Alois P. Swoboda
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Alois P. Swoboda
Alois P. Swoboda (1873–1938) was a Physical Culture mail-order instructor.
Swoboda was born in Vienna on March 8, 1873, and immigrated to the U.S.A. in 1881 with his father, Adolf Swoboda. They settled in Omaha, Nebraska where he quickly found work in the local bathhouses. Mr. Swoboda subsequently worked in Omaha meatpacking factories but did not receive medical training, etc., despite insinuations of a formal education.
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Contents
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Training methods
"Conscious Evolution" was a course originally published in the late 1800s by Alois P. Swoboda. In it he claimed that it allowed one to regrow lost limbs and heal deadly disease through use of will-power which he called "Nerve force".
In 1921 the American Medical Association investigated Swoboda and his various claims and called them "quackery". They also cited his advertising as being false and misleading.[1] In 1901 President Woodrow Wilson received the Swoboda course, and according to the Woodrow Wilson House, "Wilson underwent a series of quack procedures as cures for what later would be recognized as the symptoms of hypertension"[2]
NOTE: Swoboda was never recognized as a licensed 'doctor'.
In the late 1800s Alois P. Swoboda originated the first mail order physical fitness course which featured what he called "Physiological exercise" and titled the course "Conscious Evolution."
One of his backers was Elbert Hubbard, an intellectual of the era and the founder of the Roycroft Arts and Crafts Community.
Of Swoboda, Charles Atlas said, "Everything that I know I learned from A.P.Swoboda."
Bob Hoffman, Founder of The York Barbell Company and former US Olympic Weightlifting Coach said, his Father was a Swoboda student and had "More muscle than I had ever seen" [4] but also stated that his fathers muscles were just pumped up and not very strong.
Oil Stocks
From an article in TIME Magazine
Alois P. Swoboda, mass-advertising "culture rhythm" man, was enjoined in Brooklyn from selling oil stock to members of his cult by a letter describing one "Dahlgran," alleged oil well locater. Eighteen months ago, Dr. Swoboda took in $70,000 for the stock; no oil has yet appeared. Said the letter: "This man Dahlgran through his power is to serve Swoboda and Swobodians. Dahlgran has located for me what he considers a very extensive oil pool ... and is positive that the first well will be an enormous gusher. ... I personally do not care for wealth for my own sake, but merely to aid Swobodians."[3]
No oil was found.
Links
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/70/11/799.pdf
References
[4] http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Swoboda/swoboda.htm
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