Traditional Medicine in a Mediterranean Island Community

Traditional medical practices vary from one country to another, these being very often dependent on the cultural history of that country or region. The accumulation of the medical armamentarium of traditional medicine is strongly influenced by religious-superstitious and observational elements. This was eventually, mainly after the Classical Period, tempered by philosophical-rational concepts that opened the way to scientific-based medicine based on a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of disease states. This work reviews the traditional medical practices of a Central Mediterranean island population whose geographical position made it an important meeting place for the various Mediterranean cultures throughout the ages merging and amalgamating European traditions with cultures derived from the Eastern Mediterranean lands and the Maghreb region of North Africa.