Encyclopedia of Mind Enhancing Food, Drugs and Nutritional Substances

Elephants are said to travel miles for mineral licks. It is plausible that sick apes pick out particular leaves or fruits that will alleviate their pains. By and large, however, as Sir William Osler pointed out 120 years ago, when the modern pharmaceutical industry was still in its infancy, one of the most characteristic features of human beings is their enthusiasm for self‐medication. This enthusiasm is not without its pitfalls. There is no such thing as a “magic bullet”. Every treatment has its side effects ‐ even sticking a plaster on a cut reduces bleeding and the risk of infection...