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xii Introduction Outlines of Current Use The latest data from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (2018) concerning CAM usage are not as comprehensive as in previous years, but one can look at them in connection with earlier reports to get a picture of what has been happening (see also National Center for Health Statistics 2015, for data from 2012). As of 2012, and most likely today, the most commonly used complementary health approach is the taking of dietary supplements, such as fish oil, ginseng, and glucosamine: nearly 18 percent of adult Americans took (nonvita- min, nonmineral) supplements in 2012. (Vitamins and minerals, which are in even wider circulation, are not considered part of CAM by NCCIH.) Another popular modality is yoga, whose use has continued to increase over the years and now is enjoyed by 14.3 percent of adults, especially by women (19.8 percent of women versus 8.6 percent of men). Almost on par with yoga is meditation, with 14.2 percent of adults making use of this approach in 2017. The use of chiropractic care was the fourth most commonly used approach in 2017, with 10.3 percent of American adults taking advantage of it—again representing a solid increase from previous years. Other moderately popular approaches used in recent years include deep-breathing exercises, whether alone or in combination with another activity and tai chi and qigong, which have shown a slow but steady rise. Approaches with lower but by no means insignificant rates of prevalence include homeopathic treat- ment, acupuncture, and naturopathy along with Ayurveda, biofeedback, guided imagery (visualization), and energy healing therapy such as Reiki. Some observers have commented that, in light of earlier surveys, these statistics probably greatly underestimate the percentage of people who have explored CAM approaches at one point or another and that the real figure is likely to exceed one-third of the U.S. population. From whence did all these healing riches come? What forces brought them to the American medical marketplace, and when? Who makes use of them and why? How do they stand in relation to the medical establishment? Are they really useful or are they closer to a cultural fad of some kind? These are some of the questions that we explore in the present book. We examine the rise and fall and, in many cases, rise again of over a hundred different alternative healing strategies, ranging from Colonial-era witchcraft treatments and humorism (see below) to modern-day technologies. Although the bulk of the topics covered fall squarely within the alter- native medicine camp, the line between mainstream and alternative/complemen- tary has not always been sharply drawn and for that reason we include some subjects that are now or may once have been considered ordinary, or orthodox, but over time have experienced their own cultural downturns or upturns. Therefore, we throw a wider net than might otherwise be expected in a book about “alterna- tive” healing. We include mostly alternative approaches but also some key ortho- dox ones to help shed light on the broader picture. We should begin, though, with a little background.