Examining Holistic Medicine

When this much-needed collection of critical essays was first published in 1985 it provoked controversy because never before had the various branches of the holistic movement in medicine been analyzed and discussed with such care to determine if the claims made for these methods and procedures could be substantiated. The stakes were high (and they still are!), since each year many desperate people attempt to secure physical relief by spending their hard-earned money on a vast array of exotic treatments: acupuncture, therapeutic touch, Rolfing, reflexology, homeopathy, herbal medications, biofeedback, chiropractic, chelation therapy, megadose vitamin therapies, iridology, visualization, and others. Is the holistic movement a legitimate alternative to traditional medicine or a misguided attempt to alleviate the suffering of individuals who are anxious for any sign of hope? Examining Holistic Medicine offers a comprehensive collection of essays that analyzes the rhetoric and method of holism. The theory, method, and practice of holistic medicine are carefully scrutinized by a distinguished group of scholars from philosophy, medicine, nursing, medical psychology, and biomedical history.