Natural healing in Appenzell Ausserrhoden

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Appenzellerland is famous for being a place of healing. People from all over Switzerland and neighbouring countries have sought sanatoria, canton-approved doctors of natural medicine and especially healers in the area for more than 200 years. The whey cures and health spas from the 19^th century and the remedies of Johannes Künzle (1857-1945) and Alfred Vogel (1902-1996), pioneers of herbal medicine, are legendary. Native healers like Babetter Oertle-Alder (1884-1975) in Urnäsch and Karolina Schefer-Sigrist (1891-1976) in Teufen also enjoyed an excellent reputation. The liberal legislation has been the main draw to the area for doctors of natural medicine. The law still being liberal today, it attracts healers and therapists from other cantons and neighbouring countries, and these people shape healing practices and integrative medicine in the canton. Today new arrivals are screened by a modern and demanding professional examination and by the obligation of authorization. In 2016 there were 251 registered healers in Appenzell Ausserrhoden, who, still today, are permitted to hand out remedies and “house specialities” which are exclusively registered in this canton. At the moment the list includes approximately 700 medicinal remedies and 623 house specialities that are prepared in chemists, pharmacies and healing practices (with a special permit) and which may only be dispensed from the healer’s own practice.