Nature Cures: The History of Alternative Medicine in America

Description

The value of this book to me is the historical context of the sometime strained relationship between natural medicine and "western medicine". History indeed repeats itself. Natural, alternative medicine grew out of a disenchantment with traditional medicine. As today, people began searching for answers other than what they were receiving from their doctors. The stories are informative and illuminating and really help one understand the chasm between the two worlds. I have not completed the book so I am simply at the stage of understanding the problem. I hope the book offers some type of solution that allows these polarized sides with similar hope for outcomes to work together on what might get us out of the healthcare crisis we are currently in. EEn......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Part 1 - The Nineteenth Century: Natural Healing......Page 18 1 - The Hippocratic Heresy: Alternative Medicine's Worldview......Page 20 2 - Every Man His Own Physician: Thomsonianism......Page 42 3 - Dilutions of Grandeur: Homeopathy......Page 66 4 - Physical Puritanism: Hygeiotherapy......Page 94 5 - Magnetism and Mind: From Mesmerism to Christian Science......Page 120 Part 2 - Early 20th Century: Drugless Healing......Page 148 6 - The Licensing Question: The Campaign for Medical Freedom......Page 150 7 - The Rule of the Artery: Osteopathy......Page 158 8 - Innate Intelligence: Chiropractic......Page 182 9 - Therapeutic Naturalism: Naturopathy......Page 208 Part 3 - The Late 20th Century: Holistic Healing......Page 236 10 - From Medical Cultism to Alternative Medicine......Page 238 11 - The Holistic Health Explosion: Acupuncture......Page 262 12 - From Alternative Medicine to Complementary Medicine......Page 288 Conclusion: The Twenty-first Centure--The Age of Curapathy?......Page 314 Abbreviations......Page 325 Notes......Page 328 Index......Page 377