Johann Heinrich Lahmann (30 March 1860 – 1 June 1905) was a German physician who was a pioneer of

naturopathic medicine Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a form of alternative medicine. A wide array of pseudoscientific practices branded as "natural", "non-invasive", or promoting "self-healing" are employed by its practitioners, who are known as natur ...

. He was a native of Bremen, Germany. He earned his medical doctorate at the

University of Heidelberg } Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...

, and after graduation became a general practitioner in Stuttgart. On 1 January 1888, he opened a

sanatorium A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal, make healthy'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, are antiquated names for specialised hospitals, for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often ...

called the "Physiatric Sanatorium" at Weißer Hirsch, outside of

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label= Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth ...

. This institution would eventually become well-known internationally. Lahmann was influenced by the methods used by

Vincenz Priessnitz Vincenz Priessnitz, also written Prießnitz (sometimes in German ''Vinzenz'', in English ''Vincent'', in Czech ''Vincenc''; 4 October 1799 – 26 November 1851) was a peasant farmer in Gräfenberg, Austrian Silesia, who is generally considered ...

(1799-1851) and Johann Schroth (1798-1856), both pioneers in the field of alternative medicine. He eventually turned away from traditional medicine, and was disdainful of drugs and unnatural medications. Lahmann stressed the importance of diet, exercise and fresh air, and was an ardent practitioner of physiotherapy and

hydrotherapy Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy and also called water cure, is a branch of alternative medicine (particularly naturopathy), occupational therapy, and physiotherapy, that involves the use of water for pain relief and treatment. The term ...

. Lahmann recommended a

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetariani ...

diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grain bread and

dairy products Dairy products or milk products, also known as lacticinia, are food products made from (or containing) milk. The most common dairy animals are cow, water buffalo, nanny goat, and ewe. Dairy products include common grocery store food items in ...

, and believed in limiting one's intake of

table salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...

and liquor. He developed five separate diets for his patients, which included food for

diabetics Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased a ...

, food for the overweight, as well as a strictly

vegetarian diet Vegetarian diet may refer to: *Vegetarianism *Vegetarian cuisine *Plant-based diet (i.e., not necessarily stemming from vegetarian beliefs) *Veganism Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet ...

. In his 1891 book, ''Diätetische Blutentmischung als Grundursache der Krankheiten'', he argued that diseases were ultimately caused by a poor diet, and therefore a proper diet was needed to prevent illness. He was also one of the first physicians to recognize the importance of minerals in an individuals' diet, feeling that many foods were mineral deficient. Lahmann was an advocate of

animal rights Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all Animal consciousness, sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their Utilitarianism, utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding s ...

, refusing to use them in laboratory experiments. He also advocated loose-fitting clothing for all his patients, and recommended both

sauna A sauna (, ), or sudatory, is a small room or building designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these facilities. The steam and high heat make the bathers perspire. A thermometer in a ...

and open-air bathing.

Selected written works

* ''Das Luftbad als Heil- und Abhärtungsmittel'', 1898 * ''Die Diätetische Blutentmischung als Grundursache der Krankheiten'', 1891 * ''Die Kohlensäurestauung in unserem Körper - die wichtigste allgemeine Krankheitsursache'', 1905

References

* Parts of this article are based on a translation of an equivalent article at the German Wikipedia, whose sources includ
Lahmann, Heinrich biography
@ NDB/ADB Deutsche Biographie.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lahmann, Heinrich 1860 births 1905 deaths 19th-century German physicians German general practitioners German physiotherapists Physicians from Bremen Diet food advocates Naturopaths