Wer heilt, hat recht! – Ein vergessenes Genie?

Abstract

Interdisciplinary contacts between otorhinolaryngology and gynecology are rare. We commemorate a special example of such dialogue in remembrance of the rhinolaryngologist Wilhelm Fliess on the occasion of his 150 (th) birthday and 80 (th) anniversary of death in October 2008. Born in Arnswalde (Western Pomerania, today Poland) in 1858, after secondary school medical studies at Friedrich-Wilhelm-University in Berlin (Germany), graduated with Doctor of Medicine degree, in 1883 start of his own medical practice as a general practitioner in Berlin, in 1887 specialization as rhinolaryngologist. Close friendship with Sigmund Freud, considered as "midwife of psychoanalysis" and originator of biorhythm concepts. Main scientific research: nasogenital reflex theory, vital periodicity and idea of innate bisexuality. The basis was Fliess' hypothesis of "nasal reflex neurosis", a "shifting of conflicts" from the genitals to the nose. He defined endonasal "genital spots" at the anterior ends of the inferior turbinates and at the tubercula septi, which were treated by cocainization, chemical etching or cauterization to eliminate dysmenorrhea, other abdominal pain and sexual disorders. The presented rise and fall of Fliess' therapeutic nasogenital concept demonstrates that even in established theories which have been confirmed by thousand-fold successful treatment results a critical examination should be consistently performed to question the nature of our "clinical success".