Traditional medicine
Exhibition Healing Ways Uncover how diverse lifestyles and shared experiences have helped sustain the health and well-being of Native populations for generations. Hōkūle‘a Native Hawaiians owe their existence to the Hōkūle‘a voyaging canoe. Its resurgence in the last century has led to a cultural revival, inspiring Native Hawaiians of all ages to learn more about, and to value, their traditions. Healing Totem The National Library of Medicine’s healing totem was created by master carver Jewell James, of the Lummi Nation in the Pacific Northwest, to promote good health.
History of Medicine Early Days Almanacs have been a part of American life since its very beginning. One of the first books printed in English America was an almanac. By the mid-18th century the almanac had become, after the Bible, the book most likely to be found in ordinary homes. Produced annually, almanacs provided practical information and entertainment. The main feature was a calendar which showed the months and days, the positions of the moon and the planets, religious and civil commemorations, and weather predictions, sometimes decorated with an illustration of a seasonal scene or the sign of the zodiac. Medieval almanacs showed the church’s feast and fast days.
