Bonesetters and curers in a Mexican community: Conceptual models, status, and gender

Huber, Brad R.

doi:10.1080/01459740.1996.9966126

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Therefore, many of the ‘new’ medical treatments available to communities would have varied by geographical location and permanence of military settlement (Davies, 1970; Jackson, 2000; Baker, 2001, 2002a,b). As Romanisation has been shown to be a process of adoption and adaptation (Mattingly, 2006), it is highly likely that traditional practices continued, as a plethora of medical systems can co‐exist at any one time (Huber & Anderson, 1996; Strathern & Stewart, 1999).…”

Section: Treatment and Medical Practice In Iron Age And Roman Britainmentioning

confidence: 99%

A regional examination of surgery and fracture treatment in Iron Age and Roman Britain

Redfern

2009

Int. J. Osteoarchaeol.

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The study macroscopically examined 270 sexed adults and 190 subadult individuals for evidence of ante mortem fractures and surgical practice in Dorset, during the Iron Age (5th century BC to 1st century AD) and Romano-British period (1st century to the end of the 4th century AD), in order to understand medical treatment in both periods and determine the extent to which these practices changed post conquest (43 AD).As treatment during these periods is not well understood, a conservative approach to fracture analysis was employed, which attempted to minimise the influence of fracture type and location on results by excluding bones in which fracture deformities may only be corrected by surgery. The study also excluded fractures resulting from bone mineralisation diseases or neoplasms. Skeletal evidence for surgical treatment was identified using funerary, taphonomic and osteological criterion to determine when the surgery took place, and to establish that changes were not caused by post mortem activity.The analysis of fracture treatment demonstrated that in both periods, adult fractures were well set with few secondary changes; a result also influenced by the stable nature of the fracture types. No evidence for sex-differences in treatment was observed. Evidence for surgery was identified in two Romano-British individuals: an unsuccessful limb amputation, and an embryotomy procedure that was most likely carried out in an attempt to save the mother.This regional assessment of medical treatment has shown that in both periods, highly skilled practitioners were able to successfully treat a range of fractures and by doing so, minimised the patient's risk of impairment. The study also supplements the very limited archaeological evidence for medical practice and surgery in Iron Age and Roman Britain, and suggests that post conquest, surgical knowledge rapidly increased in association with wider socio-cultural developments in education, pharmacology and sanitation.

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Section: Treatment and Medical Practice In Iron Age And Roman Britainmentioning

confidence: 99%

A regional examination of surgery and fracture treatment in Iron Age and Roman Britain

Redfern

2009

Int. J. Osteoarchaeol.

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“…People recognized as bonesetters or as other types of massagers are found in virtually every community of Guatemala and southern Mexico. It is somewhat surprising, then, that the work of hueseros, as bonesetters are often called in Middle America, is quite underrepresented in the literature (Huber and Anderson 1996). These specialists are often mentioned as part of the cultural backdrop of particular communities, but specialized coverage of their work is rare (Paul 1976; Paul and McMahon in press).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 20th-century Middle American communities, bonesetting appears to be the province of men (Huber and Anderson 1996;Rodriguez Rouanet 1969;Tedlock 1992;Wisdom 1940), something also reflected in Comalapa (Icu Peren 1990:42). There may be several reasons for this.…”

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confidence: 99%

"The Hands Know": Bodily Engagement and Medical Impasse in Highland Maya Bonesetting

Hinojosa¹

2002

Med Anthropol Q

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In southern Middle America, highland Maya bonesetters are called on to treat many cases of bodily injury. While Guatemalan Maya bonesetters vary greatly in their techniques and specialties, they prioritize manual treatment modalities, using their hands to address problems in clients' bodies. For bonesetters, the hands achieve direct knowledge of the suffering body, enabling them to work and securing the trust of those they treat. Nonetheless, Maya bonesetters face opposition from physicians who argue that bonesetters are untrained in Western trauma techniques and can inflict irreparable harm on people. This article examines how Maya bonesetters work in an environment hostile to their craft and explores some important vectors of bodily and ideological engagement between Maya bonesetting and Guatemalan biomedicine. [Maya bonesetters, manual medicine, embodied knowledge]M anual medicine is a set of healing traditions prioritizing the use of the hands and manual manipulation of the body to bring about healing. It forms a critical part of the healing landscape in Guatemala, a country in which the majority of inhabitants live in rural areas and practice small-scale agriculture. People recognized as bonesetters or as other types of massagers are found in virtually every community of Guatemala and southern Mexico. It is somewhat surprising, then, that the work of hueseros, as bonesetters are often called in Middle America, is quite underrepresented in the literature (Huber and Anderson 1996). These specialists are often mentioned as part of the cultural backdrop of particular communities, but specialized coverage of their work is rare (Paul 1976; Paul and McMahon in press). Ethnologists have paid closer attention to practitioners of divination, herbalism, shamanism, and midwifery.Closer inspection of the Maya bonesetting craft, however, not only enhances our general understanding of healing specialties but also reveals how the body can constitute a source and starting point of knowledge. The avowed ability of the Maya bonesetter's body to directly engage the suffering body entails a mode of Medical Anthropology Quarterly 16( 1): 22-40. 22'THE HANDS KNOW" 23 attention that Csordas (1990Csordas ( , 1993 says occurs on an unconscious, preobjective level. In his framework, bodies continually attend to other bodies in ways not always consciously perceived by the persons involved. Csordas (1993:135) argues that through this somatic attention, the body constitutes the existential ground of consciousness and enjoys a direct engagement with the world. When Maya bonesetters place their hands on a suffering body, in accordance with this formulation, information about the client's body becomes somatically available to them. Hueseros report that 'the hands know" the unseen problems in the suffering body, apprehending the problems directly. This direct engagement, then, makes it possible for the bonesetter's hands, in a self-guided mode, to redress the problems.The centrality of embodied knowledgejn the Maya bonesetter's practice dis...

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“…There are many regional differences to bonesetting technique and ability, but, in general, bonesetters utilize their own bodies, oils, and herbs to detect, diagnose, and treat injury. Bonesetters have been in use in numerous countries, including Turkey, China, Mexico, England, and Nigeria (Dada et al, 2011;England, 1844;Hatipoğlu & Tatar, 1995;Huber & Anderson, 1996;Smith, 1974). In Guatemala, bonesetters do not require any standardized training or certifications and are trained by fellow bonesetters in the community.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of the Maya’s Beliefs and Preferences on Bonesetters and Bone Fracture Treatment in the Guatemalan Highlands: A Household Survey

Hartley¹,

Sinkinson²

2021

GJHS

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BACKGROUND: In the Lake Atitlán region of Guatemala, traditional bonesetters (hueseros) commonly treat bone fractures. The indigenous Kaqchikel population has access to biomedical care, but traditional medicine remains the preferred treatment modality for bone fracture. METHODS: Households in four villages were surveyed to assess experiences with bone fracture treatment. Of 108 households sampled, 83 met inclusion criteria and completed the survey. Responses were analyzed to assess for group demographics, bone fracture prevalence, and treatment history. Independence testing assessed for subgroup differences. RESULTS: Mean age: 40 years old. For fracture treatment, 37% (31/83) consulted with a physician/nurse whereas 75% (62/83) consulted with a bonesetter. 19% (16/83) consulted with both. Cast immobilization was utilized by only 16% (13/83) of participants. The services provided by bonesetters included massage, temazcal (sweat lodge), herbal poultice, prayer, and recommended rest. When comparing participants that used a cast (n=13) and those that used a bonesetter exclusively (n=46), the bonesetter group had lower rates of continued pain and movement limitation, higher satisfaction with treatment, and higher interest in seeking the same treatment in the future, though these findings were not statistically significant. Regarding future care, 66% (55/83) would consider consulting a doctor whereas 83% (69/83) would seek services from a bonesetter. 53% (44/83) would utilize both.  If recommended, 46% (38/83) would consider using a cast. Only 22% (18/83) of participants reported previous musculoskeletal imaging. CONCLUSION: These results suggest a high preference of bonesetters for bone injury treatment, reduced acceptance of biomedical care, and limited acceptance of cast immobilization.

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Bonesetters and curers in a Mexican community: Conceptual models, status, and gender

Cited by 13 publications

References 7 publications

A regional examination of surgery and fracture treatment in Iron Age and Roman Britain

A regional examination of surgery and fracture treatment in Iron Age and Roman Britain

"The Hands Know": Bodily Engagement and Medical Impasse in Highland Maya Bonesetting

Assessment of the Maya’s Beliefs and Preferences on Bonesetters and Bone Fracture Treatment in the Guatemalan Highlands: A Household Survey

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