGH THE LIFE CYCLE
- PART IV THE DISCOURSES OF RELIGION ON MEDICAL ETHICS
- PART V THE DISCOURSES OF PHILOSOPHY ON MEDICAL ETHICS
- PART VI THE DISCOURSES OF PRACTITIONERS ON MEDICAL ETHICS
- 19 The Discourses of Practitioners in Africa
- 20 The Discourses of Practitioners in India
- 21 The Discourses of Practitioners in China
- 22 The Discourses of Practitioners in Japan
- 23 The Discourses of Practitioners in Ancient Europe
- 24 The Discourses of European Practitioners in the Tradition of the Hippocratic Texts
- 25 The Discourses of Practitioners in the Ninth- to Fourteenth-Century Middle East
- 26 The Discourses of Practitioners in Medieval and Renaissance Europe
- 27 The Discourses of Practitioners in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Europe
- 28 The Discourses of Practitioners in Eighteenth-Century France and Germany
- 29 The Discourses of Practitioners in Eighteenth-Century Spain
- 30 The Discourses of Practitioners in Eighteenth-Century Britain
- 31 The Discourses of Practitioners in Eighteenth-Century North America
- 32 The Discourses of Practitioners in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century France
- 33 The Discourses of Practitioners in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Spain
- 34 The Discourses of Practitioners in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Germany
- 35 The Discourses of Practitioners in Eighteenth- to Twentieth-Century Russia and Soviet Union
- 36 The Discourses of Practitioners in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Britain and the United States
- 37 The Discourses of Practitioners in the Modern and Contemporary Islamic Middle East
- PART VII THE DISCOURSES OF BIOETHICS
- PART VIII DISCOURSES ON MEDICAL ETHICS AND SOCIETY
- Appendix: Biographies: Who Was Who in the History of Medical Ethics
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
INTRODUCTION
This chapter examines the roles and practices of traditional African healers prior to the introduction of the “modern” scientific world view into the conception and practice of medicine in Africa. To this end, this chapter distinguishes the roles of traditional medical healers in Africa, who mainly dealt with biological causation, from those of diviners, whose work was largely based on metaphysical aspects. This section of the chapter also explores the manner in which traditional healers entered the “profession” and examines the ethical framework within which these healers carried out their work. In addition, this chapter examines the wider role and social standing of the traditional healer in the community. It must be noted that whereas this chapter is essentially a historical account, traditional healers remain active in almost all parts of Africa. This chapter will also discuss the introduction of “modern medicine” in postcolonial Africa and will investigate the immediate conflict between concepts of Western medicine and traditional healing. Of particular concern will be the tension that exists between modern, Western-educated doctors and their traditional counterparts. This chapter considers the question of whether there has been any integration of modern science into the conception and practice of medicine. In conclusion, this essay will briefly examine the doctor–patient and healer–patient relationship in Africa.
THE AFRICAN WORLD VIEW
One cannot talk about a uniform “African World View.” Africa is a continent made up of more than forty-three countries.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Cambridge World History of Medical Ethics , pp. 311 - 323Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008
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