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' ,"# /*0(0,1+20-,-3

40.'0.5 + 6+," 7)( 8)9#. ,"()15" :+,1(#
Chiistine Feiiy
Becembei 1S, 2u11
Women's Stuuies S72
Ny euucation thus fai has been thoiough in some aieas. I've seaicheu
thiough the mechanisms of oiganic chemistiy anu biain, anu up until a couple of
months ago, I thought my euucation was faiily complete. But this I founu was not
tiue. I have iealizeu that my euucation in histoiy, paiticulaily the women's iights
movement, has been seveiely lacking. Foi me, until a few months ago, the women's
iights movement was a magical uay in Seneca Falls that happeneu anu then women
hau the iight to vote. Since then, I have leaineu that the women's suffiage
movement was a long, haiu stiuggle that lasteu until the 192us, anu the movement
is still being caiiieu on. Why is such an impoitant movement being foigotten in
euucation. Anu why have few iecognizeu that othei movements influenceu it. As I
founu out thiough my stuuies, spiiitualism anu hyuiopathy, viitually unknown to
many people, weie vitally impoitant to the women's iights movement. These iauical
movements in the nineteenth centuiy weie funuamental to women's gaining of
iights thiough a feminine appioach to health anu ieligion.
As I lookeu moie into these movements, it fiustiateu me knowing that I was
ignoiant to all of these pieces of histoiy that liteially took place less than a mile
away. Byuiopaths oiiginally intiigueu me with theii iueas of how to live theii life by
going back to natuie. But then I iealizeu they weie not a iauical fiinge movement,
but insteau hau a ieal piesence in societytheie was even a watei cuie in ueneva.
uoing back thiough the ieauings showeu me how closely ielateu Spiiitualism anu
hyuiopaths weie in suppoiting the same iefoim iueas. Both movements hau one
cential focus: women's iights. So as I uiscoveieu this unknown woilu of histoiy, I
founu that Spiiitualism anu hyuiopathy complementeu each othei nicely as they
helpeu women gain powei by moving back to natuie.
In the nineteenth centuiy, women hau one iole in society, which was locateu
in the home. Women weie given the iesponsibility "to pioviue the emotional anu
oinamental anchois" foi theii homes anu society
1
. Buiing this time, women became
peiceiveu as moie pious, untoucheu by the sins of society. It woulu make sense,
then, that women woulu be the leaueis of ieligion in society. Bowevei, this was not
tiue; publicly, they weie kept fiom speaking to mixeu auuiences because of
Coiinthians 14:S4, a bible passage which ueclaieu that women shoulu keep silent in
chuich
2
. But in the social powuei keg of upstate New Yoik, women founu theii voice.
In upstate New Yoik 1848, the Fox sisteis heaiu iappings anu igniteu the
Spiiitualist movement
S
. Biauue sums this up nicely by saying, "As meuiums, women
became souices of ieligious tiuth anu, as such, assumeu the authoiity of ieligious
leaueis."
4

The health of uppei-class victoiian women was less than optimal. When
Catheiine Beechei suiveyeu hei acquaintances on theii health, she founu that no
woman believeu she was healthy
S
. Nany people blameu the lifestyle that incluueu
pooi eating habits anu fashionable uiess
6
. Society's piegnancy noims weie haimful
to the women's bouy by having hei constantly be with chilu. The hyuiopaths
auuiesseu these issues with a natuial iegimen of plain uiet, exeicise, anu colu watei

1
Ncuaiiy p. 1S8
2
Biauue p. 91
S
Ncuaiiy p. S2
4
Biauue p. 84
S
Sklai p. 69
6
Bonegan p.68
that they believeu woulu stiengthen bouies by biinging them back to natuie. The
iegimen itself speaks to how natuie oiienteu hyuiopaths weie. They useu watei, a
sign in Chiistianity of cleansing, to help tieat the sick. The exeicise was a key
component in that women weie foiceu to go outsiue anu walk among natuie. While
the benefits of exeicise aie innumeiable, theie is also something to be saiu foi the
walk itself thiough becoming in touch with natuie again. The foou was veiy natuial
anu looks similai to the uiaham uiet
7
.
Spiiitualism was a veiy uiffeient kinu of ieligion than ones saw in upstate
New Yoik at the time. 0ne of its uefining featuies was its ueuication to
inuiviuualism. Because of its lack of oiganization, people weie alloweu to foim theii
own iueas about spiiitualism, which cieateu an oveiall moie feminine ieligion.
Because of the "anaichism", Spiiitualism alloweu "a positive ieligious expiession
that haimonizeu with extieme inuiviuualism of iauical iefoim."
8
. This cieateu a
"tangle of -isms," of iefoim movements the Spiiitualists suppoiteu, incluuing
women's suffiage
9
. Ncuaiiy uesciibes this with, "The feminization of ieligion uiu
piouuce moie humane, less iigiu institutions anu incieaseu the piominence of
women in ieligious oiganizations as leaueis anu laypeisons."
1u
This might have
paitially been uone by Spiiitualism being biought into the "woman's spheie by
ielocating ieligious piactice fiom the chuich to the home."
11
This feminization also
cieateu one of the few ieligions at the time that saw the genueis as opposites, but

7
Ncuaiiy p. 48
8
Biauue p. 62
9
Ncuaiiy p. S7
1u
Ncuaiiy p.11
11
Biauue p.24
iequiieu an equal balance. The ieligious leaueis weie also seen as moie feminine
because it iequiieu a passive spiiit to be channeleu. 0ne of these ieligious leaueis
was Coia Scott, who was uesciibeu as being young, feminine, anu passive
12
. She
became one of the most ienowneu meuiums of the time, so that she was even
incluueu in a speech at a woman's iights convention, even though she was not
uiiectly connecteu to the women's iights movement
1S
. By making an iueal meuium
one that is feminine, women weie alloweu to become ieligious speakeis without
iewiiting genuei ioles.
As Biauue states, "In watei cuie, Spiiitualists founu a meuical system in
sympathy with theii iefoim oiientation."
14
While spiiitualism was iethinking the
minu anu spiiitual iealm, hyuiopathy was looking at the bouy anu biinging it back
to natuie. The hyuiopaths weie in contest with allopathic uoctois, so they offeieu
tieatments that weie seen as natuial, such as watei. Bowevei, as Bonegan explains,
hyuiopaths hau laigei goals than just helping the sick:
Theii laigei goal was the iefoimation of the lifestyle of Ameiicans giown
caieless of theii health as they succumbeu to the 'aitificial habits'
chaiacteiistic of an incieasingly uynamic, uibanizing, inuustiializing
society.
1S

Byuiopaths believeu that a sounu bouy coulu piouuce a sounu minu. It is possible,
then, that hyuiopaths ielateu fact that 'neivous uisoiueis' weie common among
victoiian women along with physical ailments. To countei the uebilitating effects of

12
Ncuaiiy p. 24
1S
Biauue p. 96
14
Biauue p.1S4
1S
Bonegan p.4
society, hyuiopaths iecommenueu a plain uiet anu iegulai exeicise. Theii main
souice of healing was, of couise, watei. Watei has been useu as a spiiitual cleansei
like that of a baptism anu has been useu to heal at many ieligious sites such as
Louiues, Fiance. The ueneva Watei Cuie auveitiseu baths such as, "Plunge baths,
Bouche baths, anu Flow baths" all using "white spiing watei"
16
. In theii puisuit of
health, hyuiopaths auvocateu foi many causes, but one that many weie passionate
about was uiess iefoim, which is also a favoiite movement in Spiiitualism.
The laige skiits anu coisets of women's fashion in the victoiian eia weie
thought to keep women confineu anu hau uebilitating health effects. Coisets laceu
too tightly coulu hinuei bieathing anu ovei time uefoim iib cage stiuctuie, keeping
women insiue anu out of society. The laige skiits weie not only uifficult to move
aiounu in, they weie helu up by stiings that hau the tenuency to uig into the bouy
17
.
Spiiitualists anu hyuiopaths weie auvocates foi the uiess iefoim even aftei the
women's iights movement hau uioppeu it because of the ciiticism
18
. Even though
not all membeis of the movements believeu in the uiess iefoim, theie weie many
ueuicateu to the cause.
The Spiiitualists useu the same iueas as the women's iights movement to
uemanu uiess iefoim. "Confining clothes kept women in theii 'place' anu iestiicteu
women's movement so as to ienuei them incapable of ventuiing outsiue theii
spheie."
19
This quote shows how the Spiiitualists saw uiess iefoim. By saying that it
"iestiicteu women's movement" can easily mean that the victoiian uiess was

16
Biigham p. 1u4
17
Bonegan p. 1SS
18
Biauue p. 1SS
19
Biauue p. 1S2
hinueiing the women's iights movement. Anothei impoitant pait of hei quote is
saying that they aie "incapable of ventuiing outsiue theii spheie," which has
impoitance to spiiitualists that weie cieating piactically a new ieligion wheie
genuei is equal. They saw the uiess as symbolizing seivituue to men similai to how
the women's iights movement vieweu it. Biess iefoim uiu not have univeisal appeal
among spiiitualists, especially meuiums. Neuiums tenueu to weai "flashiei" outfits
when giving speeches
2u
. This illustiates the 'tangle of -isms' uesciibeu above by
showing that Spiiitualists uiu not always suppoit the same causes.
The fashion of the time was hinueiing to women's movement anu health, anu
theiefoie the hyuiopaths believeu it neeueu to be fixeu befoie women coulu ieach
theii full potentialit was the hyuiopaths' belief that not until women weie healthy
coulu they become equal to men in society. As Lyuia Sayei Basbiouck saiu, "Biess
iefoim to us is synonymous with health iefoim."
21
The solution to women's fashion
was calleu the Ameiican costume anu was uevelopeu by a woman's suffiagist anu
incluueu a skiit hemmeu at the knee with Tuikish pants with a bouice that fit
comfoitably on the woman's fiame
22
. This alloweu women to no longei be confineu
anu alloweu hei moie fieeuom to move aiounu. Not all watei cuie attenuees weie
iefoimeis. In a pictuie titleu the 'Bygienic Institute' which shows the ueneva
Bygienic Institute in the 187us, theie aie women seen in fashionable victoiian uiess
stanuing by the builuing.

2u
Biauue p.1S2-1SS
21
Bonegan p.1S6
22
Bonegan p.1S8
To biing women into society though, women hau to bieak theii tiauitional
spheies. This coulu have been uone in numeious ways, but in the Spiiitualists' anu
hyuiopaths' way, women iaiseu themselves up by connecting to natuie anu
ietaining theii feminine qualities.
By gaining the powei of being ieligious leaueis, meuiums gaineu the powei
of public speaking as well. Tiance meuiums weie (possibly not unintentionally)
peifect foi public speaking because they claimeu to have the ability to channel
spiiits who woulu then give a speech (noimally male spiiits) oi answei questions
2S
.
They weie not the fiist women to given public speeches befoie 18Su as many
Baptist anu Quakei female pieacheis weie aiounu befoie then. What the tiance
meuiums uiu, though, was floou the lectuie halls, anu weie foi many people the fiist
women they saw speak in public
24
. Theie is a ceitain iiony to tiance meuiums in
that while they aie on the platfoim, they aie not cieuiteu as the ones giving the
speech. uenuei ioles weie pusheu fuithei as the men that gave speeches weie not
unuei contiol of a spiiit
2S
. Also, foi a meuium to be moie iealistic, she must also be
uneuucateu anu piefeiably young
26
. While Spiiitualism gave women a new
oppoitunity foi public life, the tiance meuiums uiu not help change genuei ioles foi
women.
Sometimes, though, a tiance speakei will become a lectuiei on woman's
iights oi anothei movement. As the Spiiitualist movement enueu, theie weie 'coips'

2S
Biauue p. 8S
24
Biauue p. 9u-91
2S
Biauue p. 8S
26
Biauue p. 2S
of tiance speakeis who hau expeiience in public speaking
27
. The women's iights
movement benefitteu fiom these speakeis because the women weie eloquent anu
because they weie auamant about iefoim movements. This woulu have been
especially tiue foi women who wanteu to iemain feminine but still lectuie on
women's iights. The meuiums cieateu a stanuaiu that female public speakeis kept
theii feminine tiaits on the platfoim, even if at the time it was to contact spiiits.
The hyuiopaths useu uiffeient womanly qualities to bieak woman's spheies.
"Byuiopathists consiueieu the piactice of meuicine an occupation iueally suiteu to
women."
28
because of theii natuial qualities such as "benevolent succoieis"
29
. It
was aiounu this time that Elizabeth Blackwell giauuateu fiom ueneva Neuical
College anu hyuiopaths wanteu to cieate moie female uoctois. In 18S7, the New
Yoik Bygeio-Theiapeutic College was openeu that specializeu in hyuiopathic
piinciples, awaiueu meuical uegiees, anu alloweu women aumittance
Su
. This gieatly
incieaseu the numbei of female physicians at the time, anu even in ueneva by 1862,
they weie auveitising the availability of a female physician. The iuea behinu having
female physicians is that they woulu be empathetic to a female patient's illness anu
the female patient woulu feel moie comfoitable with the physician. Foi women that
attenueu watei cuies oi coulu not attenu meuical school, theie weie tiavelling
lectuieis that taught about the bouy anu health, incluuing Naiy uove Nichols, who
was an auamant suppoitei of the uiess iefoim, hyuiopathy, anu even fiee love
S1
.

27
Biauue p. 19S
28
Bonegan p. 169
29
Bonegan p. 174
Su
Bonegan p. 174
S1
Sklai p. 69 anu 1uu
The Avon Spiing Watei Cuie was iun by Bi. Routh, who was also a spiiitualist anu
even helu conventions of speakeis at his watei cuie, biinging moie chances foim
women to leain
S2
. Byuiopaths believeu that by teaching women the basics of health,
they woulu be able to inciease the piouuctive caie of families anu make themselves
anu theii chiluien healthiei
SS
. This woulu also take ieliance off of uieaueu allopaths
anu theii often-haimful use of meuicine
S4
. By giving women the euucation of a man
on the natuial piinciples of hyuiopathy, women uiu not lose theii femininity but
insteau became moie in touch with it by becoming moie awaie of theii bouies.
That was the genius behinu Spiiitualists' anu hyuiopaths' uplifting of
women: they manageu to biing women out of theii spheies without foicing society
to give up pieconceiveu notions. When society ueciueu that women weie supposeu
to be pious anu passive, women became just that in the foim of a tiance meuium.
This alloweu women to be feminine, but still go out into society anu potentially
make money. As the uibanizeu society thieateneu uppei class women's health,
hyuiopaths showeu women the way back to natuie anu, foi some, inspiieu them to
leain anu teach theii new founu skills. While this sounu like foolpioof plans, they
aie not, anu eventually ambitious men founu ways aiounu them.
As the centuiy went on, moie men anu some women calleu foi oiganization
within the Spiiitualist community. Neuiums uiu not want an oiganization because
meuiumship gave women a fieeuom that they woulu not have hau otheiwise.

S2
Biauue p. 1S4
SS
Bonegan p. 169
S4
Sklai p. 68
Eventually an oiganization was foimeu, anu ovei the yeais meuiums weie uioppeu
slowly out of the pictuie. 0nce again men hau ieclaimeu ieligious authoiity
SS
.
Byuiopathy as a movement uiu not stay puie, eithei. The ueneva Bygienic
Institute became a sanitaiium complete with "ualvanic anu Faiauic cuiients"
employeu in electiic theiapy
S6
. The sanitaiium eventually closeu in 1914
S7
. This leu
to an enu of the hyuiopathic movement foi a time.
But as we see in Anne Baiiington's book, in health anu healing we always
come back to natuie. Befoie Woilu Wai II, theie was a ieemeigence of faith anu
holistic healing. In a jouinal calleu !"##$%&'()*, it states that psychosomatic
meuicine will make a "laigei effoit to cieate a moie natuial anu eaithbounu
appioach to healing."
S8
Anothei point that Baiiington makes is that, "Niiacles coulu
become expeiiences that people aimeu with iight unueistanuing coulu summon
themselves foi themselves."
S9
Neuiums weie known to be uevelopeu anu woulu
leain how to channel spiiits to make theii own miiacles. Theie aie spas open to the
public wheie pations can bathe with uiffeient oils to puiify theii bouies, similai to
the hyuiopaths of the nineteenth centuiy. So while the movements uieu by name,
theii iueas live on.
That is why leaining about the hyuiopaths anu the Spiiitualists is impoitant:
because we uiu not get heie by acciuent. The women's iights movement uiu not
stait in Seneca Falls, noi uiu it enu when women got an amenument to the

SS
Biauue p. 166
S6
Biigham p. 1u4
S7
"0lu Lanumaik Solu"
S8
Baiiington p. 87
S9
Baiiington p. 111
constitution. The fight foi equal iights will continue to go on much longei than it
evei shoulu. But as we look to the futuie, we cannot foiget the past anu what
influences weie piesent at the time. 0ui piesent is a ieflection of the past, anu the
past uoes not like to be foigotten.
Bibliogiaphy
Biauue, Ann. +',"-'. 0#"&"(*1 0#"&"(2'."*3 '4, 5$3)46* +"78(* "4 9"4)())4(8-)4(2&:
;3)&"-'. 2
nu
eu. Bloomington, IN:Inuiana 0niveisity Piess,2uu1.
Biigham, A. BeLancy, comp. "ueneva Watei Cuie, anu Bygienic Institute," <&"78'36*
=)4)>'? 0)4)-' @'..* '4, 5'()&.$$ A"&)-($&: '4, <2*"4)** ;,>)&("*)&. (1862):
1u4.
Bonegan }ane B. B!:,&$#'(8"- !"78C': ($ !)'.(8D1 5$3)4 '4, 5'()&EF2&) "4
;4()G)..23 ;3)&"-'. Westpoit: uieenwoou Piess, Inc., 1986.
Baiiington, Anne. H8) F2&) 5"(8"41 ; !"*($&: $I J"4,E<$,: J),"-"4). New Yoik: W.W
Noiton & Company Inc., 2uu9.
Ncuaiiy, Nolly. =8$*(* $I @2(2&)* K'*(1 0#"&"(2'."*3 '4, (8) F2.(2&'. K$."("-* $I
9"4)())4(8EF)4(2&: ;3)&"-'. Beikeley anu Los Angeles 0niveisity of
Califoinia Piess, 2uu8.
"0lu Lanumaik Solu: Bygienic Institute passes to New Banus-was Built in 1796."
=)4)>' ;,>)&("*)&E='L)((), Novembei 19, 1914.
Sklar, Kathryn K. "All Hail to Pure Cold Water." American Heritage, December 1974,
64-69 100-101.
Photogiaph: 'Bygienic Institute' by }onathon vail of the ueneva Bygienic Institute.
ueneva Bygienic Institute box, ueneva Bistoiical Society Aichives.