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The question of whether predator medicine actually worked is complicated. Some applications had genuine physiological basis—the nutritional value of organ meats, the protective properties of animal fats, the bioactive compounds in gallbladder bile. Others probably operated primarily through psychological mechanisms, the patient’s belief in treatment effectiveness creating measurable improvement through what modern medicine would call placebo response.
The animal organs consumed as medicine did provide concentrated nutrition that sick or recovering patients needed. The organ meats are rich in vitamins, minerals, and other compounds that might be deficient in patient’s diet. The bear fat’s high calorie density provided energy that wasting patients required. These effects were real regardless of whether the specific sympathetic claims (wolf heart for courage, etc.) had validity.
The external applications of animal fats as bases for herbal salves or as standalone treatments had genuine utility. The moisturizing and protective effects of applied fats prevented skin conditions or aided healing through straightforward physical mechanisms. Whether wolf fat was more effective than other animal fats for these purposes is doubtful, but the use of some animal fat was certainly beneficial.
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