The discussion on material culture in the history of medicine lays a foundation for this episode which summarizes the oral and performative traditions in community health-seeking. Traditionally termed as “folk medicine”, we discuss the field of studying indigenous medical practices. The episode reviews belief systems that often animate diseases as deities themselves, to be propitiated and feared. On the other hand, the deification extends to the worship of deities to treat pandemics such as cholera for community health, which forms a part of this episode.
The series, 'Rooh', is the outcome of a Foundation Project within the purview of the Archives and Museums Program of the India Foundation for the Arts in collaboration with the S.L. Bhatia History of Medicine Museum, Library and Archives, Bangalore, to explore the many themes of the History of Medicine. Part funding was also provided by the Parijat Foundation.
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