Ethnoscience

1. Patients of one of the resorts in Anshan, northeast China, enjoying a mud bath, August 21, 2006. It is believed that the mineral mud helps ease the pain of rheumatism, residual pain after injuries and cures of diseases of the peripheral nervous system. (REUTERS / China Daily)



2. In China, rhinitis, inflammation of the nasal mucosa, treated with the help of bee stings. Poison secreted by a bee sting, can cure diseases such as rheumatism, arthritis and rhinitis. The photo was taken April 4, 2006 in one of the Chinese clinics. (REUTERS / China Daily)



3. «Garra rufa obtusas», also known as Doctor fish swims around the feet of the patient one of the resorts in the west of Tokyo, April 17, 2006. It is believed that this fish eats the dead skin from the feet of the patient, thereby, healing some skin diseases. (REUTERS / Toshiyuki Aizawa)



4. The healer holds the face of the patient Terrapins before start treatment on her face May 24, 2006. It is believed that this way you can cure rheumatism and other ailments. In Cambodia, many people believe in supernatural healing ability of living creatures such as turtles, snakes and cows. (REUTERS / Chor Sokutnhea)



5. One of the patients in the hospital Shandong province of China is in the process of treatment dead scorpions, June 12, 2006. (CHINA OUT REUTERS / Stringer)



6. Patient Hospital in Shandong Province is in the process of traditional Chinese treatment with walnut and dry Chinese wormwood, June 12, 2006. (CHINA OUT REUTERS / Stringer (CHINA)



7. The photo Liz Cohen is in the process of treatment, during which her body crawling snakes, February 1, 2007. Ada Barak, the owner of the salon, where you can go through such a procedure, live royal snake snakes spotted and striated royal snakes. It states that if a person has a sense of anxiety or fear, it is necessary to establish physical contact with these snakes through which anxiety and fear will disappear quickly. (REUTERS / Yonathan Weitzman)

8. Guests of Chinese resorts daubed black mud, May 2, 2007. It is said that the mineral-rich mud has healing properties, which have a beneficial effect on the skin. (REUTERS / China Daily)

9. The 66-year-old local resident of Jiangxi Province Zhang Musheng eats live tree frogs, May 21, 2007. 20 years ago, Zhang often suffered from abdominal pain and cough, as long as it is not advised to try the treatment of frogs. (REUTERS / China Daily)



10. Hadj Mohamed El Minuavi helping a patient recover from ear disease with bee stings, July 14, 2007. Minuavi sure that bee venom has certain medicinal properties, using which different parts of the body, it is possible to cure such diseases associated with kidney, appendicitis and even cancer. Minuavi at his home in Cairo takes everyone to the treatment. (REUTERS / Nasser Nuri)



11. One of the patients during the treatment procedure using cans in Shanghai, August 8, 2007. (REUTERS / Nir Elias

12. A man takes a mud bath on January 20, 2008. It is believed that the mud can cure everything from acne and ending with rheumatism. (REUTERS / Enrique Castro-Mendivil)



13. A man swallows a live fish in the Indian city of Hyderabad, June 9, 2007. Every year in June, one of the family conducts mass treatment with the help of swallowing fish, they believe that it helps to cure asthma. (REUTERS / Krishnendu Halder)



14. A man is ready to swallow live fish, which helps to cure asthma. (REUTERS / Krishnendu Halder)



15. For the treatment of facial paralysis in Chinese folk medicine used acupuncture and dry smoking Chinese wormwood, August 5, 2010. (REUTERS / Stringer)



16. The doctor inserts into the ear of the patient lit dry Chinese wormwood - is one way of treating a disorder of brain activity, August 5, 2010. (REUTERS / Stringer)



17 patients undergoing traditional Chinese treatment of cervical spondylosis, November 15, 2010. Cervical spondylosis - a chronic disease of the spine. (REUTERS / Stringer)



18. The 41-year-old Mohammed Emad buried in the sands of 700 km. of Cairo and 55 km. from the border with Libya, Aug. 12, 2008. Locals believe that lie under the sands on a hot day, it is possible to cure rheumatism, joint pain and impotence. (REUTERS / Nasser Nuri)



19. parapsychologist Fernando Nogir communicates with the spirit of one of his patients, northern Portugal, December 6, 2008. In his Science Center Okulticheskih Nogir extensive use exorcism. (REUTERS / Jose Manuel Ribeiro)



20. The Palestinian therapist (left) during the procedure the patient's treatment of back pain by a method called «Hujama», June 15, 2009. This traditional method of treating Islamic during which the cuts through the body by creating a vacuum using cans bleed. (REUTERS / Ibraheem Abu Mustafa)



21. Assem al-Tamimi, a Palestinian doctor and specialist in «Hujama» during the procedure, August 8, 2009. (REUTERS / Nayef Hashlamoun)



22. Boy with hearing loss is in the process of treatment with the help of a bee sting in a clinic in Gaza, July 8, 2009. (REUTERS / Ibraheem Abu Mustafa)



23. «Garra rufa obtusas», also known as doctor fish swims around the patient's face, August 9, 2009 It is believed that because of this fish may cure psoriasis and other skin diseases. People come to this clinic to undergo a 21-day course of treatment, which includes 2-one visit to the pool with fish-doctor a day for 4 hours each. (REUTERS / Umit Bektas)



24. These Peruvian Napadenshi arrives at the 8th month of pregnancy during therapy session for pregnant women in Lima, October 25, 2005. Therapy is that ultrasound emitted by dolphins help to stimulate nerve cells in the brain of the unborn child. (REUTERS / Pilar Olivares Also)



25. Villagers watered body of a dead calf, which was considered sacred because of the fact that he was born with the skin of a crocodile, August 20, 2009. People believe that drinking this water, they will be able to cure rheumatism and other ailments. In Cambodia, where people live on $ 1 a day, not many people can afford to see a doctor, so most of them believe in supernatural healing abilities of living beings. (REUTERS / Chor Sokunthea)



26. Purification Ritual child who spend religionists Boss, July 15, 2007. These women are called Komians, it is believed that they possess supernatural healing powers. (REUTERS / Luc Gnago)



27. Residents of Cambodia collect urine of the cow, which, in their opinion, has healing powers, September 26, 2002. (REUTERS / Chor Sokunthea)



28. Treatment with leeches, Moscow, February 1, 2001. Treatment with leeches began to practice in ancient Egypt. They make it possible to cure a variety of diseases, including diseases of the blood and immune system. (AS / FMS)



29. The patient swallows a live fish to cure asthma, Mumbai, June 8. In a small mouth of river fish laid certain herbs that patient also swallows. Combination of herbs knows only one Indian family, this recipe passed down from generation to generation for 150 years. (SK / DL / CLH /)



30. Kazuhiro Aoki puts the person in an aquarium with fish-doctor, Tokyo, May 20, 2008. (REUTERS / Yuriko Nakao)



31. A man swallows a live fish, Hyderabad, June 8, 2008. (REUTERS / Krishnendu Halder)



32. The patient puts the banks of the horns, July 13, 2008. Banks is an alternative method of treatment in Chinese traditional medicine, which has been used for over 2, 500 years. (REUTERS / Stringer)



33. 9-year-old Mohammed Ponar (left), a boy with supernatural powers, it is considered how the locals down the sacred stone in a glass of water during a mass treatment session, o.Yava eastern province, February 11, 2009. This stone boy caught after a flash of lightning. It is believed that this stone has healing properties. Thousands of people are asked to help the boy and give water force, dropping a stone at her. (REUTERS / Sigit Pamungkas)



34. Schoolgirls perform one of the most ancient techniques of yoga «Rubber Neti», May 21, 2009. Most Indians believe that thanks to this technique can cure the common cold, cough, asthma and clear nasal passages. (REUTERS / Ajay Verma)