biopathy

English

Etymology

From bio- +‎ -pathy.

Noun

biopathy (plural biopathies)

1. In the orgone theory of Wilhelm Reich, a disturbance in the energy flow of the plasmatic system (nervous and vascular systems) of an organism, held to cause various maladies.
   • 1973, William Edward Mann, Orgone, Reich, and Eros: Wilhelm Reich's Theory of Life Energy‎^[1], page 199:

     After the initial improvement of the female cancer patient, the subsequent sequel of difficulties laid bare the complexity and depth of her cancer biopathy and its resistance to cure.

   • 1980, Natty Bumppo, Natalie Bumppo, Ideas for a Better America‎^[2], page 66:

     Although more basic therapy is necessary to attack the root causes of biopathy, orgone radiation has been shown to relieve the symptoms of such biopathies as cancer and hypertension.

   • 2013, James E. Strick, William Reich, Biologist‎^[3], page 206:

     Over the next several years, Reich worked out a concept of some diseases, including cancer, as “biopathies” or “biopathic diseases.”

2. Any of various holistic medical practices that seek to restore the body to a harmonious state.
   • 1997, J Osato, P Sidorov, AG Soloviov, “Biopathy and quality of life in patients ill with chronic alcoholism”, in European Neuropsychopharmacology, volume 7, number 1002:

     Thus, we can make a conclusion that using the methods of biopathy in the treatment of chronic alcoholics, specifically B-N, provides positive changes in the indexes of quality of life in terms of generalized criterion of effectiveness of rehabilitating measures that may form the basis of treatment preventing relapse of the disease.

   • 2001, Terry C. Walker, Richard Kendall Miller, Ciji A. Fleming, 2001 Health Care Business Market Research Handbook, page 601:

     Biopathy is a method of treatment that, without harmful side effects, enhances quality of life by safely and promptly reducing sufferings that arise from physical discomforts due to pain and illness.

   • 2010 February 14, Gayani Perera, “Cure high blood pressure through Japanese Biopathy”, in The Sunday Times:

     Biopathy was introduced by academician Professor Akira Osato in the year 1969.

   • 2012, Merrill Singer, Hans Baer, Introducing Medical Anthropology: A Discipline in Action, page 165:

     CAM therapies focused upon proper nutrition and the technologies of biopathy illustrated, for instance, by use of an "electrical apparatus showing signs of light and sound" exemplify this model, which is characterized by "principles of democracy, consultancy, and uniqueness."

   • 2019, Nick Yablon, Remembrance of Things Present: The Invention of the Time Capsule, page 165:

     Another alternative therapy touted in the Detroit vessel was biopathy. This now-forgotten practice rejected all medication, viewing the human body as an electric battery (consisting of twelve "elements") that, if kept topped up, could run for 140 years or more.

Related terms

• biokinesis
• telepathy
• empathy
• technopathy