From Lebensreform to Swadeshi
Vithal Das Modi and the Development of Nature Cure in India
In: Asian MedicineAbstract
As an institutionalized “indigenous” system of medicine in India, nature cure derives directly from ideas and practices developed within the rubric of Lebensreform, a radical, back-to-nature health reform movement that took shape in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century central Europe. Nature cure developed in twentieth-century India as a deeply embodied manifestation of Swadeshi, a social, cultural, and anticolonial political movement intimately concerned with independence and liberation. Significant parallels between Lebensreform and Swadeshi point toward an understanding of medicine based on the habitus of class and global countercultural practices. Using examples from the work of Adolf Just and other Germans writing at the turn of the nineteenth century and the case of Arogya Mandir, a nature cure hospital established by Vithal Das Modi in Gorakhpur in 1940, this essay examines how the radical, utopian ideals of Lebensreform were translated into institutionalized medical practice that facilitated the embodiment of Swadeshi as a political philosophy of health reform in colonial India.
Purchase
Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Institutional Login
Log in with Open Athens, Shibboleth, or your institutional credentials
Personal login
Log in with your brill.com account
-
Aidall, I. 1897. The German Nature-Cure, and How to Practice It. London: Nichols.
-
Alsaker, Rasmus Larssen. 1924. Curing Catarrh, Coughs and Colds. New York: Grant.
-
Bhave, Balkoba. 1957. Prākr̥tik cikitsā kyoṁ. Varanasi: Akhil Bhāratī Sarva Sevā Saṅgh.
-
Conger, Marvin E., and Rosamond C. Conger. 1893. The Nature Cure by Physical and Mental Methods: A Bridge from the Old to the New, the Dawn of a New Day in Medical Practice, a Clear, Short-cut Treatise on the Cause and Cure of Disease, the Light Turned On. 2nd ed. Chicago: Educator.
-
Cornaro, Luigi, and Sylvester Graham. 1833. Discourses on a Sober and Temperate Life: Wherein Is Demonstrated, by His Own Example, the Method of Preserving Health to Extreme Old Age. New York: Day.
-
Davidson, Victor Stanley. 1936. Nature Cure (The New Healing Science and Iris Diagnosis). London: Shepherd and Hosking.
-
Desai, Morarji. 1979. Nature Cure. 3rd ed. New Delhi: S. Chand.
-
Eddy, Mary Baker. 1881. Science and Health. 3rd ed. 2 vols. Lynn, MA: Dr. Asa G. Eddy.
-
Ehret, Arnold. 1922. Mucusless Diet. Beaumont, CA: Ehert Literature.
-
Finkel, Harry. 1925. Health via Nature; the Health Book for the Layman, Including a Rational System of Health Culture and the Prevention, Treatment and Cure of Disease by Natural Methods; Also the Study of Natural Dietetics, the Preparation and Combination of Foods for Health and Disease. New York: Society for Public Health Education.
-
Gandhi, Mohandas K. 1940. An Autobiography; or, The Story of My Experiments with Truth. 2nd ed. Ahmedabad: Navajivan.
-
Gandhi, Mohandas K. 1948. Key to Health. 1st ed. Ahmedabad: Navajivan.
-
Gandhi, Mohandas K. 1954. Nature Cure. 1st ed. Ahmedabad: Navajivan.
-
Gandhi, Mohandas K., and Anthony Parel. [1909] 1997. Hind swaraj and Other Writings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
-
Graham, Sylvester. 1837. A Lecture to Young Men on Chastity: Intended also for the Serious Consideration of Parents and Guardians. 2nd ed. Boston: Light and Stearns.
-
Jackson, James C. 1870. How to Treat the Sick without Medicine. New York: Austin and Jackson.
-
Jennings, Isaac. 1867. The Tree of Life; or, Human Degeneracy: Its Nature and Remedy, as Based on the Elevating Principle of Orthopathy. New York: Miller and Wood.
-
Just, Adolf. 1898. Kehrt zur Natur zurück: Die wahre naturgemässe Lebensweise als einziges Mittel zur Heilung aller Krankheiten und Leiden des Leibes, des Geistes und der Seele. 3. Aufl. ed. Jungborn: Buchhandlung des Jungborn.
-
Just, Adolf. 1903. Return to Nature. New York: Benedict Lust.
-
Kirchfeld, Friedhelm, and Wade Boyle. 2005. Nature Doctors: Pioneers in Naturopathic Medicine. 2nd ed. Portland, OR: NCNM Press.
-
Klein, Emil. 1929. Naturheilverfahren. 2. Aufl. ed. 2 vols. Leipzig: Meiner.
-
Kneipp, Sebastian. 1887. Meine Wasser-Kur, durch mehr als 30 Jahre erprobt und geschrieben zur Heilung der Krankheiten und Erhaltung der Gesundheit. 2., verm. Aufl. ed. Kempten: Kösel.
-
Kneipp, Sebastian. 1892. My Water-Cure. Kempton: Kösel.
-
Kneipp, Sebastian. 1896. The Kneipp Cure. Complete American ed. New York: Kneipp Cure.
-
Kuepper, Wilhelmine H. 1905. Nature Cure (Formerly Called Water Cure); or, Home Treatment without Medicine. Philadelphia: J. C. Winston.
-
Kuhne, Louis. 1890. Die neue Heilwissenschaft; oder, Die Lehre von der Einheit aller Krankheiten und deren darauf begründete einheitliche, arzneilose und operationslose Heilung. 1. Aufl. ed. Leipzig.
-
Kuhne, Louis. 1892a. De nieuwe geneeskunde zonder medicijnen of operatiën; een leerboek en raadgever voor gezonden en zieken. The Hague: Blankwaardt en Schoonhoven.
-
Kuhne, Louis. 1892b. The New Science of Healing; or, The Doctrine of the Oneness of All Diseases Forming the Basis of a Uniform Method of Cure, without Medicines and without Operations. An Instructor and Adviser for the Healthy and the Sick. Leipzig.
-
Kuhne, Louis. 1917. Neo-naturopathy: The New Science of Healing or the Doctrine of the Unity of Diseases. Special authorized American ed. Butler, NJ: Benedict Lust.
-
Kulkarni, V. M. 1928. Scientific Hydrotherapy, or Drugless Prevention and Cure of Diseases with Water. Bombay: Roy and Co. Homeopaths.
-
Kulkarni, V. M. 1931. Naturopathy: The Art of Drugless Healing. Bombay: Roy and Co.
-
Lindlahr, Henry. 1913. Nature Cure: Philosophy and Practice Based on the Unity of Disease and Cure. 1st ed. Chicago: Nature Cure.
-
Lindlahr, Henry, and Victor Hugo Lindlahr. 1931. The Practice of Nature Cure. 27th ed. New York: Nature Cure Library.
-
Macfadden, Bernarr. 1923. Keeping Fit. New York: Macfadden.
-
Macfadden, Bernarr, and Felix L. Oswald. 1903. Fasting, Hydropathy and Exercise: Nature’s Wonderful Remedies for the Cure of All Chronic and Acute Diseases. New York: B. Macfadden.
-
Modi, Vithal Das. 1944. Prākritik jīvan kī ore. Gorakhpur: Ārogya Mandir prakāśan.
-
Modi, Vithal Das. 1950. Dugdha kalpa. Gorakhpur: Ārogya Mandir prakāśan.
-
Modi, Vithal Das. 1951. Rogoṁ kī Saral Cikitsā. Gorakhpur: Ārogya Mandir prakāśan.
-
Modi, Vithal Das. 1961. Yurop Yātrā. Gorakhpur: Ārogya Mandir prakāśan.
-
Modi, Vithal Das. 1980. Nature Cure for Common Diseases. New Delhi: Vision Books.
-
Modi, Vithal Das. 1995. Vithal Das Modi hone kā arth. Gorakhpur: Ārogya Mandir prakāśan.
-
Modi, Vithal Das. 1999. Yādeṁ. Gorakhpur: Ārogya Mandir prakāśan.
-
Mukharjee, Kulranjan. 1947. Abhinav prākr̥tik cikitsā. Calcutta: Dr. Neelkanth Chakravarty cikitsālaya.
-
Page, Charles. E. 1883. The Natural Cure of Consumption, Constipation, Bright’s Disease, Neuralgia, Rheumatism, Colds (Fevers) etc.: How Sickness Originates, and How to Prevent It; A Health Manual for the People. New York: Fowler and Wells.
-
Podar, Mahavir Prasad. 1958. Prākr̥tik cikitsā ke camatkār. Delhi: Sadsāhitya prakāśan.
-
Reinhold, August Fred. 1898. Nature vs. Drugs: A Challenge to the Drugging Fraternity. New York: A. F. Reinhold.
-
Reinhold, August Fred. 1900. Positive Prevention and Cure of Tuberculosis by the Nature Cure Process. New York: A. F. Reinhold.
-
Ross, W. Frank. 1895. Medical Hygiene; or, Cures for All Diseases without Drugs: Including Essays on Testimony of Leading Drug Doctors, My Drug Teachers, When to Use Drugs, John Wesley on Hygienic Medicine, the Unity of Disease, the Diet Cure, the Water Cure, Valedictory Address, My Trip to Europe, If Uncertain What to Do, Remedies of Mental Hygiene, Child-Birth without Pain or Danger, Midwifery and Infant Nursing. St. Louis: W. F. Ross.
-
Salt, Henry Stephens. 1886. A Plea for Vegetarianism, and Other Essays. Manchester: Vegetarian Society.
-
Sarma, K. Lakshmana. 1935. Practical Nature-Cure. 5th ed. Pudukotahi: Nature-Cure.
-
Singh, Sardar Jaswant. 1942. Practical Naturo-therapy; or, My Nature Cure. Lucknow: Singh’s Nature Cure College and Hospital.
-
Steiner, Rudolf, and Ita Wegman. 1938. Fundamentals of Therapy: An Extension of the Art of Healing through Spiritual Knowledge. London: Anthroposophic Press.
-
Stolzenberg, Günther. 1964. Der Just-Jungborn: Eine vorbildliche Kuranstalt der Naturheilbewegung, 1896–1945. Mannheim: Verlagsgenossenschaft der Waerland- Bewegung.
-
Trall, Robert. T. 1872. The Hygienic System. Battle Creek, MI: Office of the Health Reformer.
-
Veblen, Thorstein. [1899] 1967. The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of Institutions. New York: Funk and Wagnalls.
-
Ackerknecht, Erwin Heinz. 1953. Rudolf Virchow: Doctor, Statesman, Anthropologist. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
-
Alter, Joseph S. 2000. Gandhi’s Body: Sex, Diet, and the Politics of Nationalism. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
-
Alter, Joseph S. 2004. Yoga in Modern India: The Body between Science and Philosophy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
-
Alter, Joseph S. 2006. “Yoga at the Fin de Siècle: Muscular Christianity with a Hindu Twist.” International Journal of the History of Sport 23: 759–776.
-
Alter, Joseph S. 2007. “Yoga and Physical Education: Swami Kuvalayananda’s Nationalist Project.” Asian Medicine: Tradition and Modernity 3: 20–36.
-
Alter, Joseph S. 2011. Moral Materialism: Sex and Masculinity in Modern India. New Delhi: Penguin.
-
Brown, Michael. 2006. “Making Sense of Modernity’s Maladies: Health and Disease in the Industrial Revolution.” Endeavour 30 (3): 108–112.
-
Bynum, William. F., and Roy Porter. 1987. Medical Fringe and Medical Orthodoxy, 1750–1850. Wellcome Institute Series in the History of Medicine. London: Croom Helm.
-
Cayleff, Susan E. 2016. Nature’s Path: A History of Naturopathic Healing in America. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
-
Das, Shinjini. 2019. Vernacular Medicine in Colonial India: Family, Market and Homeopathy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
-
Grell, Ole Peter, Andrew Cunningham, and Robert Jütte. 2002. Health Care and Poor Relief in 18th and 19th Century Northern Europe: The History of Medicine in Context. Burlington, VT: Ashgate.
-
Hau, Michael. 2003. The Cult of Health and Beauty in Germany: A Social History, 1890–1930. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
-
Hausman, Gary. J. 2002. “Making Medicine Indigenous: Homeopathy in South India.” Social History of Medicine 15 (2): 303–322.
-
Porter, Roy. 1990. The Medical History of Waters and Spas. London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine.
-
Sharma, Avi. 2011. “Medicine from the Margins? Naturheilkunde from Medical Heterodoxy to the University of Berlin, 1889–1920.” Social History of Medicine 24 (2): 334–351.
-
Sharma, Avi. 2012. “Wilhelmine Nature: Natural Lifestyle and Practical Politics in the German Life-Reform Movement (1890–1914).” Social History 37 (1): 36–54.
-
Singh, Sardar Jaswant. 1980. History and Philosophy of Nature Cure. Lucknow: Nature Cure Council of Medical Research.
-
Wiedemann, Felix. 2012. “German Orientalism: Science between Romanticism and Imperialism.” Zeitschrift für Religions- und Geistesgeschichte 64 (4): 400–406.
-
Woods, Robert. 2007. “Medical and Demographic History: Inseparable?” Social History of Medicine 20 (3): 483–503.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 860 | 167 | 11 |
| Full Text Views | 38 | 13 | 2 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 78 | 25 | 0 |
From Lebensreform to Swadeshi
Vithal Das Modi and the Development of Nature Cure in India
In: Asian MedicineAbstract
As an institutionalized “indigenous” system of medicine in India, nature cure derives directly from ideas and practices developed within the rubric of Lebensreform, a radical, back-to-nature health reform movement that took shape in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century central Europe. Nature cure developed in twentieth-century India as a deeply embodied manifestation of Swadeshi, a social, cultural, and anticolonial political movement intimately concerned with independence and liberation. Significant parallels between Lebensreform and Swadeshi point toward an understanding of medicine based on the habitus of class and global countercultural practices. Using examples from the work of Adolf Just and other Germans writing at the turn of the nineteenth century and the case of Arogya Mandir, a nature cure hospital established by Vithal Das Modi in Gorakhpur in 1940, this essay examines how the radical, utopian ideals of Lebensreform were translated into institutionalized medical practice that facilitated the embodiment of Swadeshi as a political philosophy of health reform in colonial India.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 860 | 167 | 11 |
| Full Text Views | 38 | 13 | 2 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 78 | 25 | 0 |