Abstract
As there has recently been growing interest in Alternative Medicine, Oriental Medicals have been trying to incorporate Alternative Medicine into Oriental Medicine evolutionarily. The purpose of this study is to make a comparative study of the historical background and present condition, the view of life, the principle of therapeutics, and the various therapeutics in Alterative Medicine and Oriental Medicine from the viewpoint of Oriental Medicine. The conclusion of this study is; 1. Although Alternative Medicine has become influential mainly in the effort of finding a solution the limit of western medicine, the clinical effect of Alternative Medicine should be verified continuously. 2. Alternative Medicine includes all of the therapeutics such as Traditional Medicine, Naturopathy, Complementary Medicine and Selective Medicine whose characters are different from Western Medicine and Oriental Medicine can be regarded as a sort of Alternative Medicine. 3. The holistic, systematic view of life of Alternative Medicine, from which viewpoint human considered as a harmonious vital existence, is a sort of recurrence to the view of Hipporcrates. 4. From the viewpoint of Alternative Medicine, a disease is not partial but holistic disorder and is treated by utilizing natural products as a medicine based on the principle that pursues harmonious and balanced psychosomatic function. This principle of therapeutic is the same as Oriental Medicine is based on. 5. Alternative Medicine may be classified largely five category, (1) Eastern Therapy, (2) Manipulative Therapy, (3) Natural Therapy, (4) Active Therapy, (5) Therapy Involving External Powers. 6. Besides Alternative Medicine which is used in clinical treatment, Massage, Homeopathy, Bach Flower remedies, Meditation, and other Music Therapy and Color Therapy is relatively accordant with therapeutics in Oriental Medicine and should be more actively accepted in clinics and improved.