eCAM Advance Access originally published online on April 20, 2005
eCAM 2005 2(2):143-147; doi:10.1093/ecam/neh090
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Palliative Care Among Chumash People
1Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy Los Angeles, CA, USA, and 2Chumash Healer Granada Hills, CA, USA
Chumash Healers used breathing therapy and counseling to keep patients involved in daily life and to avoid depression. Heat therapy, massage and pain medications were used to help with pain. Another primary function of the Healer was to help the patient sleep as normally as possible, possibly using mugwort or momoy. Nutrition was considered by Healers in treating their patients. The overall concern of the Healer was to help maintain the daily routine of village life during the normal process of the death of a village member.
Keywords: breathing – heat – sleep – palliative care
*For reprints and all correspondence: James D. Adams Jr, Associate Professor of Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy, 1985 Zonal Avenue, PSC 508, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9121, USA. Tel: +1-323-442-1362; E-mail: jadams{at}usc.edu