Kapronczay Károly szerk.: Orvostörténeti Közlemények 188-189. (Budapest, 2004)

KÖZLEMÉNYEK - COMMUNICATIONS - Koltay Erika: History of alternative medicine in Hungary in 19th and early 20th century. - Az alternatív orvoslás története Magyarországon a 19. és a korai 20. században

HISTORY OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE IN HUNGARY IN 19th AND EARLY 20th CENTURY ERIKA KOLTAY Introduction Today in Hungary all methods of treatment existing beside the national health service are classified as 'alternative medicine' - except for the traditional Hungarian folk medicine. In most European countries only registered physicians allowed to work in this area, whereas in Great Britain, for example, anybody can be engaged in this field of medicine. In Germany the so-called "Heilpraktiker" system has existed since 1939, and it states that alternative healers must take an examination and register themselves if they want to enter the practice. Since the decree on alternative medicine was put into effect in 1997, the Hungarian system has been showing great similarity to the German one. Irrespective of its exact definition, all countries of Europe are involved in alternative medicine. The unified European market and free employment possibilities demand the legal normalisation of the great differences existing between the countries in the area of control. The initiative called "COST Project B4" was launched in order to realize this aim, and Hungary also takes part in the program (Fischer-Ward 1994:109). Instead of defining what alternative medicine really is, the definitions of the notion state what it is not, in fact. (Pietroni 1992:564) The terms of natural healing, "complementer" medicine and non-conventional medicine are also used. At the first time of its reemergence, the term alternative medicine was the most common in everyday usage. This was due to the historic antecedents, on the one hand and, on the other hand, it suited the school of thought whose decisive element was to re-consider the relationship between people, nature and environment, and the ideal of "back to nature, back to the natural" that has emerged again in the late 20th century. The notions alternative and "complementer" medicine are used mainly by the "profession", which signifies that this therapeutical system, based on a different paradigm, intends (demands) to gain its due ground beside professional medicine. Concerning merely the market conditions, according to the estimations in 1981 in Holland, for example, 3.8% of the population chose alternative medicine, and this figure increased to 5.2% by 1987. In 1990 in the USA approximately every third person chose some non-conventional medical treatment. (Helman 1994:43) In Hungary the demand for alternative medicine has increased since the mid 1980s, but mainly after 1989. In the same period, there was a boom in oriental cultures, religions, philosophies, in esoteric thinking. The so-called "bio-culture" characteristic of all spheres of life, has gained importance; different religious sects, etc. have appeared, all forming part of the stream of thoughts called "New Age" emerging at the end of the 20th century. There