"...'natural medicine' and 'herbalism' tend to be null categories."

The problem is that pharmaceutical companies are the ones with the money to do the testing, and it isn't exactly in their best interests to find positive results. Scientific validation of herbals isn't free, and the two main sources of testing are the pharmaceutical labs and the universities who take large donations from pharmaceutical companies. The testing is often not so much 'double blinds' as 'double BINDS'. They can only patent NEW medications, they can't really patent medications based on herbs, and patenting and selling high-priced medications is what makes their world go round.

The two herbals I've heard good things about are The Herb Book by John Lust (1979), and Growing 101 Herbs that Heal: Gardening Techniques, Recipes, and Remedies by Tammi Hartung (2000).

Not all antibiotics are created by man. Honey and aloe vera are two that I know of, and I'll bet there are more.

And don't forget a good supply of TicTacs and paste food coloring for use as placebos when you have nothing better.

Sue