© Joshua Qualls/GroundTruth
Dr. Rodobaldo Pedroso (left) and Dr. Rafael Chamizo Gonzalez (right) demonstrate the turpentine tree, nicknamed "la turista" for its red, peelable bark at Las Terrazas on March 3, 2019. The bark of the tree is boiled with water to fight colds, and the leaves are used to treat rashes.
Just off of Avenida 23, one of Havana's busiest streets, lies a small shop, its storefront minimally decorated like most others in communist Cuba. The interior is organized like a small jewelry store, with a glass countertop display case separating patrons from a woman in a lab coat, darting in and out from the back room.
Yieve Nieves Pino is the only person sitting in two dozen chairs set up to form something of a waiting area. Pino, 53, has come to this pharmacy to see the doctor regarding the stomach issues that have been bothering her for some time.
But the shelves that line the back wall are not stocked with the sort of pills and ointments that a typical dispensary would have. Instead, they're filled with bags and bottles of various forms of the drumstick tree, called "moringa" in Spanish.
"I've never used natural medicine before, but everyone tells me it's very effective, and that's why I'm here," says Pino through a translator. "I just didn't need it before now. But this is obviously a type of medicine that is much healthier and much better for the body."
This pharmacy only sells traditional medicine — what would be called "alternative medicine" in the United States. That is, natural drugs derived from plants, herbs, roots and trees using knowledge passed down through the generations. There are many more like it around Havana, where drugs created with expensive and sophisticated technology are much harder to come by. In fact, most Cubans have no choice but to consult traditional medicine first before seeking further treatment.
Comment: The fact that the Swiss are informed and motivated enough to organize opposition shows that they're still able to think. Meanwhile, the rest of the Western world is complaining they're not getting their increased radiation dosage fast enough.
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