To most Westerners, health is strictly a matter of science. Disease, we are convinced, is caused by microorganisms, tumors, and chemical imbalances, and treatment is a simple matter of identifying the specific cause and eliminating it or relieving the symptoms. Case closed. But people in hundreds of other societies around the globe find this Western view narrow and unimaginative. They view health as, for example, a matter of balance between humans and their culture or their larger natural environment. Often they explain disease not as a mechanical failure of the body but as a spiritual disorder or the result of the evil intentions of others. And to the astonishment of Westerners, many of these blatantly unscientific health care systems are quite effective. "Health and Illness: A Cross-Cultural Encyclopedia" introduces readers to a colorful array of traditional and alternative healing systems from around the globe, such as: Aromatherapy, the use of fragrance to...