Historia de los curanderos

Who were these men and women capable of healing with their hands, faith, or plants? What secrets, formulas, or beliefs have survived the passage of time in folk medicine? Why, in the 21st century, are there still people who trust them? In Historia de los curanderos (History of Healers), Ángel Beitia invites us on a journey through the memory of the last rural healers, figures shrouded in mystery, devotion, and tradition. From prehistoric caves to the working-class neighborhoods of post-war Spain, through prayers, ointments, rituals, and “scares,” this book intertwines history, anthropology, and oral testimony to reveal a universe that has often been silenced. With rigor, warmth, and a deeply human perspective, the author recovers voices, practices, and settings that still resonate in popular culture. Because there are recipes that don't come from medical books, and wounds that aren't always healed by a prescription. A journey as full of skepticism as it is of wonder, that will make you look differently at that jar of chamomile, that herbal oil, or that neighbor who still “removes the evil eye.” “Ángel Beitia has written a magnificent book, full of popular wisdom, memories, and realities that should not be forgotten.” Dr. Miguel Ángel Pertierra, expert in otolaryngology, specialist in hypnosis, and contributor to Cuarto Milenio.