Herbal treatments based on the recipes of Father Klimuszko

Abstract

Franciscan Father Czesław Andrzej Klimuszko (1905–1980) stands out among other Po-lish experts on herbal therapy. He was a phenomenon difficult to compare with any other naturalistic physician. Without any formal education in medicine, botany or pharmaco-gnosy, from his very childhood he possessed knowledge on therapeutic effects of plants. He used this extraordinary ability in the following years to help the ill, very often in cases in which doctors were not able to aid. Among his great merits there was also the fact that he had drawn the attention to the synergic effects of herbs which he used in his multiingredient mixtures. Having an intuitive understanding of the nature, he was a pioneer in popularizing ecology, although this was not consentient with the official standpoint of this period. Father Klimuszko alerted that the destruction of natural environment through industry would bring calamitous consequences to humanity.In his book Wróćmy do ziół („Let’s get back to herbs”) he described his own 151 herbal recipes treating 127 diseases. Other curative means that he recommended in prophylaxis and treatment were a.o.: adequately designed homes, healthy clothing, food that brings vital energy, music and water therapy. He was a great adherer of apitherapy as well as me-dicinal products of aloe vera and amber.In his opinion also natural energies possess an immense meaning for human health. He considered a forest, where all plants coexist in harmony, a natural clinic. Not all types of trees, however, have the same influence on people. Similar to the regions of Poland - there are better and worse ones for human health. A human being is a part of the nature, this is why – according to Klimuszko – also human energies can have a positive as well as a negative impact on others. For this reason he insisted on companion of persons who cause good mood and joy of living in other people.