^J^^?^j^y#^:^ sl#-?5# PHILOSOPHY OF NATim THERAPEUTICS Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 http://www.archive.org/details/philosophyofnatuOOIind /U.d. NATURAL THERAPEUTICS, VOL. I PHILOSOPHY OF NATURAL THERAPEUTICS HENRY LINDLAHR, M. D. FIFTH EDITION Published by The Lindlahr Publishing Co. (Not Incorporated) 515-529 South Ashland Boulevard CHICAGO 1924 Copyright, 1918, by Henry Lindlahr, M. D. COPYEIGHT, 1919, by Henry Lindlahr, M. D. AU rights reserved CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE Announcement vii To Progressive Physicians of the Age 1 The Upas Tree of Disease 8 I. Missing Links 9 II. What Is Nature Cure? 18 III. Catechism of Nature Cure 22 IV. What Is Life? 28 V. The Primary Cause of Disease and Its Manifestations 37 VI. The Unity of Acute Disease 49 VII. The Laws of Cure 60 Vm. Suppression versus Elimination 68 IX. Inflammation 82 X The Discovery of Microzyma 100 XL Eesults of Suppression 110 Xn. Surgery 122 XIII. Appendicitis 129 XIV. Vaccination 145 XV. The Diphtheria Antitoxin 169 XVI. Suppressive Surgical Treatment of Tonsilitis and Enlarged Adenoids 181 XVII. Woman 's Suffering 187 XVin. Cancer 202 XIX. What About the Chronic? 227 XX. Diagnosis and Prognosis 236 XXI. Treatment of Chronic Diseases 244 iii £v CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE XXII. Crises 255 XXIII. Periodicity 267 XXIV. The True Scope of Medicine 289 XXV. Homeopathy 307 XXVI. Natural Dietetics 319 XXVn. Fasting 322 XXVIII. What Is Positive, What Is Negative? 332 XXIX. Health Is Positive, Disease Negative 344 XXX. Conservation of Vitality 370 XXXI. Onanism or Masturbation 387 XXXII. Spinal Manipulation and Adjustment 399 XXXni. Neurotherapy 417 XXXIV. Magnetic Treatment 425 XXXV. The Legitimate Scope and Natural Limitations of Mental and Metaphysical Healing 445 XXXVI. The Difference Between Functional and Organic Disease 454 XXXVIL The Twofold Attitude of Mind and Soul 459 XXXVIIL The Symphony of Life 463 XXXIX. The Threefold Constitution of Man 465 XL. Mental Therapeutics 470 XLI. How Shall We Pray 479 XLII. Scientific Eelaxation and Normal Suggestion 485 XLTTT. Man's Demands Are God's Commands 491 — *'Ho, ye who suffer! Know ye suffer from yourselves. None else compels — no other holds ye that ye live or die. ' ' Siddartha ANNOUNCEMENT The term Natural Therapeutics has been adopted to designate that system of natural living and healing which I have evolved and demonstrated in many years of institutional work and outlined in former publica- tions. While the pioneers of Nature Cure inaugurated the great world wide movement for simpler and more ra- tional ways of living and of treating human ailments, their teachings and methods were very limited in scope as compared with our present comprehensive system of Natural Therapeutics which covers not only the orig- inal theories and practices but includes all that has been found good in up to date drugless and bloodless therapy. As the term "Nature Cure" became more generally adopted by the public and the healing professions it did not stand for anything definite in the way of a school or scientific system. Unfortunately it came to pass that many who did not have the educational train- ing or legal qualifications claimed to be practicing Na- ture Cure. The time has come when order and unity must be evolved out of this chaos of theoretical teachings and practical methods. On the fifteenth of September, 1918, came into ex- istence the Lindlahr College of Natural Therapeutics. This marks the first attempt that has been made in this or in any other country to establish a truly eclectic system of natural living and healing on a strictly scien- tific basis and in compliance with the provisions of the viu ANNOUNCEMENT Medical Practice Act of a sovereign commonwealth of the United States of America. This means that the Board of Directors of the Lindlahr College of Natural Therapeutics will earnestly endeavor to comply with the provisions of the Medical Practice Act of the State of Illinois insofar as they pertain to the establishment and maintenance of professional schools for drugless healing. We realize that only in this way the move- ment itself as well as its accredited representatives can secure legal recognition and the merited confidence of the American public and of the world at large. DO YOUR BIT A DUTY AND A PLEASURE We invite the earnest cooperation in this great work of all those who have awakened to the necessity for more rational living and for radical reform in healing methods. While we are freeing the world at large from the curse of militarism and making it safe for Democracy, let us also do our bit to liberate the individual from the more dangerous and permanent menace of the un- holy trinity of ignorance, selfishness and self-indulgence, the arch enemies of health, happiness and success. "Freely we have received, freely give." These words embrace the highest law of the universe—the law of Love and Service. Only as we give cheerfully and freely the best that is in us can we prosper and progress ourselves. Surely you cannot render a greater service to your relatives and friends than by teaching them how to help themselves to the greatest blessings in life; how to achieve health, strength, beauty and efficiency. ANNOUNCEMENT ix Be not dismayed by ignorance, indifference, opposi- tion and ridicule. No honest, unselfish effort is ever lost; some seed will fall on good ground and produce an abundant harvest. Thus you will become an active factor in Nature's great evolutionary scheme and thereby work out your own salvation physically, mentally, morally and spiritu- ally here and hereafter, ever and forever. THE AUTHOR. Chicago, October 2, 1918. TO THE PROGRESSIVE PHYSICIANS OF THE AGE THERE are two principal methods of treating disease. One is the combative, the other the preventive. The trend of modern medical research and practice in our great colleges and endowed research institutes is almost entirely along combative lines, while the individual, pro- gressive physician learns to work more and more along preventive lines. The slogan of modern medical science is, "Kill the germ and cure the disease." The usual proce- dure is to wait until acute or chronic diseases have fully developed, and then, if possible, to subdue them by the use of drugs, surgical operations, and by means of the morbid products of disease, in the form of serums, anti- toxins, vaccines, etc. The combative method fights disease with disease, poison with poison, and germs with germs and germ products. In the language of the Good Book, it is "Beelzebub against the Devil." The preventive method does not wait until disease has fully developed and gained the ascendancy in the body, but concentrates its best endeavors on preventing, by hygienic living and by natural methods of treatment, the development of disease. Thus it endeavors to put the human body in such a normal, healthy condition that it is practically proof against infection or contagion by dis- ease taints and miasms, and against the inroads of bacteria and parasites. The question is, which method is the more practical, the more successful and more popular? Which will stand 1 2 NATURAL THERAPEUTICS the test of "the survival of the fittest" in the great struggle for existence? The medical profession has good reason to be alarmed by the inroads made in its work by irregular, unorthodox systems, schools and cults of treating human ailments; but instead of raging at the audacious presumption of these interlopers, would it not be better to inquire if there is not some reason for the astonishing spread and popularity of these therapeutic innovations ? Their success undoubtedly is based on the fact that they concentrate their best efforts on preventive instead of combative methods of treating disease. People are begin- ning to realize that it is cheaper and more advantageous to prevent disease than to cure it. To create and main- tain continuous, buoyant good health means greater effi- ciency for mental and physical work greater capacity for ; the true enjoyment of life, and the best insurance against failure and poverty. Therefore, he who builds health is of greater value to humanity than he who allows people to drift into disease through ignorance of Nature 's laws, and then attempts to cure them by doubtful and uncertain combative methods. It is said that in China the physician is hired and paid by the year; that he receives a certain stipend as long as the members of the family are in good health, but that the salary is suspended as long as one of his charges is ill. If some similar method of engaging and paying for medical services were in vogue in this country the trend of med- ical research and practice would soon undergo a radical change. The diet expert, the hydrotherapist, the physical cul- turist, the adjuster of the spine, the mental healer and Christian scientist, pay little attention to the pathological conditions or to the symptoms of disease. Each of these, in accordance with his theory of disease and cure, regu- Vol. 1—2—Sept. 24 NATUEAL THERAPEUTICS THE UPAS TREE OF DISEASE Evil is not an accident, not an arbitrary punishment, not always ' RESULT AN ' ERROR OF MORTAL MIND. " It IS THE NATURAL AND INEVITABLE OF VIOLATION OF NATURE 'S LAWS. IT IS INSTRUCTIVE AND CORRECTIVE IN PURPOSE, AND Wlhh REMAIN WITH US ONLY AS LONG AS WE NEED ITS SALU- TARY LESSONS. : 10 NATUEAL THEEAPEUTICS wonderful simplicity and efficiency has accumulated from many sources. Some of the missing links in the chain of evidence have been discovered. The fundamental principles of Nature Cure philosophy, which radically differ from allopathic theory and practice, and which are destined to revolutionize the chaotic teach- ings of the old schools and to establish in their place an exact science of medicine, are the following Every acute disease is the result of a purifying, healing effort of Nature.