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TheRationalBasisof"NatureCure"
NaturopathicGathering,SCNMNovember15,2008
byAndrSaine,N.D.

WilliamDurant,thegreatAmericanphilosopherandhistorian,said,"Philosophyisthepursuitofunderstandingthroughperspective."Thereareno
subjects more vital to humanity than the ones related to health, disease, healing, and the quality and prolongation of life. Unfortunately, much
confusioncontinuestoreignoverthisdomaindespitegreatstridesmadeinbiomedicalandothersciencesinrecentcenturies.Theincreasingrate
ofiatrogenicandchronicdiseasesintheWesternworldclearlydepictsthisstateofconfusion.Ithasbeenpostulatedthatthemainreasonforthis
stateofconfusionisthatconventionalmedicinehasnocoherentphilosophy,ifithasoneatall.ArthurL.Caplan,professorofmedicalethicsatthe
UniversityofPennsylvania,wrote,"Itisunfortunatethatthephilosophyofmedicinedoesnotexistbecauseitcanandshouldbecontributingto
theanalysisofthegoalsthatoughtbedrivingendeavorsandmakevitalcontributions"(Caplan,1992).

Sixtyfiveyearsearlier,Crookshankhadwritten,"IndefaultofaPhilosophyofMedicinetherecanindeedbenotrueScienceofMedicineHeis
the best physician in the classical and fullest sense of the word who unites a mastery of his Art to an intimate acquaintance with the great
historicaldoctrinesandthephilosophiesonwhichtheyarebased"(Crookshank,1927).

Clarity of mind leads to clarity of action. The objective of this essay is to develop a clear understanding of the most fundamental principles of
medicineforthepurposes,first,ofguidingphysicianstopracticeinthemosteffectiveandwisestwaypossible,andsecond,toprovideguidelines
toeducatorstodevelopamoreeffectivesystemofmedicaltraining.

Let'sbeginour"pursuitofunderstanding"withthemeaningofthetitleofthisessay."Rational"referstoanexpositionofprinciplesthatisbased
onsoundreasoningandaccurateobservation.

Theexpression"NatureCure"isinquotationmarksinthetileofthisessaybecauseofitsquestionablemeaning.

Itisanexpressionthatwasmostusedtowardstheendofthenineteenthcenturyandthroughoutalargepartofthetwentiethcentury,andnow
seems to be more rarely used, except perhaps in circumstances when naturopathic students and physicians are searching for or are being
reminiscentoftheirroots.

In this context, the word "cure" means care, treatment or a method of treatment, and not the recovery of health. Therefore, "Nature Cure"
essentiallymeansasystemofnaturaltreatment.

Asamethodoftreatment,theexpression"NatureCure"firstappearedintheEnglishliteratureinthe1890's(Conger,1893),whichcorresponded
withArnoldRikli'sinfluentialpublicationofDieGrundlehrenderNaturheilkunde (The Basic Teachings of Naturheilkunde) (Rikli, 1890). Therefore,
theexpression"NatureCure"seemstobethearbitrarilyadoptedtranslationof"Naturheilkunde,"(Dodds,1897andAidall,1897).Theexpression
"Naturheilkunde" precedes Rikli, and can be found in the German literature throughout the nineteenth century and as early as 1802 (Erdmann,
1802).Incidentally,theGermanword"Wasserheilkunde"hadbeentranslatedandcommonlyusedinEnglishas"watercure"sincethe1830's.The
1849biographyofJ.H.Raussewasentitled,DerReformatorderWasserheilkundeoderNaturheilkunde(TheReformatorofWaterCureorNature
Cure[sic:Worlcat])(Kapp,1849).

"Naturheilkunde"comesfromthreeGermanwords,namely,Natur,accordingtoNatureornaturalheilen,torestorewholenessorhealingKunde,
allencompassingknowledge.Therefore,themoreaccuratetranslationof"Naturheilkunde"wouldbethePrinciplesandPracticeofNaturalHealing.

However,asnaturalhealingisinseparablefromnaturalliving,itshouldbethePrinciplesandPracticeofNaturalLivingandHealing.

Today, when German physicians who specialize in Naturheilkunde are asked to translate in English "Naturheilkunde," they spontaneously say,
"naturopathy." "Naturheilkunde" is also translated as "naturopathy" in the GermanEnglish Technical Dictionary (Leidecker, 1951). We can thus
conclude that Nature Cure, Naturheilkunde, naturopathy, and naturopathic medicine, all mean the Principles and Practice of Natural Living and
Healing.

Eventhough,the"naturecure"movementofthenineteenthcenturywasveryrichinexperienceandmuchistobelearnedfromit,Iwouldargue
that,asnaturopathicphysicians,weshouldnotbeconfinedtoamovementoranerainsearchofourroots.Instead,weshouldconsiderallthe
principlesandpracticeofnaturallivingandhealingexpoundedbyvarioustraditionsthroughouttheeras.Acommongoalshouldbethecontinual
pursuitofacoherentunderstandingofalltheprinciplesandpracticeofnaturallivingandhealingforthewelfareofhumanity.

TheRootsofNaturopathicMedicine

Before further developing perspective on the roots of naturopathic medicine, let's look at the etymology of five words which are key to
naturopathicmedicine,namely,thewords,"natural,""naturopathic,""medicine,""physician,"and"healing."

Theword"natural"or"nature"comesfromtheLatin"natus,"whichmeanstobeborn,orinnate,andgaveustheword"nativity."Italsogavethe
Latinwords"natura,"whichmeansNature,and"naturalis,"whichmeansnaturalorthatwhichisinnate,orinconformitywiththelawsofnature.

The word "natural" was commonly used in reference to new health care and healing approaches throughout the nineteenth century simply
becauseconventionalmedicineofthattimewasbasedonthebeliefthatdiseasewascausedbybadhumorswhichneededtobepurgedoutofthe
body,commonlywiththeuseofbleeding,vomiting,catharticsandheroicpolypharmacy,oftenwithverytoxicdrugs,allwithcompletedisregard
for the nature of man and the innate process of healing. Therefore, the expression "natural" was a very strong message of a health care
movementrespectfulofthenatureofman.

The word "naturopathic" comes from the Latin "natura," and the Greek "pathos," meaning affection, feelings or symptoms. In the nineteenth
century,itwascommontonamenewhealingartapproachesfinishingwithpathy,suchashydropathy,osteopathy,naturopathy,naprapathy,etc.
Originally,atthebeginningofthenineteenthcentury,SamuelHahnemannhadcalledhistherapeuticapproachbasedonsimilarity,homoeopathy,
from the Greek "homoios" (similar). He had also called the medicinal system not based on similarity, allopathy, from the Greek "alloios"
(dissimilar), and antipathy, the one based on contrary. It seems that the ending "pathy," first used by Hahnemann was commonly but wrongly
interpreted by others as a method of treatment (by similarity in the case of homeopathy). Hydropathy and water cure were therefore
synonymous.Asfortheexactoriginoftheword"naturopathic,"BenedictLustwrote,"PerhapsawordofappreciationisduetoMr.JohnH.Scheel,

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whofirstusedtheterm"Naturopathic"inconnectionwithhisSanitarium'Badekur'"(Lust,1902).Incidentally,aphysicianbythenameofJacob
W.Crosbypracticed"Naturepathy"inBostonfromatleast1866anduntil1880.

Theword"medicine"comesfromtheProtoIndoEuropean(PIE)root"med,"meaningtomeasure,consider,ponderuponoradvise,whichgave
riseto"meditation"and"mediation,"butalsotothreepertinentLatinwords,namely,"medicus"whichmeanstheonewhoknowsthebestcourse,
"mederi,"whichmeanstotreat,and"medecina,"whichmeanstheartofhealing.

Theword"physician"comesfromtheGreek"phusis,"whichmeansNature.Itgaveriseto"phusikos"inGreek,"physicus"inLatinand"physician"
inEnglish,whoseoriginalmeaningisastudentofnature,anaturalphilosopherornaturalscientist,orevenbetter,theonewhostudiesnature's
lawsandprinciples,andtheirapplications.

As for the word "healing," it comes from the PIE root "kailo," which means whole or uninjured, and gave rise to "holy" and three Old English
words,namely,"hlp,"whichmeanswholeness,ofbeingwhole,soundorwell,"hal,"whichmeanshale,robustoringoodhealth,and"hlan,"
whichmeanstoheal,torestorewholeness.

Asfortheimmediaterootsofthenaturecuremovementatthetimeofthefoundationofthenaturopathicprofessionattheendofthenineteenth
centuryinAmerica,theyareamixofmostlyGermanandAmericanapproachesofnaturallivingandhealing,whichincludehygiene,inspiredby
Hufeland, Graham, Jennings, Trall and Jackson hydrotherapy, emerging from the teachings of Priessnitz, Rausse, Shew, Jackson, Kneipp and
Kellogghomeopathy,developedbyHahnemannandpursuedbyalargeandinfluentialAmericanfollowingphysicalmedicine,fromtheteachings
of Kellogg, Palmer and Still botanical medicine, from the Native American traditions, Thomson, Beach (eclectism), and the European herbal
traditions.

I would like to make the simple argument that the roots of natural living and healing are as old as humanity and medicine. As the essence of
medical endeavors at all times throughout humanity has been the enhancement of health, the prevention and cure of diseases, and the
prolongationoflife,itwouldbedifficulttofindacivilizationorasystemoftraditionalmedicinethroughoutthedifferenteraswhichdoesn'tmention
someelementsofnaturallivingandhealing.

Tonameafewexamples,theconceptsofinnatehealing,wholism,orhealth,asastateofbalanceandharmony,arefoundintheNeiChing(2,700
BC) and in Ayurveda (science of life) (1,500 BC). The concepts of iatrogenic diseases and that disease is a multifactorial phenomenon with a
fundamental cause and auxiliary causes are also found in Ayurvedic medicine. The concept of psychic causes of somatic diseases is almost
universal in ancient medicine. Hygiene is omnipresent in all traditional systems. Galen (2nd century AD) wrote a text on the Art of Preserving
Health(DeSanitateTuenda),whichreflectsthemedicalloreofseveralcenturies.HydrotherapyisfoundintheEgyptian,Greek,RomanandArabic
medical traditions. Heliotherapy was used by the Egyptians more than 5,000 years ago. Therapeutic fasting can be found in the writing of the
Pythagorean(6thcenturyBC)andHippocratic(5thcenturyBC)schools.Pythagorashadlearnedaboutfastinganddoinga40dayinitiationfast
fromtheEgyptiansinMemphiswherehestudiedfor20years.Theprincipleofsimilitudeisfoundthroughoutthehistoryofmedicine,notablyin
thewritingsofHippocratesandParacelsus.Celsus(1stcenturyAD)leftthefamousmaxim,Cito,tutoetjucunde(quickly,safelyandpleasantly),
whichhaseversinceprofoundlyimpactedmedicalthinking.

Wealsohavetomentionthatinmostoftheseoldmedicaltraditionsyouwillfindelementsthatarecontrarytohumannature,ortoputitmore
mildly, less favorable to health and healing. For instance, bloodletting was used since the most ancient times, and was popular in the Egyptian
andGreekmedicaltraditions.MercuryincrudedoseswasusedinChinese,Tibetan,Indian,Egyptian,GreekandRomanmedicaltraditions.

Ifwetrytointegratewhatcanbelearnedsinceancienttimes,wefindsevenfundamentalprinciplessolidlyembeddedthroughoutthehistoryof
medicine.

Incidentally,theword"principles"comesfromtheLatin"principium,"whichmeansbeginningorfundamentaltruth.

Iwouldarguethattheprincipleselaboratedbelowareindisputable,universal,andimpeccablysound,andareinfactthefundamentalprinciplesof
classicalmedicine.

"Classical"isreferringhereofthehigheststandardsandtraditionallyauthoritative.

TheSevenFundamentalPrinciplesofClassicalMedicine

Thefirstprincipleappliestothephysician,theactor,whilethesixothersapplytotheactualpracticeofmedicine,theacting.

1.Audesapere:Physician,daretoknow,andbecomeatruephilosopherandscientistbutaboveall,atrueartist.Constantinquiryisthewayto
knowledge.

2.Praeventum:Preventionisbetterthanacure.Therefore,thehighestmissionofthephysicianistoguidepeopletochoosewaysoflivingand
adoptenvironmentsthatareconducivetogoodhealth.

3.Primumnonnocere:First,physician,donoharm.Inspiteofthebestprevention,peoplewillbeaffectedbynumerousinfluencesandwillfall
sick.Anyprophylactic,diagnosticortherapeuticinterventionbythephysicianshouldnotfurtherharmthepatient.

4.Tollecausam,cessateffectus:Removethecauseandtheeffectwillcease.Therearecausesofsicknessandaboveall,physician:address
them.

5. Vis medicatrix naturae: The healing power of nature. It is neither the physician nor the treatment that heals but only the living organism.
Therefore,thephysicianmustseektoencouragethisinnateprocessbyfirstmakingsurethattheconditionsoflifearemetand,ifnecessary,by
usingthehelpofthevariousouterinfluencesandforcesofnaturetoenhancetherecoveryofhealth.

6. Nunquam pars pro toto: Never the part but always the whole. The physician considers the patient as a unique indivisible whole and,
therefore, takes into consideration all the conditions of life and pertinent aspects of each individual, including the physical, emotional, mental,
spiritual,energetic,genetic,sociologicalandenvironmentalaspects.

7.Cito,lenis,jucunde,toto,durabile,certo,simplexettutocurare:Thehighestidealoftherapyistherapid,gentle,pleasant,completeand
permanentrestorationofhealthinthesurest,simplestandleastharmfulway.

Incidentallythissetofprinciplescanbeappliedtoanyaspectoflife,especiallyrelatedtosolvingproblems,whethertheyarepersonalorsocietal,
physicalorpsychological,orineconomics,politics,mechanics,etc.

Eachoftheaboveprincipleshasasubsetofnumerousimplicationsandsubprinciples.

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PerhapsyouhavenoticedthatIdidn'tcallthissetofprinciples,"TheSevenFundamentalPrinciplesofNaturopathicMedicine,"asithasbeenmy
experience that, at this time, too few naturopathic physicians truly practice according to these principles. I understand that the profession has
adoptedsomeoftheseprinciplesbut,atthistime,itseemstobemoreanidealthanareality.Woulditberighttosayweabidebythetotalityof
theseprincipleswheninactualpracticeweveryrarelydo?

Naturopathicmedicalcolleges,associationsandinstitutionsshouldstrivetoinsurethatnaturopathicmedicaleducationbecomesandremainsfully
concordantwiththeabovesetofprinciples.

Fromthesesevenprinciples,manydozenssubprinciplesandmultipleimplicationscanbedeductedwhichfurtherguidephysiciansintheirmission
and educators in developing effective training programs for physicians. As an instance, a subprinciple of Tolle causam, cessat effectus is Bona
diagnosis,bonacuratio(gooddiagnosis,easycure).Thisimpliesthatphysiciansmustbewelltrainedindiagnosiswithathoroughknowledgein
the examination of patients in order to find the precise causes of disease and their effects. This further implies that physicians must have a
thorough knowledge of physiology and pathology, and have the basis to make accurate prognoses. The study of pathology can't be reduced to
lesionalchanges,asitiscommonlyfoundinmoderntextbooksofpathology,butmustalsoincludeallchangesfromthenormalstateofhealth,
includingfunctional,emotionalormentalchanges,abnormalsensitivitiesorparticularsensations.

Essentially, the practice of naturopathic medicine when dealing with sick people can be summarized in three basic steps: first, a thorough
examinationofthepatientwiththeobjectiveofobtainingaprecisediagnosisofthecausesofdiseaseandtheireffects,thereforetheidentification
oftheforcesandinfluencesatplaysecond,theremovalofthemostultimateandprimarycausesofdiseaseandthird,tosupporttheorganism
tohealwiththeadoptionofconditions,forcesandinfluencesconducivetogoodhealth,healingandrecovery.

Conclusion

Inconclusion,naturopathicmedicineiswise,rational,resourceful,scientificandeffective.

Itiswise,becauseitissafeandwholisticitaffectsthefundamentalcausesofdisease,andusesthedifferentforcesandinfluencesofnatureto
healinagentlemanner.

Itisrational,asitisbasedonimpeccablysoundreasoningandaccurateobservationbylargegroupsofpeopleoverlongperiodsoftime.

It is resourceful, as it draws its body of knowledge from many traditions and eras in all the disciplines of natural living and healing. Our
armamentariumisasrichandpowerfulasarethehealingforcesinnature.

It is scientific, as from observation of nature we draw principles, apply these principles and report our results and verifications. Peerreviewed
journalsalreadycontainahugewealthofthisinformation.

It is effective, as above all, we guide sick people to recover their health and when our principles are appropriately applied and our
armamentariumisfullyemployed,fewaretheoneswhocan'tbesignificantlyhelpedintheirrecoveryofhealthfromacuteorchronicailments.
Moreover,thecosteffectivenessofnaturopathicmedicineissosuperiortoconventionalmedicinethattheyarenotinthesameleague.

Magnaestveritasetprvalebit.(1)

(1)Greatisthetruthanditwillprevail

Aidall,I.(1897).
TheGermannaturecure,andhowtopracticeit.London:Nichols.
Caplan,A.L.(1992).
Doesthephilosophyofmedicineexist?TheoreticalMedicine(13),6772.
CongerM.E.(1893).
Thenaturecurebyphysicalandmentalmethods.Chicago:EducatorPub.Co.
Crookshank,F.G.(1927).
"The Relation of History and Philosophy to Medicine. Introductory Essay." In An Introduction to the History of Medicine. From the time of the
PharaohstotheendoftheXVIIIthCentury,byCharlesGreeneCumston.NewYork:AlfredA.Knoff,xix.
Dodds,S.W.(1897).
Thehealingartinthetwentiethcentury.PhrenologicalJournalandScienceofHealth,(103),175176,271273.
Erdmann,C.G.(1802).
Aufstze und Beobachtungen aus allen Theilen der Arzneywissenschaft und zum Theil auch der Naturheilkunde (Essays and observations of all
aspectsofmedicalscience,includingnaturopathy).Dresden.
Kapp,E.(1849).
J.H.Rausse:derReformatorderWasserheilkundeoderNaturheilkunde.Leipzig:GesundheitsblatterVerlag.
Leidecker,K.F.(1950).
GermanEnglishTechnicalDictionary.NewYork:S.F.Vanni.
Lust,B.(1902).
Editorialdrift.TheNaturopath,(3),3233.
Rikli,A.(1890).
DieGrundlehrenderNaturheilkunde.Leipzig:L.Fernau.

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