The Eclectics

Eclectic medicine represents an alternative branch of an American healing system that had its beginnings with the opening of the U.S. Infirmary in 1827 in New York City. Decrying the excessive use of bleeding and heroic drugs, its founder, Wooster Beach (1794-1868), prescribed botanical medicines based on the principle that physicians should employ whatever was found to be beneficial to their patients. This practice went against the prevailing medical systems of both orthodox and unorthodox medicine, which depended almost entirely on humoral pathology, or the theory of temperaments. Eclecticism’s intellectual center was the Eclectic Medical Institute in Cincinnati, whose 97-year history offers a unique insight into this interesting healing system.

You may also like the following events from Lloyd Library and Museum:

• Next month, 8th October, 07:00 pm, Medical Botany: How Plants and Their Compounds Can Heal Us in Cincinnati
• Next month, 22nd October, 07:00 pm, The Thomsonians in Cincinnati