About Dr Edward Bach
Dr Edward Bach used his training and experience in bacteriology, vaccine therapy and homeopathy to lead him to a totally new philosophy of wellness.
Dr Edward Bach was born at Moseley, near Birmingham, in 1886 and trained as a doctor in London. For several years, he worked investigating the role of bacteriology in chronic disease. His researches led him to recognize that there were clear personality types that related to the various patterns of ill health, irrespective of the physical symptoms being presented by the patient. Working with vaccine therapy and later with homeopathic remedies, he moved towards the discovery of flower remedies. These he felt could help to harmonize the emotional imbalances that he came to see as the real causes of physical illness.
By 1930, he was prepared to give up his successful medical practice in order to search for the plants and trees that came to be known as The Twelve Healers & Other Remedies. Each flower was found to embody the positive and harmonizing force for a negative emotional state, be it fear, resentment or despair. In order to transfer this healing force to a patient, Dr Bach prepared essences from the flowers. This essence, diluted to some extent, could then be taken as a medicine. He found that as the negative moods changed so the person would return towards health. Dr Bach explained the healing properties of the remedies in terms of a philosophy of life that saw a person as much more than the outward physical body that is treated in conventional medicine. Illness, he suggested, was a message from our inner being calling for a change in our way of living and our mental outlook. The primary purpose of the flower essences is to help us to change and bring us back to a genuinely happy experience of life. They have been in use throughout the world in the years since Dr Bach’s death in 1936. (Adapted from ‘Dr Bach and his flower remedies’ in The Healing Herbs of Edward Bach by Julian Barnard, first published in 1988.)
This is the story of Dr Edward Bach. This chronology sets out the milestones in the life of this remarkable man leading to the discovery of Bach Flower Remedies:
January 1, 1906 - Entered Birmingham University to study medicine
Entered Birmingham University to study medicine
January 1, 1912 - Qualifies as a doctor
Bach had moved from Birmingham University to London to complete his medical training. From University College Hospital he obtained the Conjunct Diploma of MRCS (Member of the Royal College of Surgeons) and LRCP (Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians).
January 1, 1913 - Appointments and further qualifications
Awarded the degrees MB (Medicinae Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Medicine) and BS (Bachelor of Science).
January 1, 1915 - First World War
In 1915, Dr Bach was in charge of war beds at University College Hospital. At the same time, as well as researching into vaccine therapy at the Bacteriological Department, he was also a demonstrator and clinical assistant to the Hospital Medical School.
January 7, 1917 - July illness
In July, Bach collapsed with severe hemorrhage. Received surgery for cancer and was given three months to live. However he recovered and continued with his research work
January 1, 1918 - Influenza pandemic of 1918
In the spring of 1918, a flu epidemic broke out in the trenches among the soldiers fighting the war. By May, it had spread back to the home countries of the soldiers, England, Germany, the USA and India. In England it quickly spread to become a very serious outbreak, claiming 228,000 lives (and in India, according to some estimates, many millions). Desperate measures to prevent the spread: streets were sprayed and people wore masks. However both the precautions and the treatments were ineffectual. Dr Bach would have been working at university College Hospital during this terrible epidemic.
March 1, 1919 - Began research into vaccines
Homeopathic appointment and research In March 1919, Bach was appointed Pathologist and Bacteriologist at the London Homoeopathic Hospital. Here he worked on researching the organisms present in the intestines, classifying them into seven groups, by means of their fermentation action on sugar. The seven groups of bacilli he named were: (1) Proteus, (2) Dysentery, (3) Morgan, (4) Faecalis Alkaligenes, (5) Coil Mutabile, (6) Gaertner and (7) No.7. Vaccines prepared from these groups were found to purify the intestinal tract. Each patient was tested for the bacterial group predominant in the intestines and either an autogenous or polyvalent nosode given. In the autogenous method, a remedy was made of the organism isolated from a particular patient and given either by injection or by mouth. To cover a great number of cases a polyvalent nosode, made from collecting organisms from hundreds of patients then potentizing the whole, was administered.
January 1, 1924 - Studying diet and disease
Dr Bach advised eating more uncooked food, fruits, nuts, cereals and vegetables to reduce the amount of toxins produced in the intestines. At the British Homoeopathic Congress in London, he read a paper entitled 'Intestinal Toxaemia in its Relation to Cancer', discussing the effects of diet combined with vaccine treatment. He observed that ‘the benefit obtained is due to general improvement and not local treatment’.
January 1, 1925 - Published Chronic Disease
Published 'Chronic Disease: A Working Hypothesis', written with Dr C E Wheeler who had assisted him in his research at the London Homoeopathic Hospital.
January 1, 1927 - International Homoeopathic Congress
At the International Homoeopathic Congress held in London, Dr Bach read a paper entitled 'The Problem of Chronic Disease' with Drs C E Wheeler and T M Dishington.
March 1, 1928 - Publication
In March The Medical World published 'An Effective Method of Combating Intestinal Toxaemia'.
September 1, 1928 - First discovery of remedies
In September, following an intuitive impulse, he went to Wales where he found the first three of the flower remedies at Crickhowell: Impatiens, Mimulus and Clematis. In November, in an address to The British Homoeopathic Society he referred to the fact that certain plants resembled the bacterial nosodes in their action.
November 1, 1928 - A masonic dinner
‘Bach had attended the dinner somewhat unwillingly and was not enjoying himself greatly. To pass the time he was idly watching the people around him when suddenly he realized that the whole of humanity consisted of a number of definite groups of types; that every individual in that large hall belonged to one or other of these groups. . . He found this a most engrossing occupation, and by the time the dinner was over he had worked out a number of groups and was busy in his mind comparing these with the seven bacterial groups. He wondered how this extended group-theory would apply to disease and its cure - whether the diseases from which these groups suffered would also bear a resemblance to each other. Then came the inspiration that the individuals of each group would not suffer from the same kinds of disease, but that all of those in any group would react in the same or nearly the same manner to any type of illness.'
From 'The Medical Discoveries of Edward Bach Physician' by Nora Weeks
December 1, 1929 - Turns from conventional medicine
Bach was dissatisfied with using the products of disease to cure disease and gave up nosode therapy. ‘I wish it were possible that we could present to you seven herbs instead of seven groups of bacteria.’ He finally found the solution to his dilemma: ‘yet there is one thing lacking in the effort to avoid using bacterial nosodes, this vital point is polarity. The remedies of the meadow and nature, when potentized are of a positive polarity; whereas those which have been associated with disease are of the reverse type… Science is tending to show that life is harmony - a state of being in tune - and that disease is discord or a condition when a part of the whole is not vibrating in unison’. From the end of 1929 he gave up all methods of treatment except ‘the pure and simple herbs of the field’. He eventually found that there were 12 groups or predominant states of mind. These he related to the types of karmic lessons people need to work through in life.
January 1, 1930 - Publications
January: 'An Effective Method of Preparing Vaccines for Oral Administration' published in Medical World.
February: 'Some New Remedies and New Uses' published in Homoeopathic World. 'Some Fundamental Considerations of Disease and Cure' published in Homoeopathic World.
January 8, 1930 - Six further discoveries
In 1930, Dr Bach began what was to become a four-year association with the small town of Cromer, in the east-coast county of Norfolk. In August while in Cromer he discovered Agrimony, Centaury, Chicory, Cerato and Vervain. In September, he discovered Scleranthus.
March 1, 1930 - Moves to Wales
Early in the year Bach left London and moved to a small Welsh village near Bettws-y-coed to continue his work on his group theory and search for new remedies. Visits Abersoch, a small seaside village a few miles from Pwllheli in North Wales where he stayed until the end of July. It was here that he perfected the sun method of extracting the healing properties of plants and where he wrote 'Heal Thyself'.
January 2, 1931 - Publications
February: 'Ye Suffer From Yourselves', an address given in Southport. Published 'Heal Thyself - An Explanation of the Real Cause and Cure of Disease'.
January 6, 1931 - Further remedy discoveries
In June at Lewes in Sussex, Bach found Water Violet and in July near Westerham in Kent he found Gentian. He now had 11 of his 12 Healers series but as it was late in the year, he would have to wait until the following spring to find the last one.
January 1, 1932 - Publication
'Free Thyself' published.
January 3, 1932 - Final Twelve Healer remedy discovered
He returned to Westerham, where he had found Gentian the previous year, this time to find Rock Rose, the last in the series which he called 'The Twelve Healers', later to become 'The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies'.
November 24, 1932 - Dispute with GMC
During the latter part of 1932 and into 1933, Bach was in correspondence with the General Medical Council [the body with the legal responsibility for regulating the medical profession in the UK] who threatened to strike him off the Medical Register for advertising his remedies in local newspapers.
January 1, 1933 - Publications
Twelve Great Remedies published in a magazine for Homeopaths. His book “The Twelve Healers and Four Helpers” published in the autumn.
January 4, 1933 - Moves to Sotwell
In April he moved to the village of Sotwell near Wallingford in what was then Berkshire, to a house called Mount Vernon. In June, he found Wild Oat near Sotwell. Wrote 'The Twelve Healers and Seven Helpers', published in July, and 'The Story of the Travellers' - the natures of 16 remedies explained in a short children's story format.
January 11, 1933 - Four more remedies discovered
The four remedies found: Oak in Cromer, Norfolk; Gorse, in the Thames Valley and Rock Water and Heather found near Crickhowell in Wales [above] Friends in Switzerland sent him Vine and friends from Italy sent Olive and Vine, prepared by the sun method from his instructions.
January 3, 1935 - The Second Nineteen
In February/March, he began a new cycle of remedies which were prepared by the boiling method. They are Cherry Plum, Aspen, Elm, Chestnut Bud, Larch, Beech, Hornbeam, Walnut, Star of Bethlehem, Holly, Crab Apple, Willow, Pine, Red Chestnut, Mustard, Wild Rose, Honeysuckle and Sweet Chestnut. White Chestnut, which he found in May, is the only one of this group of the Second Nineteen to be made by the sun method.
January 1, 1936 - Further threat from GMC
In January he received a letter from The General Medical Council threatening to have him struck off the Medical Register if he continues to use ‘unqualified assistants’. He was by now working with a small team of assistants.
September 24, 1936 - Wallingford lecture
September 24th, his 50th birthday, he gives the first public lecture on ‘Healing by Herbs’ in the Masonic Hall, Wallingford.
October 1, 1936 - Twelve Healers
Bach published 'The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies'. The 38 remedies were placed under the following seven headings (1) For Fear, (2) For Uncertainty, (3) For Insufficient Interest in Present Circumstances, (4) For Loneliness, (5) For Those Over-sensitive to Influences and Ideas, (6) For Despondency or Despair, (7) For Over-Care for Welfare of Others
November 27, 1936 - Final illness
The strain of a lifetime of work now began to take its toll. For the second time in his life Bach now became very seriously ill. He died during the evening of 27 November 1936.
Adapted from http://www.healingherbs.co.uk/about-bach-essences/dr-edward-bach/
Dr Edward Bach was born at Moseley, near Birmingham, in 1886 and trained as a doctor in London. For several years, he worked investigating the role of bacteriology in chronic disease. His researches led him to recognize that there were clear personality types that related to the various patterns of ill health, irrespective of the physical symptoms being presented by the patient. Working with vaccine therapy and later with homeopathic remedies, he moved towards the discovery of flower remedies. These he felt could help to harmonize the emotional imbalances that he came to see as the real causes of physical illness.
By 1930, he was prepared to give up his successful medical practice in order to search for the plants and trees that came to be known as The Twelve Healers & Other Remedies. Each flower was found to embody the positive and harmonizing force for a negative emotional state, be it fear, resentment or despair. In order to transfer this healing force to a patient, Dr Bach prepared essences from the flowers. This essence, diluted to some extent, could then be taken as a medicine. He found that as the negative moods changed so the person would return towards health. Dr Bach explained the healing properties of the remedies in terms of a philosophy of life that saw a person as much more than the outward physical body that is treated in conventional medicine. Illness, he suggested, was a message from our inner being calling for a change in our way of living and our mental outlook. The primary purpose of the flower essences is to help us to change and bring us back to a genuinely happy experience of life. They have been in use throughout the world in the years since Dr Bach’s death in 1936. (Adapted from ‘Dr Bach and his flower remedies’ in The Healing Herbs of Edward Bach by Julian Barnard, first published in 1988.)
This is the story of Dr Edward Bach. This chronology sets out the milestones in the life of this remarkable man leading to the discovery of Bach Flower Remedies:
January 1, 1906 - Entered Birmingham University to study medicine
Entered Birmingham University to study medicine
January 1, 1912 - Qualifies as a doctor
Bach had moved from Birmingham University to London to complete his medical training. From University College Hospital he obtained the Conjunct Diploma of MRCS (Member of the Royal College of Surgeons) and LRCP (Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians).
January 1, 1913 - Appointments and further qualifications
Awarded the degrees MB (Medicinae Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Medicine) and BS (Bachelor of Science).
January 1, 1915 - First World War
In 1915, Dr Bach was in charge of war beds at University College Hospital. At the same time, as well as researching into vaccine therapy at the Bacteriological Department, he was also a demonstrator and clinical assistant to the Hospital Medical School.
January 7, 1917 - July illness
In July, Bach collapsed with severe hemorrhage. Received surgery for cancer and was given three months to live. However he recovered and continued with his research work
January 1, 1918 - Influenza pandemic of 1918
In the spring of 1918, a flu epidemic broke out in the trenches among the soldiers fighting the war. By May, it had spread back to the home countries of the soldiers, England, Germany, the USA and India. In England it quickly spread to become a very serious outbreak, claiming 228,000 lives (and in India, according to some estimates, many millions). Desperate measures to prevent the spread: streets were sprayed and people wore masks. However both the precautions and the treatments were ineffectual. Dr Bach would have been working at university College Hospital during this terrible epidemic.
March 1, 1919 - Began research into vaccines
Homeopathic appointment and research In March 1919, Bach was appointed Pathologist and Bacteriologist at the London Homoeopathic Hospital. Here he worked on researching the organisms present in the intestines, classifying them into seven groups, by means of their fermentation action on sugar. The seven groups of bacilli he named were: (1) Proteus, (2) Dysentery, (3) Morgan, (4) Faecalis Alkaligenes, (5) Coil Mutabile, (6) Gaertner and (7) No.7. Vaccines prepared from these groups were found to purify the intestinal tract. Each patient was tested for the bacterial group predominant in the intestines and either an autogenous or polyvalent nosode given. In the autogenous method, a remedy was made of the organism isolated from a particular patient and given either by injection or by mouth. To cover a great number of cases a polyvalent nosode, made from collecting organisms from hundreds of patients then potentizing the whole, was administered.
January 1, 1924 - Studying diet and disease
Dr Bach advised eating more uncooked food, fruits, nuts, cereals and vegetables to reduce the amount of toxins produced in the intestines. At the British Homoeopathic Congress in London, he read a paper entitled 'Intestinal Toxaemia in its Relation to Cancer', discussing the effects of diet combined with vaccine treatment. He observed that ‘the benefit obtained is due to general improvement and not local treatment’.
January 1, 1925 - Published Chronic Disease
Published 'Chronic Disease: A Working Hypothesis', written with Dr C E Wheeler who had assisted him in his research at the London Homoeopathic Hospital.
January 1, 1927 - International Homoeopathic Congress
At the International Homoeopathic Congress held in London, Dr Bach read a paper entitled 'The Problem of Chronic Disease' with Drs C E Wheeler and T M Dishington.
March 1, 1928 - Publication
In March The Medical World published 'An Effective Method of Combating Intestinal Toxaemia'.
September 1, 1928 - First discovery of remedies
In September, following an intuitive impulse, he went to Wales where he found the first three of the flower remedies at Crickhowell: Impatiens, Mimulus and Clematis. In November, in an address to The British Homoeopathic Society he referred to the fact that certain plants resembled the bacterial nosodes in their action.
November 1, 1928 - A masonic dinner
‘Bach had attended the dinner somewhat unwillingly and was not enjoying himself greatly. To pass the time he was idly watching the people around him when suddenly he realized that the whole of humanity consisted of a number of definite groups of types; that every individual in that large hall belonged to one or other of these groups. . . He found this a most engrossing occupation, and by the time the dinner was over he had worked out a number of groups and was busy in his mind comparing these with the seven bacterial groups. He wondered how this extended group-theory would apply to disease and its cure - whether the diseases from which these groups suffered would also bear a resemblance to each other. Then came the inspiration that the individuals of each group would not suffer from the same kinds of disease, but that all of those in any group would react in the same or nearly the same manner to any type of illness.'
From 'The Medical Discoveries of Edward Bach Physician' by Nora Weeks
December 1, 1929 - Turns from conventional medicine
Bach was dissatisfied with using the products of disease to cure disease and gave up nosode therapy. ‘I wish it were possible that we could present to you seven herbs instead of seven groups of bacteria.’ He finally found the solution to his dilemma: ‘yet there is one thing lacking in the effort to avoid using bacterial nosodes, this vital point is polarity. The remedies of the meadow and nature, when potentized are of a positive polarity; whereas those which have been associated with disease are of the reverse type… Science is tending to show that life is harmony - a state of being in tune - and that disease is discord or a condition when a part of the whole is not vibrating in unison’. From the end of 1929 he gave up all methods of treatment except ‘the pure and simple herbs of the field’. He eventually found that there were 12 groups or predominant states of mind. These he related to the types of karmic lessons people need to work through in life.
January 1, 1930 - Publications
January: 'An Effective Method of Preparing Vaccines for Oral Administration' published in Medical World.
February: 'Some New Remedies and New Uses' published in Homoeopathic World. 'Some Fundamental Considerations of Disease and Cure' published in Homoeopathic World.
January 8, 1930 - Six further discoveries
In 1930, Dr Bach began what was to become a four-year association with the small town of Cromer, in the east-coast county of Norfolk. In August while in Cromer he discovered Agrimony, Centaury, Chicory, Cerato and Vervain. In September, he discovered Scleranthus.
March 1, 1930 - Moves to Wales
Early in the year Bach left London and moved to a small Welsh village near Bettws-y-coed to continue his work on his group theory and search for new remedies. Visits Abersoch, a small seaside village a few miles from Pwllheli in North Wales where he stayed until the end of July. It was here that he perfected the sun method of extracting the healing properties of plants and where he wrote 'Heal Thyself'.
January 2, 1931 - Publications
February: 'Ye Suffer From Yourselves', an address given in Southport. Published 'Heal Thyself - An Explanation of the Real Cause and Cure of Disease'.
January 6, 1931 - Further remedy discoveries
In June at Lewes in Sussex, Bach found Water Violet and in July near Westerham in Kent he found Gentian. He now had 11 of his 12 Healers series but as it was late in the year, he would have to wait until the following spring to find the last one.
January 1, 1932 - Publication
'Free Thyself' published.
January 3, 1932 - Final Twelve Healer remedy discovered
He returned to Westerham, where he had found Gentian the previous year, this time to find Rock Rose, the last in the series which he called 'The Twelve Healers', later to become 'The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies'.
November 24, 1932 - Dispute with GMC
During the latter part of 1932 and into 1933, Bach was in correspondence with the General Medical Council [the body with the legal responsibility for regulating the medical profession in the UK] who threatened to strike him off the Medical Register for advertising his remedies in local newspapers.
January 1, 1933 - Publications
Twelve Great Remedies published in a magazine for Homeopaths. His book “The Twelve Healers and Four Helpers” published in the autumn.
January 4, 1933 - Moves to Sotwell
In April he moved to the village of Sotwell near Wallingford in what was then Berkshire, to a house called Mount Vernon. In June, he found Wild Oat near Sotwell. Wrote 'The Twelve Healers and Seven Helpers', published in July, and 'The Story of the Travellers' - the natures of 16 remedies explained in a short children's story format.
January 11, 1933 - Four more remedies discovered
The four remedies found: Oak in Cromer, Norfolk; Gorse, in the Thames Valley and Rock Water and Heather found near Crickhowell in Wales [above] Friends in Switzerland sent him Vine and friends from Italy sent Olive and Vine, prepared by the sun method from his instructions.
January 3, 1935 - The Second Nineteen
In February/March, he began a new cycle of remedies which were prepared by the boiling method. They are Cherry Plum, Aspen, Elm, Chestnut Bud, Larch, Beech, Hornbeam, Walnut, Star of Bethlehem, Holly, Crab Apple, Willow, Pine, Red Chestnut, Mustard, Wild Rose, Honeysuckle and Sweet Chestnut. White Chestnut, which he found in May, is the only one of this group of the Second Nineteen to be made by the sun method.
January 1, 1936 - Further threat from GMC
In January he received a letter from The General Medical Council threatening to have him struck off the Medical Register if he continues to use ‘unqualified assistants’. He was by now working with a small team of assistants.
September 24, 1936 - Wallingford lecture
September 24th, his 50th birthday, he gives the first public lecture on ‘Healing by Herbs’ in the Masonic Hall, Wallingford.
October 1, 1936 - Twelve Healers
Bach published 'The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies'. The 38 remedies were placed under the following seven headings (1) For Fear, (2) For Uncertainty, (3) For Insufficient Interest in Present Circumstances, (4) For Loneliness, (5) For Those Over-sensitive to Influences and Ideas, (6) For Despondency or Despair, (7) For Over-Care for Welfare of Others
November 27, 1936 - Final illness
The strain of a lifetime of work now began to take its toll. For the second time in his life Bach now became very seriously ill. He died during the evening of 27 November 1936.
Adapted from http://www.healingherbs.co.uk/about-bach-essences/dr-edward-bach/
