During stone ages when man lived in harmony with nature, his basic needs food, clothing and shelter was derived from nature. The leaves with which he covered his body and berries which he ate and the caves he lived in.
The nature is a haven for natural remedies which he explored and experimented, when it cured his ailments the knowledge of the herbs, shrubs, fruits, seeds and all natural resources were passed from one generation to another. In India Ayurveda, Siddha are the prominent branch of medicine which have evolved and have become a well disciplined medical study, the roots for these branch of medicine definitely lies in the early days of human interaction with the natural resources.
In Tamilnadu, the term Paatti Vaithiyam is analogues to the Sidha and Ayurdveda branch of medicines which explains common cure and remedies of his day to day physical well being and also for his general health.