Bertrand Peter Allinson MRCS LRCP (12 August 1891 – 1 April 1975) was an English physician, naturopath and writer. He was also an anti-vaccination, anti-vivisection and vegetarianism activist.
Bertrand P. Allinson | |
|---|---|
 Bertrand P. Allinson at the Annual Vegan Dinner in 1962 | |
| Born | Bertrand Peter Allinson 12 August 1891 Marylebone, London, England[1] |
| Died | 1 April 1975 (aged 83) Marylebone, London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Physician, naturopath, writer, activist |
| Father | Thomas Allinson |
| Relatives | Adrian Allinson (brother) |
Life and career
editAllinson was the son of Thomas Allinson and brother of Adrian Allinson.[2][3] He was raised as a vegetarian and studied medicine. Allinson qualified MRCS and LRCP in 1914 from the University College Hospital.[4] He was a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps (1916–1920).[4] Allinson was a physician at the British Hospital for Mental and Nervous Diseases.[2]
Allinson was an anti-vaccinationist and anti-vivisectionist. He opposed the use of pharmaceutical drugs which he believed hindered the "automatic cleansing process".[2] Allinson wrote articles supportive of naturopathy. He was vice-president of the National Anti-Vaccination League.[2]
Allinson was a physician at the Nature Cure Clinic, a naturopathic hospital which promoted vegetarianism and animal welfare causes such as anti-vivisection.[5] The Nature Cure Clinic opened in 1928 at an apartment in Baker Street.[6] In 1940, the out-patient building was destroyed by bombing and the Clinic moved to Allinson's house in Dorset Square. After the war, the clinic moved to Oldbury Place.[6]
Allinson was treasurer of the London and Provincial Anti-Vivisection Society.[7] His daughter Sonya Madeleine Allinson was an artist.[8]
Vegetarianism
editAllinson stated that fruit juice fasting, a strict vegetarian diet and naturopathic practices such as hydrotherapy and osteopathy could be used to prevent and cure many diseases including cancer, hypertension and rheumatism.[7][9][10][11] He opposed the consumption of alcohol, coffee, meat, processed sugar, tea, white bread and promoted a vegetarian diet of raw fruit, nuts, salads, dairy products and whole grains.[11] He described alcohol, coffee and tea as injurious to the functions of the body.[12] Allinson recommended persons between the ages of 25 and 55 to take two meals per day and after that age one meal per day in the afternoon.[12] Allinson was vice-president of East Surrey Vegetarian Society.[13]
Allinson was vice-president of the International Vegetarian Union (1958–1963) and President of the London Vegetarian Society (1922–1962).[14][15]
Selected publications
edit- Mice and Men: Part 1, Mice and Men: Part 2 (The Starry Cross, 1922)
- Meat in the Child’s Dietary (The British Medical Journal, 1935)
- The Diet of the Future (Croydon Vegetarian Society, 1942)
- Diet and High Blood Pressure (The Vegetarian Society, 1947)
- Status of Naturopathy (The British Medical Journal, 1951)
- Nature Cure (The British Medical Journal, 1952)
References
edit- ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d Brown, P. S. (1991). "Medically Qualified Naturopaths and the General Medical Council" (PDF). Medical History. 35 (1): 50–77. doi:10.1017/s0025727300053126. PMC 1036269. PMID 2008122. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ^ Powys, John Cowper; Krissdottir, Morine. (1998). The Dorset Year: The Diary of John Cowper Powys, June 1934-July 1935. Powys Press. p. 119. ISBN 9781874559191
- ^ a b The Medical Directory 1969. Churchill Livingstone, 1969. p. 27
- ^ "The Vegetarian Movement in England 1847-1981: A Study in the Structure of Its Ideology". International Vegetarian Union. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Nature Cure Clinic and Hospital". Ezitis.myzen.co.uk. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ a b Anti-Vivisection. Western Mail (March 22, 1933). p. 11
- ^ Who's Who in Art: Volume 33. Art Trade Press, 2008. p. 12
- ^ Pure Diet For Health. West Bridgford Advertiser (May 30, 1925). p. 3
- ^ Nature Diet. Birmingham Daily Gazette. (May 10, 1927). p. 10
- ^ a b Diet to Abolish Rheumatism. Reynolds's Newspaper. (May 11, 1930). p. 9
- ^ a b Dietetic Sinners: Vegetarian Leader Pleads for Two Meals a Day. Daily News (October 18, 1921). p. 5
- ^ Vegetarian Societies Join Forces. The Advertiser (May 23, 1958). p. 6
- ^ "Dr. Bertrand P. Allinson M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.". International Vegetarian Union. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ New President for Vegetarian Society. Kensington Post (April 27, 1962). p. 4