since the dawn of time, man - acknowledging his fragility in the face of a disinterested universe - has sought to use the bounty of the world around him, to defend himself against the threats and dangers of that same world. he fashioned himself shelter from the sticks and stones, protective clothing from the hides of animals, and remedies for ailments from the plants and herbs.

until the relatively recent invention of the modern scientific method, what is now called 'folk medicine' was all that existed to salve the wounds and treat the aliments of people around the world.