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
to inform people about foods that can substitute meat. This was necessitated by the increased prices of meat, as most families could not afford it and as a result, they consumed food which does not give proper nourishment for the body. (Kneipp Lap 1897 (3):5) Bicsérdism, similarly to the above alternative schools, was gradually forgotten from the mid 1940s. Concerning the historical antecedents of alternative therapeutic methods, we should also mention the periodicals which did not want to be the specific papers of certain great schools of thought but their aim was simply to make popular the natural mode of living and the natural healing methods. Some of these were: Life and health (Propagator of the natural healing method) - it was published for one year, in 1900 in Budapest. Between 1922 and 1939 it was published again in Újpest with a new sub-title: Periodical on behalf of a natural mode of living and health care; Vigour and health (Bulletin of natural healing method) Budapest, 1911-1914; Natural Healing Method, Budapest, 1884-1896; Natural Healer (Bulletin of sensible mode of living and healing), Nyíregyháza, 1874-1875. We should mention the name of Ignác Péczely here, who also became known in this period in connection with iris diagnostics that he had worked out. Péczely says that "the iris is the most essential part of the human and animal organism, and its nervous system represents all the organisms of the human body." (Péczely 1873:14) Iris diagnostics is one of the most frequently used diagnostic methods of today's alternative medicine. The notions of traditional and alternative medicine are usually not clearly distinguished in the discurisve usage. On examining the relationship between these two areas from the 19 th century until the early 20 th century we can state that they formed two systems based on well-distinguished cultural and philosophical bases, and they existed or operated side by side. Concerning the layers of society we can say that traditional medicine was bound to the peasantry whereas alternative medicine was bound to the mode of living of the bourgeoisie and of the nobility. Today alternative medicine is an active practice whereas traditional medicine is a declining one. People are still concerned about traditions, however, due to the accelerated flow of information not only the traditions of our own culture are present in our everyday life but the elements of distant (e.g. oriental) cultures as well and, consequently, they are also present in alternative medicine. On defining traditional medicine we mentioned that it operates as an open system and integrates or dismisses the elements of other therapeutical methods. This, however, can also be said about the reviving alternative medicine at the end of the 20th century. Due to the transforming layers of society and to the changed mode of living, today the two systems are more intensely related to each other. It is difficult to foretell, however, how they will affect each other. ERIKA KOLTAY, D. Univ. Researcher Museum of Ethnography H-1055 Budapest Kossuth tér 12. HUNGARY
