Edgar J. Saxon

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Edgar J. Saxon
Born1877
Died1956
Occupation(s)Naturopath, writer

Edgar J. Saxon (1877-1956) was a British environmentalist, naturopath and alternative health writer. He was a pioneer of the organic movement.[1]

Biography

Saxon was born Ernest Savage and later changed his name to Edgar J. Saxon.[2] He was born at the East End of London and moved to Wimbledon as a child.[1] He worked for an office firm but took a day off in 1897 to walk the hills to the River Dee.[3] He suffered from foot pain so decided to take his boots off and put his feet in a waterfall.[3] He stated that his feet had been cured the next morning by an energy in the water unknown to science and he considered himself restored by a "nature cure". He believed that people in modern society had become alienated from the healing properties of nature.[3]

In 1908, Saxon met

nudism.[1]

Between the wars, Saxon created the first health food restaurants known as "Vitamin Cafés" and a naturopathic centre in

Conway Hall.[1] He was founding member and former president of the Nature Cure Association of Great Britain.[5]

Saxon advocated

whole foods, which are grown without artificials or processed and refined.[1] He campaigned against the use of sugar and white bread.[1] Saxon's books were published by Charles William Daniel.[6]

Saxon promoted vegetarianism but criticized veganism as he believed it would lead to impoverished soil through lack of humus.[7]

Selected publications

  • Right Diet for Children (1912)
  • Towards Radiant Health (1925)
  • Complete Guide to Sound, Successful and Attractive Food Reform (with Maud Baines, 1929)
  • Fruit: Its Use and Misuse (1929)[8]
  • Why Aluminum Pans Are Dangerous (1939)
  • Soil and Human Health (1939)[9]
  • Good Food from Healthy Soil (1945)
  • Simple And Attractive Food Reform (1948)
  • Sensible Food for All: In Britain and Temperate Zones (1949)
  • A Sense of Wonder (1977)

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ a b "Archives Charles William Daniel Company". Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  3. ^
  4. ^ Conford, Philip (2002). "The Myth of Neglect: Responses to the Early Organic Movement, 1930-1950". Agricultural History Review. 50 (1): 80–106.
  5. S2CID 40813192
    .
  6. ^ Watson, Donald (1948). "Veganism and Humus". The Vegan. 4 (4): 4–5.
  7. ^ "Reviews and Notices of Books". British Journal of Inebriety. 22 (4): 192–205. 1925.
  8. ^ "Brief Notices". The Quarterly Review of Biology. 14 (4): 468. 1939.

External links