Courier Freedom

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Courier freedom (release of medicine) , in Switzerland Free healing activity called, refers to the (legal) possibility that any medical independently of his training treatments carried out. It was valid in Germany from 1869/1872 until the Heilpraktikergesetz (Heilpraktikergesetz) was passed in 1939.

Germany

Since the time of absolutism more and more medical ordinances had been issued, which regulated the practice of medicine and in some cases contained severe restrictions for lay healers ("courier bans") . These courier bans were lifted in the member states of the North German Confederation in 1869 when a common trade regulation came into force there. However, no courier freedom in a positive sense was specified in these regulations. In § 6 it was only regulated that the law does not apply to the practice of medicine. In fact , this resulted in freedom from couriers. After the establishment of the German Empire , the other federal states gradually adopted the trade regulations of the North German Confederation, so that between 1869 and 1872 the courier bans were lifted everywhere in the German Empire. The number of lay healers increased considerably as a result of the new legal situation: while in 1887 only 1,713 unapproved healers were recorded, in 1909 there were already 4414. A high point was reached in 1933 with 14,266 lay healers. The regulation also meant that the academically trained doctors were disadvantaged compared to the lay healers. While doctors had to take a state examination in order to obtain their license to practice medicine, lay practitioners were spared it. The governments of the federal states had resisted the freedom of couriers, but could not prevail in the Reichstag .

In the umbrella organization of the medical associations, the Medical Association, there was a permanent quack commission from 1899 , which opposed the freedom of couriers. In 1903 the German Society for Combating Kurpfuschertums was founded, which up until the Nazi era did lobby work against naturopathy , anti- vaccination agents and homeopathy , and also organized exhibitions and lectures.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, freedom of courier is referred to as "free healing activity" and is regulated by the cantons.

As early as 1871, the rural community of the Swiss canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden had decided by a large majority to adopt a law that allowed "free healing" for everyone. The constitution of the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden guarantees this “free healing activity” even today (Article 48.6). It also stipulates that “the canton oversees the public and private health care institutions, the health professions and the therapeutic products sector” (Article 48.5). As part of the “free healing activity” and the Federal Medicines Act , the cantonal medicinal product control department regulates the area of ​​drug production and the area of ​​drug dispensing. In addition, the Medicines Control Unit is responsible for examining and approving naturopaths in the canton. The special status of "free healing activity" meant that the canton of Appenzell A.Rh. - with a focus on Herisau and Teufen - became the canton of natural doctors, dentists and natural remedy manufacturers .

In the canton of Glarus , courier freedom was introduced in 1874 by the Landsgemeinde , but was repealed in 1907. The implementation of the prohibition was handled flexibly and so transitional provisions were added in 1920, according to which people who have practiced the medical profession for more than 10 years could receive permission from the government council to continue working as a doctor. Finally, in 1963, the Glarner Landsgemeinde adopted a health law that only allows medical professionals to practice healing. The ICS lists are authoritative for the dispensing of therapeutic products; they can be changed by cantonal lists.

In the canton of Baselland , a license is required for naturopaths. In December 1947, in a referendum with a weak majority, a law was passed making the approval of naturopaths dependent on passing an examination.

swell

  • Thomas Faltin: Heil und Heilung: History of lay healers and structure of anti-modernist worldviews in the Empire and Weimar Republic using the example of Eugen Wenz (1856-1945) , Franz Steiner Verlag 2000, ISBN 3515073906
  • Dominik Groß : Freedom of courier (release of medicine). In: Werner E. Gerabek , Bernhard D. Haage, Gundolf Keil , Wolfgang Wegner (eds.): Enzyklopädie Medizingeschichte. De Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2005, ISBN 3-11-015714-4 , p. 815.
  • Notker Kessler. The free healing activity in the Health Act of the Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden . (Zurich medical history treatises 146.), Juris, Zurich 1981
  • Hans Koller. The free healing activity in Appenzell A.Rh. In: Appenzellische Jahrbücher, Volume 98 (1970), pp. 3–54 (digitized version )
  • Margarete Möckli-von Seggern. Workers and medicine. The attitude of the Zurich industrial worker to scientific and popular medicine . G. Krebs, Basel 1965
  • Eberhard Wolff.
    • Between “folk medicine” and “naturopathy”: Zurich medical alternatives . In: Gesnerus 58 (2001), pp. 276–283 (digitized version )
  • Eberhard Wolff: Folk medicine. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Jens-Uwe Teichler: "The Charlatan does not strive for truth, it only demands money": On the conflict between scientific medicine and lay medicine in the German Empire using the example of hypnotism and healing magnetism. Franz Steiner Verlag, 2002. ISBN 9783515079761 . P. 171f.
  2. ^ Office for Health. Alternative practitioners
  3. ↑ Constitution of the Canton of Appenzell A.Rh., as of June 1st, 2015 (digital version )
  4. ↑ Cantonal agency for therapeutic products control
  5. ↑ Hans Koller. The free healing activity in Appenzell A.Rh. In: Appenzellische Jahrbücher, Volume 98 (1970), pp. 42–45 (digitized version )