William H. Fitzgerald
William H. Fitzgerald was an American medical doctor and ear, nose, and throat specialist known for introducing an early form of reflexology, termed zone therapy, to the United States in 1913. He graduated from the University of Vermont in 1895 and went on to work in various medical institutions, including Boston City Hospital and a specialized nose and throat hospital in London. Fitzgerald proposed that applying pressure to specific areas of the hands and feet could induce an anesthetic effect on other body parts, aiding in pain management during procedures such as dental surgery and childbirth. Along with Edwin Bowers, he published the influential book "Zone Therapy" in 1917, which aimed to empower individuals with self-treatment techniques using noninvasive methods.
Fitzgerald’s work gained traction among the public, particularly among laborers seeking accessible pain relief techniques. While his methods garnered support from some contemporaries, including figures in naturopathy, they also faced criticism from traditional medical practitioners. Despite the mixed reception, Fitzgerald's concepts have continued to evolve, influencing the development of reflexology into the twenty-first century. His legacy remains significant in the field of alternative medicine, where his contributions still resonate with practitioners and patients alike.
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William H. Fitzgerald
American medical doctor who introduced zone therapy, later known as reflexology, to the United States
- Born: 1872
- Died: 1942
Overview
American medical doctor who introduced zone therapy, later known as reflexology, to the United States. William H. Fitzgerald was an American ear, nose, and throat specialist who, with Edwin Bowers, introduced an early form of what is now known as reflexology to the United States in 1913. Fitzgerald claimed that applying pressure to certain parts of the body (especially the hands and feet) had an anesthetic effect on other areas of the body. Fitzgerald graduated with a medical degree from the University of Vermont in 1895, worked at Boston City Hospital for about two years, then worked as a physician at a nose and throat hospital in London, and later became the head of the nose and throat department at St. Francis in Hartford, Connecticut.
Fitzgerald commonly recommended, for example, the use of clothes pins or rubber bands to pinch certain regions, or zones, of the extremities to overcome or cope with pain in other areas of the body. Such practices were said to have helped persons undergoing dental surgery, minor ear or nose surgeries, and even childbirth. In addition, he reported that electrical shock and lasers could be useful treatments for certain ailments. He posited that such therapy not only could provide an anesthetic effect but also could sometimes remedy the underlying cause of the pain or ailment.
With Edwin Bowers, Fitzgerald published the book Zone Therapy (1917), the name by which reflexology was known until the early 1960s. This book was intended to instruct persons on self-treatment between clinical visits, and it thus received much public attention, especially from “working men,” after its publication. It is believed that reflexology received a large amount of attention because it was based on a noninvasive healing method that could be carried out in the home.
Fitzgerald’s practices were advocated by a number of esteemed colleagues during his lifetime, including Benedict Lust (the founder of naturopathy in the United States), and were further developed by other influential reflexologists, such as Eunice D. Ingham, who brought the field closer to its state in the twenty-first century. Fitzgerald and the practice of reflexology have also received criticism from other clinicians, especially those rooted in more traditional modern medicine. However, Fitzgerald’s and Bowers’s ideas and practices continue to be used and expanded upon.
Bibliography
Boyle, Kerry, and Daley Quinn. “Foot Reflexology Chart: Points, How-To, Benefits, and Risks.” Healthline, 27 Jan. 2022, www.healthline.com/health/foot-reflexology-chart. Accessed 16 Aug. 2023.
Fitzgerald, William H., and Edwin Frederick Bowers. Zone Therapy: Or, Relieving Pain at Home. Reprint. Whitefish, Mont.: Kessinger, 2007.
“The History of Reflexology.” Ontario College of Reflexology, 2023, hwww.ocr.edu/history.htm. Accessed 16 Aug. 2023.
Issel, Christine. Reflexology: Art, Science, and History. 4th ed. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Frontier,1990.
Marquardt, Hanne. Reflex Zone Therapy of the Feet: A Textbook for Therapists. Rochester, Vt.: Healing Arts Press, 1988.