The Banks and Medical Societies: Mr Timothy Walker
Thursday, 15th November 2012
Timothy Walker delivered a surprisingly comic and yet highly informative lecture on the subject of the healing properties of plants to a joint audience of the Banks and Medical Societies. He guided us through many modern discoveries in this field, and also explained the difficulties scientists face when attempting to mass produce naturally occurring drugs. He also touched on the increasingly pressing topic of conservation and the sustainable usage of resources, informing the audience about the many plants which still haven't been checked to see if they too contain potentially life saving molecules-this is a further prompt to efforts to preserve biodiversity because it is clear that flora has so much more to offer us. Mr Walker also detailed the history of the University of Oxford Botanical Gardens, where he serves as Director. The talk was a fascinating centrepiece to a hugely informative meeting which convinced us all that herbal medicines are still central to the healing of millions around the globe.
Hugh Gatenby (RPDF)
