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Introduction
Do you want to find men of true courage? Look for them in places where there are no doctors, where they are ignorant of the consequences of illnesses, where they hardly think of death . . . . The only useful part of medicine is hygiene. And hygiene is itself less a science than a virtue. Temperance and work are the two true doctors of man. Works sharpens his appetite, and temperance prevents him from abusing it (Rousseau 1979, 55). By substituting Nature for God, Rousseau glorified her in a way which might sound naive and sentimental but which expresses the modern longing for an inviolate nature: I looked for some wild spot in the woods, a deserted little place where no trace of a human hand could be detected, where no intruder could push himself between me and Nature. What magnificence Nature unfolded before my eyes in ever new variations? The gold of the broom and the purple of the heather filled me with astonishment, deeply moving my heart with their beauty. The majesty of the trees which covered me with their shadows filled me with awe. Without stopping and warning she includes us in the whirl of her dance and carries us away with her until we are exhausted and slip out of her arms (cited in Rothschuh 1983, 74). With his “naturism” Rousseau supplied the ideological basis for nature cure. Rothschuh distinguished between three essential elements which characterized the nature cure movement: 1) A strongly emotional attitude towards nature which can be defined as “naturism.” 2) A theory of health, disease, treatment and cure which we know as nature cure or naturopathy. 3) A preference for certain treatment methods which are considered natural (physiotherapy) such as the application of water, light, air, movement, diet, etc. (1983,19). The leitmotif of naturism was “Return to Nature” and you will live a happy, healthy life. The French word “naturisme” means faith in the divine power of Nature. Naturism was not only concerned with healing but also strove for the salvation of humankind. Vegetarianism, hydropathy, nudism and the absolute condemnation of “poisonous” drugs were all expressions of this attempt to save humankind from the ills of civilization. Rousseau tapped such a deep vein of cultural sentiment that his precepts not only
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