Going Wild with the Medicine Men

In case you didn’t catch it, Medicine Men Go Wild was a recent four-part series for Channel 4 following identical-twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken as they travelled to some of the most remote parts of the world in an effort to explore alternative approaches to health care and medicine.

The show has received positive reviews and one source even has the brothers pegged as the next Attenboroughs. I caught up with one half of the medical duo, Chris, to discuss angry bees, skewers through the face and, most importantly, what makes a good doctor.
 
The show’s ethos is all about questioning the supremacy of western medicine and investigating alternative forms of healing, such as those still practiced in some of the far-flung corners of the planet. However, when asked about how the making of the show has changed his views of these traditional forms of healing and their relevance to modern medicine, the 29-year-old explained that he believes it “unhelpful to divide medicine into western medicine and alternative medicine” and that it is more appropriate to make a distinction between “medicine that works and medicine that doesn’t work”. He described western medicine as being “open-minded” but expressed some scepticism towards its dismissal view of the placebo effect as a powerful aid to over-coming affliction.

In the first episode the van Tullekens travelled to equatorial Africa to live with the Bayaka Pygmies in the Congo Basin and experience the hunter-gatherer lifestyle. At one point the two are shown tucking into a monkey that was brought to the camp by a lone hunter. The monkey looked worse for wear on arrival and didn’t put up much of a fight; a worrying scenario in what is reportedly one of the most disease-ridden places on Earth. The twins exchanged some anxious looks but eventually succumbed to their hunger and joined the feast.

When asked about his concern over the spread of virulent diseases, such as HIV, in an environment often described as an incubator for some of the deadliest diseases known to man, Chris VT replied that far more worrying than this is the way in which animal husbandry is practiced in parts of the developing world and, more generally, the interaction between humans and animals on a large-scale. He also added that the “jury’s out” on how HIV was originally transmitted to humans.

While on the subject of the Bayaka Pygmies, Chris pointed out that, “the World Health Organization defines health as the presence of social, physical and mental well-being, not just the absence of disease”. So although at birth, the Pygmies’ life expectancy is very low, he would not in anyway recommend that they come and live in the hustle and bustle of London. I have to say I’m with him on that one.

In the second episode, Chris and Xand travelled through Asia to explore different attitudes to pain. In Kuala Lumpur, they attended a Hindu festival where both agreed to have metal spears thrust through their cheeks and tongues. In light of this minor act of insanity, I dared to ask if he believes it possible to conquer pain using only the mind. “Anyone can do it if they are motivated and incentivised”.

In India, Chris subjected himself to yet more pain in the name of science as he had hooks inserted through his back. He describes both experiences as highlights of his time spent making the show, adding that “most of the good things in life have been difficult”. In contrast to this, one of the lowlights of his experience as a medicine man was being chased and stung while trying to steal honey from a nest of bees. Ah well, you did kind of ask for it.

In Russia the brothers spent time with the Chukchi people of eastern Siberia who live almost exclusively on a diet of fish and other sea animals and almost never die of heart attacks. However, neither twin would recommend that we stop eating our greens. “Genetically we are very different from these people,” explained Chris. He doesn’t believe in superfoods but rather promotes a “sensible varied diet”.

In light of all his adventures, I requested some pearls of wisdom from the passionate young doctor and these are the words he gave me. “If you’re going to be a good doctor, you have to be a good scientist. A good scientist is open-minded, intelligent and questioning; cynical but not too cynical.” As a doctor of tropical medicine he also, “hopes people will be inspired to look at global health” and emphasised the need to work hard and become a good doctor before embarking on a career in television. So there you have it. For all you aspiring young medics, this is how to do it van Tulleken style.