Joel Shew | |
---|---|
Born | November 13, 1816 |
Died | October 6, 1855 |
Occupation(s) | Hydrotherapist, writer |
Joel Shew (November 13, 1816 - October 6, 1855)[1] was an American physician, hydrotherapist and natural hygiene advocate.
Shew was born in Providence, Saratoga County. He worked in a daguerreotype shop in Philadelphia and obtained his medical degree in 1843.[2] Shew took interest in hydrotherapy and visited Gräfenberg to study Vincenz Priessnitz's techniques.[3][4] His wife, Marie Louise Shew was also a hydrotherapist. They were friends of Mary Gove Nichols who had temporarily lodged at their house. The Shews operated a hydrotherapy "water-cure" house and opened it to patients.[2]
In 1844, Shew established the first water-cure institution in New York City.[3] In May 1845, he opened the New Lebanon Springs Water-Cure Establishment, which cost about US$3,000.[5] He was the co-owner and advising physician. David Campbell was its manager for ten years.[5] Shew was influenced by the dieting ideas of Sylvester Graham and promoted natural hygiene practices such as bathing, exercise and massage as well as the elimination of alcohol and tobacco.[3] Historian Stephen Nissenbaum has noted "it is clear that Shew was a Grahamite before he discovered the water-cure".[6] Shew and his wife were vegetarian.[7]
In 1850, Shew wrote notes and additions for the American edition of William Lambe's Water and Vegetable Diet.[8] He died at Oyster Bay, Long Island.[1] An autopsy revealed an enlarged liver and internal lesions. This may have been caused by the chemicals he was exposed to during his earlier career as a photographer.[9]
In 1845, Shew launched The Water-Cure Journal. After 1850, it had a subscription list of 50,000.[3] Russell Trall edited the journal from 1849 and it was later renamed, The Herald of Health.[10][11][12]