Bilz book

Bilz book, early standard work of folk naturopathy.

The first publication by F. E. Bilz (Das menschliche Lebensglück, 1882) already contained a naturopathic appendix. At the suggestion of the Chemnitz industrialist Johann v. Zimmermann (1820-1901), who was also a generous supporter of the naturopathic movement, Bilz deepened and expanded this preliminary work and published his work "Bilz, das neue Heilverfahren, ein Nachschlagebuch für Jedermann in gesunden und kranken Tagen" (self-published, printed by Schulze & Co. in Gräfenhainichen) in 1888.

In it, Bilz summarised all the trends in naturopathy; in the first part he described "All diseases in alphabetical order", gave their causes and corresponding cures and dietary prescriptions, in the second part he dealt with "Forms of application of natural healing".

The popular and descriptive nature of the presentation, the comparatively low price and the skilfully organised sales through Bilz's own publishing house, which he founded in 1888, brought the work unprecedented success. The author used the profits to finance the construction and equipment of his sanatorium in Oberlößnitz, which is described in detail in later editions.

The Bilz publishing house was based in Leipzig from 1893, where the B. was also produced at the Frankenstein printing works.

From 1894 it bore the title "Bilz, das neue Naturheilverfahren"; the 100th edition was published in 1900. Bilz expanded and revised the content from year to year; while the 1895 edition already had 1,600 pages, the four-volume splendid edition of 1910 had more than 4,000 pages and was richly illustrated with 1,400 text illustrations, 58 colour plates and 16 dismountable models. The work was translated into 14 languages and by 1938 the total print run had exceeded 3.5 million. The last edition was published in 1956 with a greatly reduced size under the title "Bilz Natürliche Heilmethoden" in Heidelberg.