MAKING THE CUT : What Exactly Is Naturopathy? By: Dr. William von Peters, N.M.D., Ph.N. President, First National University of Naturopathy and Allied Sciences Several weeks ago a researcher from a Medicine, which means the full scope of practice western University contacted me concerning as passed by Act of Congress and embodied in the First National University of Naturopathy as a Dictionary of Occupational Titles and its successor. part of a research project on the emergence of “We teach Naturopathy as it existed in its natural medicine. heyday of the 1920’s, 1930’s and 1940’s, when it As we spoke she asked me a question which was free to exist as a self-defined system of is commonly batted about in Naturopathy today, medicine, combined with the best of modern and went something like this: “There are two technology and science. It is integrated types of Naturopathy. There is that of the Naturopathic Medicine because we teach the Northwestern schools which espouse a medical integration of the various naturopathic paradigm, and then there is that of the modalities into Naturopathic practice. However, correspondence schools which espouse that of a it is not allopathic or integrated medicalism.” lower level of practice, more like that of a The researcher was astonished to learn that nutritional consultant.” She then asked me, there were more than the two positions. At First “Which is your school?” National University we absolutely stand for true, I responded, “I would like you to change historic Naturopathy. But what is the historical your view. There are actually three positions, not definition of true Naturopathy? two. There are the Northwestern schools which E. W. Cordingly in his “Principles and Practice are not truly Naturopathic, but integrated of Naturopathy”1 gives us a few definitions of medical, and are sometimes known within the Naturopathy in the 1920’s. Let us view them. profession as ‘M.D. Wannabees’. Dr. Benedict Lust: “The Correspondence schools have, until fairly recently, while teaching a limited Naturopathy to quote Dr. Benedict Lust, is curriculum at least taught something of true a distinct school of healing, employing the Naturopathy. However, they view our scope of beneficent agency of Nature’s forces, or practice as that of a nutritional consultant with a water, air, sunlight, earthpower, electricity, magnetism, exercise, rest, proper diet, few other modalities such as homeopathy and various kinds of mechanical treatment, herbalism thrown in. mental and moral science. As none of “Then there is the third position, which is these agents of rejuvenation can cure that of First National University of Naturopathy. every disease (alone) the Naturopath We were founded in 1911 and chartered by Act rightly employs the combination that is best adapted to each individual case. The of Congress by the great Dr. Frederick W. result of such ministrations is wholly Collins as the United States School of beneficent. The prophylactic power of Naturopathy and became First National Nature’s finer forces, mechanical and University in 1916. The U.S. School remains the occult, removes foreign or poisonous parent of, and a college within, the University. matter from the system, restores nerve and blood vitality, invigorates organs and “Our position is that of historically accurate tissues, and regenerates the entire Naturopathic Medicine. We are not Allopathic or organism. Integrated Medicalists, such as the Northwestern schools. Nor are we Minimalists, such as the Dr. J. E. Cummins : Correspondence schools. Rather, we stand for true 1 Naturopathy, also known as Naturopathic Cordingley, E. W. Principles and Practice of Naturopathy, 2nd ed. 1924. Naturopathy is the science, art and One Minimalist organization states: philosophy of adjusting the frame–work, correcting the mental influences, and Personality conflicts as well as supplying the body with its needed elements. philosophical difference led to the split. The Eastern naturopaths were determined Edward Earle Purinton: to follow the example set forth by Kneipp et al., while those in the West seemed “Naturopathy is the perfected Science of determined to "medicalize" naturopathy. Human Wholeness, and it includes all "The two camps developed their own agencies, methods, systems, regimes, textbooks which showed their different practices and ideals of natural origin and points of view: Paul Wendel's divine sanction whereby human health Standardized Naturopathy (1951) and may be restored, enhanced, maintained.” Harry Riley Spitler's Basic Naturopathy All of these recognize the primacy of natural (1948)."2 agents, although Purinton also includes divine If one bothers to actually read “Basic sanction. Dr. Lust also notes, “As none of these Naturopathy” there is nothing allopathic about it, agents of rejuvenation can cure every disease nor is it in conflict with “Standardized (alone) the Naturopath rightly employs the Naturopathy”. To “medicalize” must be to combination that is best adapted to each “allopathize” the philosophy and treatment individual case.” That is to say, the Naturopath methodologies of Naturopathy. The point at employs them eclectically as a Physician. It is which most Minimalists seek to delineate interesting to note that the various modalities between what they term as “true” or “traditional” which are encompassed within the scope are not Naturopathy (and Naturopathic Medicine) is at listed in these definitions. the point of “minor surgery”. Why here? Head of the American Naturopathic Because this is where the Minimalists see Association, Dr. Lust handpicked Dr. Frederick Naturopaths performing “invasive” procedures – W. Collins, founder of the United States School and invasive procedures are to them the and First National University and a great light of anathema of allopathized Naturopathy whereby Naturopathy, to succeed him. Dr. Collins was Naturopathy becomes Naturopathic Medicine. known as the “Dean of Naturopathy of America” This fear is somewhat justified in that the and “America’s Drugless Consulting Physician”. Integrated Medicalists of the Northwestern schools However, this did not come to pass, and Dr. Jesse have sought to turn minor surgery into something Mercer Gehman became Lust’s successor as quite different from Naturopathic minor surgery. President of the ANA. He was succeeded in turn They argue that breast augmentation and by Dr. Paul Wendel and Dr. Therese M. Schippell. vasectomies are minor surgery because a major As an aside, it is interesting to note that Dr. body cavity is not penetrated. Further, they believe Wendel dedicated several of his works to “My that they should prescribe synthetic drugs and friend and teacher, the late Dr. Frederick W. narcotics and support standard medical Collins, who taught Naturopathy and suffered understanding of disease as a function of germs. persecution because of his belief in Naturopathy.” This is an allopathization, but it is that of Integrated It is to Dr. Wendel, and his work entitled Medicine, rather than Naturopathy. “Standardized Naturopathy” that the Minimalists Dr. Paul Wendel in his “Standardized turn in an attempt to show that Naturopathy was Definition of Naturopathy” states: never Naturopathic Medicine. “NATUROPATHY is defined as a scientific Consequently, we must here diverge from our system of natural healing by a Naturopathic main discussion to look at what exactly constitutes Physician, to diagnose, treat, prescribe for Naturopathic Medicine. Is it another name for full any human disease, pain, injury, deformity, scope Naturopathy, or is it an allopathized for any physical, chemical or mental bastardized Naturopathy as the Minimalists claim and the Integrated Medicalists practice? 2http://www.naturalhealth.org/tradnaturo/history3.h tml condition through the use of AIR, WATER, surgeons or specialists.”6 This is not in LIGHT, HEAT, EARTH, FOOD and HERB contradiction to his other statement, that THERAPY, ELECTROTHERAPY, PHYS- Naturopathic Physicians (his term) believe in IOTHERAPY, MINOR and ORIFICIAL “The physical regeneration without drugs and SURGERY, MECHANO-THERAPY, without operations for strength, youth, health NATUROPATHIC CORRECTIONS and ADJUSTMENTS, and all Natural Methods and beauty, preventative of premature aging by simply natural methods of healing and living, and Modalities; Natural Processed Foods, 7 Herbs and Nature's remedies, which contains according to the laws of Nature.” Thus, one life and health elements or compounds must properly understand the scope of the which are components of body tissues, Naturopathic Physician, as well as his which has for its objects the maintaining of responsibilities to the patient and his well-being. the body in, or restoring it to a state of normal health. Excluding the use of Dr. Henry Lindlahr, another of the fathers of POISONOUS drugs, serums, injections, American Naturopathy, states in this matter: concoctions, major surgery, x-ray and “By none of the statements made in this radium for therapeutic purposes and un- 3 book do I mean to deny the necessity of necessary surgery or mutilations.” combative methods under certain circum- In another place in the same work he states: stances. What I wish to emphasize is that the “Naturopathy does not make use of drugs or allopathic school of medicine is spending too 4 much of its effort along combative lines and operative surgery.” The key word here is not enough along preventive lines. It would “operative”, which is the major surgery spoken of be foolish to deny the necessity of surgery in in his definition. Again, as a part of his listing of traumatism and in abnormal conditions “The Naturopathic Arts and Sciences” we find which require mechanical means of under the heading “FOR THE TREATMENT OF adjustment or treatment. DISEASE, Given by Hand With Instruments, We further find in Lindlahr: Apparatus, etc., the term “minor surgery”.5 Further clarification of this point is found in his (20) What are the Natural Methods of booklet, “A Brief Explanation of Naturopathy” he Living and of treatment? states: “Minor Surgery - - May be used by the 4. Mechanical remedies, such Naturopath as he desires.” Certainly no as corrective gymnastics, massage, condemnation there.