[The herbalist pastor Johann Künzle and the medical community]

The famous herbalist, Johann Künzle, was not only a catholic priest but also a popular healer. A quack doctor with a great deal of psychological skill, he published numerous books and journals on the use of medicinal herbs. Over one million copies of his bestselling book "Chrut and Uchrut" were sold in German alone. With his outstanding knowledge of herbs he literally created an industry out of herbal remedies. Opinions about the legendary "herb Father" differed considerably and still do today. Some consider that he was a great philanthropist, others that he was merely a charlatan and clever businessman. Certainly his activities as one of the most famous exponents of alternative medicine in Swiss history were regarded with deep suspicion by the medical profession. The success of Johann Künzle and his remedies emphasises the importance of psychological factors both in sickness and in health and also the irrational belief which so many people tend to have about illness and health.