J. Stenson Hooker

Joseph Stenson Hooker (1853–1946) was an English physician, naturopath, vegetarianism activist, and writer.

Biography

Hooker was born in Luton in 1853. He obtained his MD from Durham University in 1899. Hooker practised in West London and contributed papers to The Lancet journal. He was firmly established within the medical profession but later came out against it. After Thomas Allinson died, he took over his address at Spanish Place, Manchester Square. Hooker criticized the use of drugs and advocated exercise, fresh air and a vegetarian diet. He also promoted naturopathic therapies such as bathing his patients in a coloured light bath, hypnotic suggestion, prayer and psychotherapeutics.

Hooker and his wife joined the British Nature Cure Association in 1907 and were on its executive committee. He was the only registered practitioner in the organization.

Because of his unorthodox naturopathic views about therapy, Hooker came into came into conflict with the medical establishment. The Newell treatment was proposed by Oliver Newell, a bacteriologist with no medical qualifications. He attended the London Anti-Vivisection Society's annual meeting in 1905. He was vice-president of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection and president of their Edgeware branch. His pamphlet Why I am an Anti-Vivisection Doctor was published by the Animal Defence and Anti-Vivisection Society in 1927.

He was a supporter of the National Canine Defence League.

Vegetarianism

Hooker was a vegetarian in his personal life and recommended a vegetarian diet to his patients. Hooker was an advocate of fasting. In 1910, he fasted for two weeks and is alleged to have walked for miles. He preferred two meals a day throughout his later life. Hooker was a speaker at the Vegetarian Society's Diamond Jubilee anniversary in 1907. In 1907, thirteen medical men including Hooker signed a manifesto stating that vegetarianism is "scientifically a sound and satisfactory system of dietetics" and superior to health than meat eating.

N-rays

Hooker developed Prosper-René Blondlot's N-ray theory. He held the view that all organisms emit N-rays and they are coloured differently depending on mental and physical factors of the individual.

Selected publications

An Unusually Severe Case of Syphilis Acquired Without any Primary Sore (The Lancet, 1884) A New Light and Colour Bath (The Lancet, 1903) Electric-Light Baths for Hospitals (The Lancet, 1904) Human and Plant Rays (The Lancet, 1904) Human Rays and Their Spectra (The Lancet, 1904) The Trend of Modern Medicine (1905) The Letters of Little Mary (1905) The Higher Medicine (1907) How Not to Grow Old (1913) On Learning to Breathe (1913) A New Suggestion Treatment: Without Hypnotism (1914) A Spiritual Basis of Health (1921) The Newer Practice of Medicine (1932) The Humane Family Doctor (1937)