Ages before the dawn of modern medicine, wild animals were harnessing the power of nature鈥檚 pharmacy to heal themselves. Doctors by Nature reveals what researchers are now learning about the medical wonders of the animal world. In this visionary book, Jaap de Roode argues that we have underestimated the healing potential of nature for too long and shows how the study of self-medicating animals could impact the practice of human medicine.
Drawing on illuminating interviews with leading scientists from around the globe as well as his own pioneering research on monarch butterflies, de Roode demonstrates how animals of all kinds鈥攆rom ants to apes, from bees to bears, and from cats to caterpillars鈥攗se various forms of medicine to treat their own ailments and those of their relatives. We meet apes that swallow leaves to dislodge worms, sparrows that use cigarette butts to repel parasites, and bees that incorporate sticky resin into their hives to combat pathogens. De Roode asks whether these astonishing behaviors are learned or innate and explains why, now more than ever, we need to apply the lessons from medicating animals鈥攊t can pave the way for healthier livestock, more sustainable habitats for wild pollinators, and a host of other benefits.
Doctors by Nature takes readers into a realm often thought to be the exclusive domain of humans, exploring how scientists are turning to the medical knowledge of the animal kingdom to improve agriculture, create better lives for our pets, and develop new pharmaceutical drugs.
"As Jaap de Roode reveals in [Doctors by Nature] many animals seek out substances to relieve illnesses or battle parasites that drag their health down. . . . They could even teach us a thing or two about medicine."鈥擲am Kean, Wall Street Journal
"The book invites deeper reflection on what it means to medicate, how landscapes shape access to medicine, and whether we humans are as discerning in our self-medicating choices as our nonhuman counterparts. . . . It raises new questions about the relationship between medicine, behavior, and environment."鈥擩ohn M. Drake, Science
"Jaap de Roode takes the reader through a breezy and fun exploration into the complex world of animal medication."鈥擡d Cara, Gizmodo
"There's so many cool stories in [this] book."鈥擟ara Santa Maria, Talk Nerdy
"A fantastic read. I devoured [this book] in a day."鈥擟assandra Quave, Foodie Pharmacology
"[A] highly readable, and fun book."鈥擬arc Beckoff, Psychology Today
"A fantastic book."鈥擜shley Frasca, Green and Growing with Ashley Frasca
"[An] exceptional book investigating the myriad ways in which diverse animals across taxa self-medicate. . . . The book is written in a very readable style and is about story telling as much as intellectual enlightenment."鈥擠avid Gascoigne, Travels with Birds
"A fascinating look at the medical knowledge of animals; this would be a worthy addition to any life sciences collection."鈥�Library Journal
鈥�Doctors by Nature brings a new WOW on every page! This fascinating book will blow your mind with the chemical complexity of plants, the insight, ingenuity, and instincts of animals, and the healing powers within the reach of a thrilling array of creatures.鈥�鈥擲y Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness
鈥淔rom ants to apes, bees to bears, and caterpillars to capuchins, animals use nature鈥檚 pharmacy to recover from injury and treat and prevent disease. But how do animals know what plants and substances their bodies need? De Roode dives into the expanding, fascinating research surrounding the world of zoopharmacognosy鈥攁nimal self-medication鈥攊lluminating the interwoven intricacies and innate brilliance of the animal and plant kingdoms, and our crucial role in protecting both.鈥�鈥擪aren Shaw Becker, coauthor of the New York Times bestseller The Forever Dog Life
鈥泪苍 Doctors by Nature, biologist Jaap de Roode tells a witty tale of how animals use drugs to fight infections and stay alive. The book teaches us to see animals as capable creatures that look after their own health, proposing that animals鈥� medicinal knowledge can inspire new approaches to animal welfare, agriculture, and even human medicine.鈥�鈥擝eth Shapiro, author of How to Clone a Mammoth
鈥淥utstanding! Jaap de Roode鈥檚 engrossing investigation of the remarkable relationship between the animal and plant kingdoms reveals fascinating secrets of self-healing behavior by insects, birds, reptiles, and mammals. Doctors by Nature is replete with new and surprising biological discoveries, recounted with charm and enthusiasm.鈥�鈥擜drienne Mayor, author of Gods and Robots: Myths, Machines, and Ancient Dreams of Technology
鈥淔rom chimpanzees treating parasites with bitter plants to monarch butterflies protecting their offspring with toxic milkweed, Doctors by Nature uncovers how animals instinctively use nature鈥檚 pharmacy to heal themselves and their communities. Jaap de Roode weaves together cutting-edge research, engaging stories, and his own scientific journey to show how animal medication behaviors can inspire new approaches to human and veterinary medicine. This eye-opening book will forever change how you view the intelligence and ingenuity of our fellow creatures, while offering hope for new discoveries that could revolutionize health care for all species.鈥�鈥擭eil Shubin, author of Your Inner Fish
鈥�Doctors by Nature presents a scientifically grounded account of the fascinating strategies animals use to treat and prevent wounds and illnesses. Through masterful scientific storytelling, de Roode shares many remarkable examples of evolved behavioral adaptations that reveal our species to be only one of many that can heal themselves.鈥�鈥擝arbara Natterson-Horowitz, MD, coauthor of Zoobiquity and Wildhood
This publication generally has been produced to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Level AA but has not been checked for language shifts. It is screen-reader friendly and is accessible to people with print disabilities. This book contains various accessibility features including alternative text for images, a table of contents, a page list, landmarks, a logical reading order, structural navigation, an index, and semantic structure. Where applicable, there are backlinks to the table of contents.
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