Introduction

According to the National Institute of General Medical Science, 120 drugs that are prescribed by doctors originated from plants. And 75% of those drugs originated from traditional Indigenous medicine.



B3.1 Portrait of Setuk Muccon
Calgary, Alberta, unknown date
Photographers: Boorne and May
C-049480
Long before the invention of beakers, labs, and test tubes, humans were using chemical substances to meet their basic needs. They ate foods that provided vitamin C to prevent scurvy, used salicylic acid from willow bark tea to reduce fevers and inflammations, made heaters using moss and animal fats, and used natural dyes to adorn clothing. By the end of this lesson, you should have an idea of some of the historical uses of chemical substances.

  Targets

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to

  • identify historical examples of how humans worked with chemical substances to meet their basic needs
  • identify examples of chemistry-based careers in the community

  Watch This

Medicine Walk at Wanuskewin Heritage Park @ YouTube CBCSaskatchewan


This video will provide insights into some traditional land uses by Indigenous Canadians. This will help get you in the right mindset for this lesson.