Dying the City of Blues (Response 1)

The most intriguing comparison that Wailoo made was between the different approaches of Western and West African medical practices. While Western medicine pumped money into research and finding cures, West African medicine focused on treating and alleviating the symptoms, more specifically, the pain that comes with having sickle cell disease. Pain, being incommunicable, was often difficult to diagnose and when black patients complained about their suffering; doctors had no way of legitimizing their symptoms. This is clearly illustrated in the song Jitis Blues by Memphis Minnie. Although Memphis Minnie is singing about meningitis, the idea of pain is applicable to that of sickle cell. She describes, “[it] feel[s] like my back was break in two” but the doctor had no inclination as to what was causing such excruciating pain. The idea of  legitimizing black suffering/pain and traditional African remedies was rather unsettling within the 1960’s- 1970’s climate. To legitimize traditional African medicine, is to uphold and acknowledge black intelligence. While Western medicine made its advancements, it failed to nurse the patient and their needs. Yet again, Western medicine fell short of its most basic responsibility, to ensure that the patient is healthy and unafflicted.