African Influence On African American Medicine

Between the years of 1800 and 1900, the North American social and political landscape changed by the presence of so many African people, who brought with them several centuries of civilization. Africanized America in terms of medicine. In this paper, I will be exploring the influence of Africans on the American traditions of medicine.

Africans, and their descendants, contributed to the richness and fullness of American culture from its beginnings. Their contributions in early America, for which they have received little or no credit, include the development of vaccines (including vaccination for smallpox), cures for snake bites, birthing procedures, introduction of therapy, and cure for vaginal fistula, foundation of face surgery and introduction

Although African American practitioners were root doctors compared to their European counterparts, their medical practices were often superior in that

Enslaved Africans brought indigenous skills and knowledge to North America directly from Africa. They contributed their cultural traditions concerning the uses of herbs, as well as the new plants they encountered in South Carolina, in many ways like that of West and Central Africa. Sampson walked into the Commons House of Assembly of South Carolina on May 9, 1754, and offered a cure for rattlesnake bites. To demonstrate the effectiveness of his medicines, he held in his hand poisonous snakes and then pressed them against his flesh and was bitten several times. He was bitten by so many venomous snakes that it was doubtful if he would recover. Sampson declared that he would return in three days alive and well. To everyone's surprise, he returned alive and offered the cure. In proof of the efficacy of his medicines, Sampson on several occasions suffered himself to be bitten by the most venomous snakes, and once let his wounds come so near mortification, that it was doubted whether he could recover, yet he cured himself with them; he disarmed any snake of its venom with some of the herbs. He was immediately given his freedom and a cash