Arthur Lutze

Arthur Lutze ( born June 1, 1813 in Berlin, † April 11, 1870 in Köthen ) was a medical practitioner, who acquired in his time a reputation as a faith healer.

Life

As the son of a consul Lutze arrived in Hanover Consulate Unter den Linden to the world, but was brought to the family estate named after him Arthur mountain near Stettin shortly after his birth. He attended the High School of Szczecin, later a private school in Boleslawiec. After the loss of both parents, he was hired in 1830 as a post office clerk, first in Nordhausen, from where he was transferred several times. In addition to career he was interested in Samuel Hahnemann's publications on homeopathy and decided after years of private studies to devote himself this profession.

He therefore resigned in 1843 in Bad Langensalza from the Postal Service and held in Mühlhausen often printed, impassioned speech to Hahnemann's death, which should be hyped up later almost a manifesto of homeopathy. He began his career as a medical practitioner at a clinic for the poor in Potsdam, where he gained practical experience by treating thousands of patients mostly free. Lack of a medical license to practice in 1845, however, any further activity in Prussia was prohibited.

In August 1846 he decided to move after Hahnemann's former site of action Köthen, where he one of Homeopathy benevolent opposing princes met in Duke Heinrich of Anhalt- Köthen, who had previously been promoted Hahnemann. Lutze therefore moved his practice all the way to Potsdamer Köthen, where they quickly enjoyed such a feed that the city almost a place of pilgrimage possible. " There the great miracle man who can cure all the world lives ," scoffed a contemporary. Lutze looked quite as messianic healer. The famous Goethe- portraitist William of Kügelgen describes aptly the imposing appearance of the charismatic faith healer, " a short squat figure with a big but beautiful and intelligent head ... and a tremendous prophet's beard ... not a conscious impostor, but involuntary swindler " (from: childhood memories, Berlin 1870).

Notwithstanding Lutze used by Hahnemann's rules numerous self-developed, almost modern looking dietetic "wellness" healing practices as well as the then fashionable Mesmersche Magnetisiermethode. In his popular pamphlet of the new rules of life, nature- medicine (64 runs), it prohibits the use of tobacco, coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages, as well as hot spices and herbs. His Naturopathy opposes meat of all kinds, especially when fried, and recommends a vegetarian diet with lots of vegetables and fruit, milk and butter. The self- invented by Lutze caffeine-free " health coffee " from malted barley, rye and sugar beets with chicory as a bitter substance found numerous purchasers in the 20th century.

To master ophthalmology and thereby legitimize medical, he studied in the meantime in Halle ( Saale), where he learned, among other things, the cataract surgery. With a dissertation De cataractae extractione he received his doctorate in 1848 in Jena.

Together with his three sons taught the tireless Lutze in Köthen now a college for medical practitioners, and in 1854 he decided to build the largest ever homeopathic clinic in the world. Due to its immense popularity, he succeeded in a short time, to finance this huge project 100,000 self-printed " Lutze - Taler " sell to private donors who are now sought-after collector's items. The 1855 opened, still in existence today of hospitals in the Neo-Renaissance style had several large wards as well as 72 rooms for paying private patients, a park, a variety of spas, a library, an art gallery and an observatory. Arms were still treated in vain.

Also manufacturing and worldwide shipping of drugs and vegetarian products as well as distribution of pamphlets were part of the company. Only in the year 1864 26.690 patients were treated by 21 assistants and answered 162,000 inquiries from all five continents. However, the homeopathic guild refused Lutz's factory-like mass treatments from the beginning and tried repeatedly to enforce the closure of its controversial clinic. Nevertheless, they still existed until 1914.

Like the Köthener Hahnemann House and the long-neglected historic magnificent building of Lutze Clinic has been restored in recent times and will in future be used as Seniorenstift. The Historical Museum in nearby castle offers a permanent exhibition on the subject of homeopathy in Köthen.

Services

Although suspicious at contemporary medical professionals as homeopaths because of its more unconventional for its time treatment methods to Lutz's tremendous success can not be denied. Thanks to the data collected by him through free treatment of literally hundreds of thousands of indigent patients empirical experiences led him to insights that others were simply not possible. With us today seemingly modern dietary restrictions to a vegetarian diet and a healthy lifestyle, he had his time to a century ahead. In some ways, his Köthener clinic may therefore be considered as first wellness clinic in the world.

Honors

On December 15, 1897, the great Lutze - Hahnemann monument by the sculptor Heinrich Pohlmann ( 1839-1917 ) was inaugurated. It is located in the castle park opposite the Lutze Clinic, corner of Spring street / street theater in Köthen.

Works (selection)

• Hahnemann Todtenfeier: essence of homeopathy (1843 ). Cöthen 1850 passim, 47th ed Cöthen 1903 (50 editions)
• Textbook of Homeopathy (1858 ). 8th ed Cöthen 1874 ( p. 900 ),
• 11th Edition - Köthen: Verl d Lutze'schen Heilanst, 1887 Digitized edition of the University and State Library Dusseldorf. .
• 16th Ed Köthen 1933 ( Ndr Schirmer, Munich 1978)

Swell

• Heinz Eppenich: History of the German homeopathic hospitals. Heidelberg: Haug, 1995 ISBN 3-7760-1497-0.
• Herbert Fritsche: " Arthur Lutze ," in: Samuel Hahnemann. Idea and reality of homeopathy (Appendix). 7th edition Göttingen: Burgdorf 1994 ISBN 3-922-345-10-7.
• Richard Haehl: Samuel Hahnemann: his life and work. 2 vols Leipzig: Willmar Schwabe 1922 ( Ndr Dreieich 1988)
• Wilhelm Hosaeus: Lutze, Arthur. In: General German Biography (ADB ). Volume 19, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1884, pp. 717 f