Western medicine is approaching difficult times nowadays with the development of drug resistant infections, the failure of antibiotics generally and the indications arising that some conditions are beginning to cross species lines.
Traditionally, medical demands have been met by experienced individuals in societies who have gathered experience to help members deal with births, deaths, wounds, accidents, illnesses or minor surgical needs. Often this person was female, and often she would have one or more apprentices gathering experience for their own future role as healers.
With the development of formal education, and of chemistry, early last century the males and the academics saw the opportunity of capitalizing on medicine by treating it as a chemical science.