The Dissenter

#1179 Jaap de Roode - Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes, and Other Animals Heal Themselves

Nov 21, 2025
Jaap de Roode, a biology professor at Emory University and author of *Doctors by Nature*, shares fascinating insights into how animals self-medicate. He discusses methods like therapeutic medication used by woolly bear caterpillars and prophylaxis observed in primates. De Roode explores behaviors like body anointing in lemurs and fumigation practices of birds. The conversation touches on whether animals are consciously aware of their medicinal actions and the implications for conservation and human medicine. You’ll discover surprising ways nature inspires healing!
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ANECDOTE

Propolis Is Bee Medicine

  • Honeybees collect tree resin and make propolis, lining nests to reduce bacteria, viruses, and varroa mite problems.
  • Adding grooves to modern hives lets bees deposit propolis, restoring a natural self-medication practice.
ANECDOTE

Microbes Protect Amphibian Skin

  • Salamanders harbor skin bacteria that produce antifungal compounds protecting them from deadly fungal pathogens.
  • Disrupting skin microbes increases susceptibility, pointing to microbial-mediated defenses.
INSIGHT

Animals Practice Social Health Measures

  • Social distancing, quarantine, cannibalism, and self-removal are common animal strategies to limit disease spread.
  • These behaviors show human public-health measures have deep analogs across animal societies.
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