Far from being the province of magic, witchcraft, and sorcery, indigenous understanding of contagious disease in Africa and elsewhere in the developing world very often parallels western concepts of germ theory, according to the author. Labeling this 'indigenous contagion theory (ICT),' Green synthesizes the voluminous ethnographic work on tropical diseases and remedies_as well as 20 years of his own studies and interventions on sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, and traditional healers in southern Africa_to demonstrate how indigenous peoples generally conceive of contagious diseases as having naturalistic causes. His groundbreaking work suggests how western medical practitioners can incorporate ICT to better help native peoples control contagious diseases.

"Anthropologist Edward Green offers here a highly readable contribution to medical and applied anthropology. Based on over twenty-five years of fieldwork and development assistance in Africa, Southeast Asia and other regions, the author of the authoritative sourcebook STD and AIDS in Africa deepens his examination of indigenous healing and disease prevention strategies. ....Anthropologists and other readers interested in the evolutionary and other bio-cultural underpinnings of indigenous systems ofcontagious illness will find the book's theoretical reflections, summarized in the final chapter, especially thought-provoking..." - Social Science & Medicine, (2000)

"Edward C. Green, experienced anthropologist and prolific writer, offers what can only be described as an engaging comprehensive account of ICT (indigenous Contagion Theories).... Overall, this book appears to be geared towards those who have little or no knowledge of social explanatons of illnessses or of "layman" beliefs. The author does manage to convey quite successfullly the details of indigenous medical explanations in a langauge that is easily accessible. This book is a good introduction to the area for undergraduate social scientists, health professionals and the general public." - Medical Sociology Online, Vol 26.2, June 2002

"This important new book paves the way for effective working relationships between indigenous healers and the providers of biomedical health services, and for more effective health promotion and disease prevention across the world.... I would recommend Indigenous Theories of Contagious Disease to medical anthropologists and the others who are interested in the bio-socio-cultural and historical underpinnings of ICTs, as well as to anyone with a concern for indigenous knowledge and development." - Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor, Vol. 8, Issue 1

"Anthropologist Edward Green offers here a highly readable contribution to medical and applied anthropology. Based on over twenty-five years of fieldwork and development assistance in Africa, Southeast Asia and other regions, the author of the authoritative sourcebook STD and AIDS in Africa deepens his examination of indigenous healing and disease prevention strategies. ....Anthropologists and other readers interested in the evolutionary and other bio-cultural underpinnings of indigenous systems of contagious illness will find the book's theoretical reflections, summarized in the final chapter, especially thought-provoking." - Social Science & Medicine, (2000)