From Past to Present: Medicinal Animals in a Historical Perspective

Interactions with animals constitute one of the oldest forms of connection between mankind and nature. In general, connections that people establish with nature can be driven by different aspects of their lives, either material (e.g., food), or spiritual (e.g., myths). In this sense, the use of animals in medical practices by various human societies can be perceived as a persisting ancient relationship, either through mainstream medicine (e.g., use of animal toxins) or via complementary, and alternative medical systems. This chapter presents an overview of medical systems used by different peoples, and emphasizes the role played by historical ethnozoology as a discipline focusing on the relationships between animals and culture over time.