Backwoods cures: An exploration of Southern Appalachian folk medicine
Date
2018-07
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Southern New Hampshire University
Abstract
The people of the Southern Appalachians have a unique culture all their own. An important component of this culture can be observed in the manner in which these individuals chose to combat that enemy of all mankind: disease. A beautiful amalgamation of cultures including Cherokee, Scotch-Irish, and other European ancestries is present in this region and exhibited through the rural remedies utilizing a rich local pharmacopeia and magico-religious folklore related to healing. However, the people of the Southern Appalachians, while geographically isolated, did not exist in a vacuum. Exciting discoveries of local primary sources demonstrate the employment of contemporary medicine in tandem with what was available locally. This project also examines the utility of virtual museums. Together with the research on the subject of Southern Appalachian Folk Medicine, the research on virtual museums culminates in the creation of a digital exhibition using the Omeka exhibit building platform. This exhibition can be visited at the following link: http://backwoodscures.omeka.net (Author abstract)
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