Evarts G. Loomis - Origins of Holistic Approach

Origins of Holistic Approach

He was inspired to conceptualize holistic medicine while a young doctor working for the Grenfell Mission, which served the fisherman families of Newfoundland and Labrador, traveling by dog sled and boat when necessary. "It was out of the ethers, or perhaps from God, that the words 'Treat the whole man, treat the whole man,' kept flashing through my mind, and they have been with me ever since. For the next eighteen years, I gave much thought as to the practical application of a therapy that would include the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of illness." Because Evarts grew up in a spiritual, humanitarian, and global environment, he was already naturally applying these concepts at the medical mission. He used prayer and meditation, in particular, in conjunction with his mother Amy and later with other spiritual healers.

Several other factors also contributed to his holistic world view. While working in this northern climate, Evarts had gained extensive surgical experience and was accepted as a fellow in the American College of Surgeons. While he loved surgery, he felt it was too limiting and chose instead to follow a career in family practice, which included surgery, and he became a fellow in the American College of Family Physicians. As an undergraduate at Haverford College, a Quaker school, Evarts read Holism and Evolution 1 by Jan Christiaan Smuts, a South African statesman and soldier. This book also influenced his tendency toward holism. In addition, he was deeply impressed by his philosophy professor, the well-known Quaker mystic Rufus Jones, founder of the American Friends Service Committee.