Michael Schüppach, Miracle Doctor Emmentaler

Michael Schüppach became famous as a miracle doctor and mountain doctor in the 18th century along the Emmental River, thanks to his sometimes unconventional methods.

Katrin Brenner/Swiss National Museum

When the poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and his companion Duke Carl August arrived in the city on October 17, 1779, they were surprised “…It's weird and very thick…” Michael, also known as Michelle Schupach, stood up. Their vision of the acclaimed miracle doctor was a little different. In addition, the man was in a bad mood that day. He suffered from digestive problems and his wife Marie Flückiger was absent. She was also the one who helped the “mountain doctor” and acted as translator when French-speaking patients arrived.

Michael Schüppach was born in Biglen, Belgium, in 1707, the eldest of seven children. He left school at 16 and began working as an apprentice as a shearer (also known as a shearer). In addition to hair care, the job also includes medical training as a surgeon and surgeon. Young Michael was so good at dealing with patients that at the age of only 20 he was able to take over the management of Hans Fuhrer's menstrual office in Langnau, Emmental.

Between Chemistry and Naturopathy

But Schupach's interests went far beyond what he had previously learned. He is a good observer. Goethe described him as treating his “…bright, sharp eyes…” Looking at his visitors, one could almost see into their hearts. As a proponent of the humoral medical theory, which at the time was already being questioned outside of Emmental, his diagnosis was undoubtedly a success. By observing the urine and observing the patient, he was able to implement some of the correct treatments.

Emmentalers learn throughout their lives. His knowledge of natural medicine was as rich as his knowledge of chemistry. He usually mixed his own tinctures and concoctions, sometimes giving them strange names such as, «Brumlich», “Happy Oil” or “Love the dewdrops from heaven”. Michael Schüppach also kept detailed records of his patients, their suffering, his treatments and the medications he prescribed.

Travel pioneer

Goethe was not really ill when he stopped in Langnau during his trip to Switzerland. He's just curious. This is how other interested and obviously sick people ended up in the Emmental River. Schupach's famous guests also included Johann Caspar Lavater, the priest, philosopher and (now controversial) physiognomist and travel writer César de Saussure. de Saussure, Sun Tzu’s mathematician and physicist Samuel Rudolf Jeanneret, and Rosine König von Wittenbach Wyttenbach, who suffered from diabetes that Michael Schupach could not treat. cure.

But not everyone admired the Emmental doctor. One of his greatest critics was Albrecht von Haller (1708-1777), a famous physician and natural scientist from Bern. He had never been to Schupach, but he described Dr. Langnau as a “barker” and based his opinion largely on Jacob Kochlin's reports. He was also a doctor and came from Alsace, and in 1775 he visited Schupach, the “peasant from Langnau”.

However, all this criticism did not harm Bergdoktor's popularity in any way. At its peak, his small clinic saw 80 to 90 patients. His guests often stayed overnight or for several days. Schüppach purchased it in 1733 Barron Inn in Langnau in order to practice there and also be able to provide accommodation. His spa house was built in 1739, along with a residential building and a laboratory. Schupach created a small empire for himself and thus pioneered tourism in the Langnau region.

What Michael Schupach may have lacked in medical training, he made up for in knowledge of human nature. His psychological feelings for the other person are very obvious. His openness to new treatments is also astounding. For example, a doctor purchases an electrified machine. The device was revolutionary for its time and was designed to cure people allegedly possessed by demons through targeted electric shocks. Unfortunately, we don't know how successful he was at this.

Despite his numerous medical successes, the Emmentaler was a product of his time and, like most of his local patrons, was deeply superstitious. In his practice at Langnau there were, among other things, appropriate remedies such as gem powder, spiders, toads and even “unicorn” horns (narwhal teeth).

Manual electric machine designed by Michael Schüppach.Picture: zVg

Description of the narwhal from a British biology school textbook (front), 1889.Image: Wikimedia

Business is going well. The entry in Schupach's appointment book attests to this. Some patients come from far away places. They allowed the doctor and his family to live a comfortable life, and also brought an almost international atmosphere to Langnau. However, some of his professional colleagues were skeptical of his success. Michael Schüppach performed treatments and operations on people without passing the examination for a master's degree. He also trained apprentices and helped investigate the murder of Hans Heimberg, who was found murdered in a small barn in Troub in 1754.

Only after receiving two warnings did he take the master's examination in 1746. bern surgical society After all, they have been allowed to move since then “Practice of Medicine and Surgery” to name.

Michael Schupach himself doesn't seem to pay much attention to the medical advice he gives his customers. Modern images and descriptions of his guests show him to be a rather stout and quiet man who usually attended to his patients while seated. A stroke ended his life at the age of 74, and he was forgotten for a long time.