Recently, while browsing the books at a thrift store, I opened a copy of the banal-sounding
Practical Encyclopedia of Natural Healing
and scanned the table of contents.
Acupuncture, blood type, chiropractors … naturopathy.
Naturopathy eh? My interest was piqued. I flipped to the indicated page.
Here’s what the author, writing in 1990, had to say about naturopathy:
It is likely that the real practice of naturopathy has almost disappeared from the scene because of legal strictures. That is because a real naturopath diagnoses and treats disease, an occupation that is liable to result in his arrest unless he is a dentist, physician, or chiropractor. The modern practitioner of naturopathy would for his own protection have to more or less disguise himself as some sort of consultant and even then keep his fingers crossed that the local medical monopoly would not take umbrage to his presence in the community.
What a long way we’ve come.
