Dear Friends:
    Chris Hafner-Eaton makes a historical reference to women's role as
healers and keepers of information about herbs. This is true. I do that for
my family: I use homeopathy for my husband, children and self. And some herbs
too, using information I have gathered from articles, conferences, talks with
friends, books, and the Internet. I live with my family, and so can observe
and attend to any side effects or problems that may arise. Plus I care about
them more than anybody, so am very invested.
    The historical  healer/woman  often lived in a village, where she knew
everybody, saw them a lot, and they all knew her.  Living in a community
where everyone is known is a lot different than today, where we live in
communities of strangers, which keeps us on guard and changes the healing
arena.
    How do we reconcile that role with today's professional practice?
Lactation workers are working to make lactation consultation a profession.
How can that happen when practitioners have no standards to follow, where
herbal dosing depends on where the herb is grown, how old it is, whether or
not it is a tincture or a tea or an infusion or a powder that is being used?
    If asked in court, what does woman as healer who is treating strangers
say to defend herself? In the USA, this is an issue.
    Warmly,
Nikki Lee RN, MSN, Mother of 2, IBCLC, CIMI, CSTP
Elkins Park (a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; northeastern USA)
supporter of the WHO Code and the Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative

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