In the field of information studies, a traditional source is typically defined as a source of information which has been written or printed (magazines, pamphlets, books, diaries, encyclopaedias for example). In the digital age, these sources of information are often marked with historical relevance. At Endeavour College we define a traditional source as a historical text published in a traditional format which is the product of more than 75 years of reputable use.
Referencing traditional sources can be difficult as it is common that there is missing information due to the age of the original source. Referencing information can be viewed via the 
icon when referencing the sources from our collections. In order to conform with APA referencing style, please ensure you use italics for the titles of books and ebooks. In the instance where there are two dates in a reference list entry (due to a translation or republication), you can use the following examples for in-text citations:
Hippocrates and Galen (ca. 400 B.C.E/1846) or (Hippocrates and Galen, ca. 400 B.C.E/1846)
Hahnemann (1811/1846) or (Hahnemann, 1811/1846)
For full reference list examples of the popular traditional sources listed on this guide with proper formatting please see:
Further information of referencing translated sources and traditional sources can be found in our FAQs, Knowledge Base, and APA Guidelines.
Use these supporting databases for background information, definitions, scientific terms, and botanical names. Credo is an online library containing reference materials including encyclopaedias and dictionaries. Natural Medicines is an authoritative database containing information on dietary supplements, herbal medicines, and complementary and integrative therapies.
The Western Herbal Medicine collection is a representation of seminal and origin texts with importance to contemporary herbal medicine practice. Materia Medica titles typically include an alphabetical list of substances used in medicinal approaches. The dispensatories will include entries on medicinal preparations and formulae. The items with a gold star are popular resources.
The Homeopathy collection is a representation of seminal and origin texts with importance to contemporary Homeopathic practice. Samuel Hahnemann is widely considered to be the founding father of homeopathic practice (Hartmann, 1841/1846).
The Naturopathy collection is a representation of seminal and origin texts with importance to contemporary Naturopathic practice. The Naturopathic Medicine Historical Collection includes digitized 19th-20th century publications on naturopathy, homeopathy, nutrition, and hygiene.
The Ayurveda collection is a representation of seminal and origin texts with importance to contemporary Ayurvedic practice. Materia Medica titles typically include an alphabetical list of substances used in medicinal approaches. The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library is a database containing about 1250 formulations selected from various classical texts of Indian Systems of Medicine such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Sowa Rigpa.
The Traditional Chinese Medicine collection is a representation of seminal and origin texts with importance to contemporary Chinese medicine practice. The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica (Shennong, ca. 220/1998) and The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (2600 B.C.E./2002) are widely credited as being the seminal texts of Chinese medical practice, and were passed down through oral traditions for centuries before being published as written work. The link to 'more classic texts in the catalogue' is a curated book list of items available for loan from our campus libraries. The items with a gold star are popular resources.
The Conventional Medicine collection is a representation of seminal and origin texts with importance to contemporary medical practice. Materia Medica titles typically include an alphabetical list of substances used in medicinal approaches. The writings of both Hippocrates and Galen are widely considered to be the foundation of all medical knowledge in the Western world.
The Nutrition collection is a representation of seminal and origin texts with importance to contemporary Nutritionist practice. The British Pharmacopoeia was commissioned by the Medical Act of 1858 to be published in with the intent to be the authoritative source for medicines, compounds, preparations, and measurements (General Council of Medical Education and registration of the United Kingdom,1867). The items with a gold star are popular resources.
The Musculoskeletal collection is a representation of seminal and origin texts with importance to contemporary Myotherapy and Massage practice. McFadden (1895) published his seminal work on physical training as a way to illustrate the "proper use of the entire muscular organism" (p. 6). Graham (1884) describes his work as having the intention of aligning massage techniques and hand placement across the discipline.
This collection of websites host open access content which has passed out of copyright. Browse through the online libraries to find a treasure trove of historical sources, including ancient materials and original documents.
The Ancient Cultures collection is a representation of seminal and origin texts with importance to contemporary medical practice. The publication of these sources can be credited as some of the first English translations of Egyptian medical papyrus (Ancient Egyptian medicine: The Papyrus Ebers, 1930; The Hearst medical papyrus,1905). The Medicine-Men of the Apache is an ethnographic study of Indigenous American tribes and their medical practice (Bourke, 1892).
