Who's Who of Alternative Therapies

Person

Therapy

Short summary

A

Dr Albert Abrams (1863-1924)

Radionics

Medical doctor, trained in Germany, discovered and developed the techniques now known as Radionics while practising medicine in California
- History of Radionics

Micheline Arcier

Aromatherapy

Frenchwoman who, in the 1940s and 1950s, together with Dr. Jean Valnet and Margaret Maury, developed the remedies and techniques that form the basis of modern aromatherapy as taught by Colleges all over the world today. - History of Aromatherapy

Avicenna
(980-1037)

Aromatherapy

Physician credited with first using the distillaton process to extract essence of Rose - History of Aromatherapy

B

Dr Edward Bach
(1886-1936)

Bach Flower Remedies

Born near Birmingham, England, in 1886, Edward Bach studied medicine at Birmingham and later London University, where he qualified in 1912. He held several medical positions, including Casualty House Surgeon, Harley Street Consultant and Pathologist and Bacteriologist at the London Homeopathic Hospital. Later in his career Dr Bach left orthodox medical practice and found 38 natural remedies that are still in use and growing in popularity
- History of Bach Flower Remedies

J Ellis Barker (1869-1948)

Homeopathy

Early lay (non-medically qualified) practitioner of Homeopathy in England. J Ellis Barker studied homeopathy under the supervision of Dr. Clarke and then went on to teach the subject to other lay-persons, thus contributing to it's increasing popularity in C20th Britain - History of Homeopathy.

Dr William Bayes (c1820-c1890)

Homeopathy

Leader in the field of Homeopathy in Europe during C19th- History of Homeopathy

Dr. Edwin Bowers

Reflexology

Medical journalist who publicised and assigned the term 'Zone Therapy' to treatment using the system of zones that William Fitzgerald described in 1913 - History of Reflexology

Victor Bullen (1887-1975)

Bach Flower Remedies

A friend and supporter of Dr. Bach, they originally met at Cromer (Norfolk) where Dr. Bach and Nora Weeks spent several summers. Victor Bullen later lived with Dr.Bach and Nora Weeks at Mount Vernon (Oxfordshire), where he remained until his death in 1975, at the age of 88 - History of Bach Flower Remedies

C

Dr J H Clarke, (1853-1931)

Homeopathy

British homeopathic doctor who, in 1908, broke away from the British Homeopathic Society (BHS) and began teaching some laypersons the rudiments of homeopathy. He also published books including "The Prescriber" which was targeted towards self-taught lay practitioners and home-prescribers - History of Homeopathy

Albert Couvreur

Aromatherapy

Frenchman who in the late 1930s published a book about the medicinal uses of essential oils - History of Aromatherapy.

D

Dr. Henry Detwiller

Homeopathy

Swiss-German physician who arrived in Pennsylvania, USA in 1817. He converted to the 'New School' of Homeopathy in 1828 and, together with Constance Hering, went on to establish the first homeopathic academy in America (Allentown, Pennsylvania, 1835) - History of Homeopathy

Pedacius Dioscorides

Aromatherapy

Physician practicing in Ancient Greece who wrote a book about herbal medicine that includes descriptions of remedies still used in Aromatherapy today - History of Aromatherapy

Dr Ruth Drown

Radionics

American chiropractor based in Hollywood, California, who further developed the ERA instrument by replacing the human subject in the circuit with a sample of the person's blood or hair. USing procedures not recognised by orthodox medicine, Drown was eventually pursued by regulatory authorites - History of Radionics

Dr. Robert Dudgeon (1820-1904)

Homeopathy

Leader in the field of Homeopathy in Europe during C19th- History of Homeopathy

E

F

Dr William Fitzgerald (1872-1942)

Reflexology

American surgeon who, in 1913, described a system of zones on the hands, feet and tongue which he claimed related to other parts of the body
- History of Reflexology

Phyllis Furumoto

Reiki

Granddaughter of Hawayo Takata, Fourth Grand Master of Reiki since Takata's passing in 1980 - History of Reiki

G

Dr. Rene Maurice Gattefosse

Aromatherapy

French chemist and writer who in 1937 published a book about the anti-microbial effects of essential oils - in which he coined the term 'aromatherapy' - History of Aromatherapy

Dr. Hans Burch Gram

Homeopathy

The first homeopathic practitioner in the United States, Dr. Gram established his practice in New York in 1825 - History of Homeopathy.

H

Dr Samuel Hahnemann
(1755-1843).

Homeopathy

German medical doctor who developed the principles of homeopathy, tested and developed many remedies and publicised this work in the form of many books, some of which were considered highly controversial at that time - History of Homeopathy

Dr. Chujiro Hayashi
(died 1941)

Reiki

A former Japanese Naval Officer, Dr. Hayashi learned Reiki from Dr Usui and went on to become the Second Reiki Grand Master - History of Reiki

Constance Hering

Homeopathy

Hering is known as the 'Father of American Homeopathy' due to his major contributions to Homeopathy in the United States. As a young man in Germany, Hering had been assigned the task of reviewing Homeopathy because his medical mentor (a fervent anti-homeopath) had been asked by a publisher to write a book exposing homeopathy as unworthy - having been given this task, Hering conducted a detailed study but concluded the opposite from the requested results ! Overall he conducted extensive research and much documentation and published writing before settling in Pennsylvania around 1830. From then on he developed homeopathy within the United States including undertaking much educational work, establishing Homeopathic Colleges there - History of Homeopathy.

Dr. Richard Hughes (1836-1902)

Homeopathy

Leader in the field of Homeopathy in Europe during C19th- History of Homeopathy

I

Eunice Ingham

Reflexology

American American Massage Therapist/Physiotherapist; studied 'Zone Therapy' under the supervision of Dr. Joe Riley; became the main pioneer of modern reflexology - refining 'Zone Therapy' into 'Foot Reflexology' during the 1930s - History of Reflexology

J

K

L

Peter Henry Ling

Massage

Swedish massage therapist who founded the 'Swedish' system of massage - including it's specific techniques and associated terminology such as "effleurage" and "petrissage" - History of Massage

M

Margaret Maury

Aromatherapy

French biochemist who prescribed the use of essential oils to treat specific conditions and also developed massage techniques for the effective application of these oils to the skin - History of Aromatherapy

N

O

P

Vincent Priessnitz (1799-1851)

Hydrotherapy

Promoter of Hydropathy (later termed hydrotherapy) who also argued for the healing powers of water and its capacity to purge the body of poisons.

Noel Puddephatt (1899-c1971)

Homeopathy

Early lay (non-medically qualified) practitioner of Homeopathy in England. Noel Puddephatt studied homeopathy under the supervision of Dr. Clarke and then went on to teach the subject to other lay-persons, thus contributing to it's increasing popularity in C20th Britain - History of Homeopathy.

Q

Dr. F.H.F.Quin (1799-1878)

Homeopathy

Aristocratic medical doctor who is credited with bringing homeoathy to the UK during the 1830s - History of Homeopathy.

R

Malcome Rae

Radionics

Founded a company called 'Magneto Geometric Applications' and developed radionic instruments. Initially, all radionic instruments had used electricity and required a power source. Rae developed the use of magnetism in radionics and invented radionic instruments that used reference (or 'simulator' cards) to speed up the process of analysis and remove the need for many complex dials and settings. - History of Radionics

Dr Joe and Mrs Elizabeth Riley

Reflexology

American medical doctor and his wife who, together, were among the earliest to practise describe and promote 'Zone Therapy', the forerunner of modern reflexology. They wrote books and taught the techniques to others
- History of Reflexology

S

T

Hawayo Takata
(1900-1980)

Reiki

Born in Hawaii of Japanese parents, first non-Japanese Reiki Master and third Reiki Grand Master, Takata brought Reiki to the West (initially the United States) securing and influencing it's continuity - History of Reiki

David Tansley

Radionics

American trained chiropractor, travelled to Britain and joined the Radionic Association in 1967. He considered radionics to be a highly effective form of Energy Medicine and caused controversy by introducing Eastern Philosophy to Radionics - History of Radionics

U

Dr Mikao Usui

Reiki

'Re-discovered' ancient healing technique after many years of dedicated academic and spiritual searching, this method of healing became known as Reiki (combination of two Japanese words), hence Usui is the Founding Father of Modern Reiki Healing - History of Reiki

V

Dr. Jean Valnet

Aromatherapy

French medical doctor and Army Surgeon who conducted research using essential oils, he continued his investigations during World War II and is recognised as one of the major figures in establishing modern aromatherapy
- History of Aromatherapy

W

Nora Weeks
(died 1978)

Bach Flower Remedies

Assistant to Dr Edward Bach during the six years he dedicated to developing the 'Bach Flower Remedies', and instrumental in the preservation and continuation of his work - History of Bach Flower Remedies

X

Y

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