Long before Harry Potter made them a fashion accessory, another young boy had an interesting encounter with an owl. Not at Hogwarts School, of course, but in Hungary. Back in 1837, Ignatz von Peczely accidentally broke the leg of an owl when trying to catch it and noticed a black line appear in the iris of the owl. As he nursed the owl back to health, the hunter and the hunted became friends and he noticed that where the black line had been, crooked white lines eventually appeared. Later in life, Ignatz practised as a homeopath and physician, but continued to research iridology. He compared pre- and post-operative irides (irides is the plural of iris) and correlated all the findings, forming the basis of modern iridology.
Iridology is the study of the 'iris' of the eye - the exposed nerve endings that make up the coloured part of the eye, each of which is connected to the brain. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, writings and works on iris markings and their meanings were recorded, mainly by medical practitioners in Eastern Europe. Research continued throughout the last century in the United States and many European countries. The pace of research has continued in the 21st century, providing iridologists with the most up to date information.
Under magnification, the nerves appear as fine fibres in the iris, their shape, density and colourings suggesting various essentially physical health conditions. A trained iridologist sees these nerve endings as a 'map' that reveals information about all organs and systems. Genetic strengths and weaknesses, levels of inflammation and toxicity and the efficiency of the eliminatory organs can all be assessed. Combining an ability to read this map with in-depth knowledge of anatomy, physiology and the pathways of disease, an iridologist can establish the root cause of symptoms. For example, many skin disorders stem from poor digestive chemistry while depression or fatigue may be due to glandular irregularities - in these cases, Iridology can reveal the root causes of the problems and enable them to be treated appropriately. As well as being an efficient analytical tool for existing problems, Iridology can enable the individual to take action to avoid a potential inherent predisposition manifesting as an actual disorder - some people compare it to having an MOT!
The Guild of Naturopathic Iridologists International provides the register in the UK of professionally qualified iridologists, with all Full and Associate Members having at least one therapeutic qualification in addition to their recognised Iridology Diploma. www.gni-international.org.