History of Physiomedicalism

Physiomedicalism is a system of natural medicine that developed during the early 19th century, and in large part is based on the medical discoveries of a poor farmer named Samuel Thomson.  Unlike the conventional medical practices of the day, which plied the use of mercury and bloodletting along with a crude understanding of human physiology, Thomson made use of herbal medicines and applied them according an energetic framework that resembles Ayurveda and Unani (Greek) medicine.  The Physiomedicalists that succeeded Thomson continued in his stead, refining Thomson's vitalist concepts into a sophisticated system of clinical practice that married the evolving science of the day with herbal medicine.  Today elements of the physiomedical tradition live on among Western medical/clinical herbalists found in North America, the United Kingdom and Australia.