Edward Bach
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Edward Bach (commonly pronounced "Batch" ([bætʃ]), but actually a Welsh surname whose correct pronunciation has a guttural ending similar to the German surname "Bach"[citation needed]) (September 24, 1886 – November 27, 1936) developed Bach flower remedies, a form of alternative medicine inspired by the classical homeopathic traditions.
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[edit] Biography
Bach grew up in Birmingham, studied medicine at the University College Hospital, London and obtained a Diploma of Public Health (DPH) at Cambridge.
Before turning to alternative therapies, he was a House Surgeon and a casualty medical officer at University College Hospital; he was in charge of 400 beds during World War I; he worked at the National Temperance Hospital and had a successful practice at Harley Street.
In 1917 Bach had a malignant tumor removed from his spleen. It was predicted that he had only three months left to live, but instead he recovered. Bach died in his sleep on November 27, 1936 at the age of 50.[1]
[edit] Bach nosodes
Later he worked at the London Homeopathic Hospital and he developed seven bacterial nosodes known as the seven Bach nosodes, which have received only limited recognition and their use has been mostly confined to British homeopathy practitioners.
These Bowel Nosodes[2] were introduced by Bach and the British homeopaths, John Paterson (1890-1954)[3] and Charles Edwin Wheeler (1868-1946)[4] in the 1920s. Their use is based on the variable bowel bacterial flora associated with persons of different homeopathic constitutional types.[5]
[edit] Bach flowers
In 1930, at the age of forty three, he decided to search for a new healing technique. He spent the spring and summer discovering and preparing new flower remedies - which include no part of the plant but simply what Bach claimed to be the pattern of energy of the flower. In the winter he treated patients free of charge.
Bach did not use the Scientific Method to determine the claimed healing properties of his concoctions. Instead, Bach claimed to have psychically or intuitively discovered the healing effects of 38 wildflowers. His discoveries were arrived at by "inspirations." For example, while on a walk he had an inspiration that dew drops on a plant heated by the sun would absorb healing properties from the plant. He claimed that all he needed to do was hold a flower or taste a petal and he could intuitively grasp its healing powers. From these intuitions he went on to prepare "essences" using pure water and plants. Bach claimed that these wildflowers have a soul or energy with an affinity to the human soul. The flower's spiritual energy is transferable to water. Devotees drink a homeopathic concoction of flower essence, mineral water and brandy in order to get the flower soul to harmonize their own soul's energy.[6]
Rather than recognizing the role of germ theory of disease, defective organs and/or tissue, and other known and demonstrable sources of disease, Bach thought that of illness as the result of "a contradiction between the purposes of the soul and the personality's point of view." This internal war, according to Bach, leads to negative moods and energy blocking, which causes a lack of "harmony," thus leading to physical diseases.
Bach advertised his remedies in two daily newspapers, but since his practices did not follow any scientific protocol, and his methods were not understood, the General Medical Council disapproved of his advertising. For example, in his treatise Heal Thyself he wrote:
- "Disease will never be cured or eradicated by present materialistic methods, for the simple reason that disease in its origin is not material . . . Disease is in essence the result of conflict between the Soul and Mind and will never be eradicated except by spiritual and mental effort."
In 1934, he moved to Mount Vernon in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, Oxfordshire. He died two years later, only seven years after starting his search for new medicines.
[edit] Bach Centre
The Dr Edward Bach Centre, Mount Vernon, located in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, Oxfordshire, and commonly known as the Bach Centre or Mount Vernon, was the home and working place of Bach during the latter years of his life. Here he performed research into the 38 flower remedies that still bear his name.[7]
The trustees and helpers at the Bach Centre continue to make and provide the mother tinctures for the Bach flower remedies, according to the specific instructions left by Dr. Bach.
In the 1980s, when increasing worldwide sales and new regulatory requirements made it impractical for the Bach Centre to continue producing the remedies in-house and they invited Nelsons to take over full distribution. This was initially through a dedicated bottling plant in Abingdon and later moved to Wimbledon.[8] The relationship between Nelsons and The Dr Edward Bach Centre continues to this day.[8]
The Bach Centre offers help to the public in the form of education, publications and referrals to practitioners. It is open to visitors and aims to maintain the original purity and simplicity of Dr. Bach's work. Their mission statement is Our work is steadfastly to adhere to the simplicity and purity of this method of healing.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Mechthild Scheffer, The Encyclopedia of Bach Flower Therapy (Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2001), pp. 13-15.
- ^ THE BOWEL NOSODES - BY John Paterson
- ^ Dr John PATERSON (1890-1954) - PHOTOTHÈQUE HOMÉOPATHIQUE présentée par Homéopathe International
- ^ Dr Charles Edwin WHEELER - PHOTOTHÈQUE HOMÉOPATHIQUE présentée par Homéopathe International
- ^ Prescribing on the basis of Nosodes & Bowel Nosodes @ Homoeopathy Clinic website pioneer in homeopathy, alternative medicine & health care!
- ^ Bach's flower therapy - Skeptic's Dictionary
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ a b The Bach Centre page about Nelsons http://www.bachcentre.com/other/nelsons.htm
