Theodor Hahn was born at
Ludwigslust,
Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He was influenced by the
hydrotherapy of his cousin J. H. Rausse and started his own water cure therapy in October, 1847. He worked with Rausse until his death in 1848 at a water cure institution in
Alexandersbad. Hahn operated a naturopathic sanatorium Auf der Waid in Oberwaid near
St. Gallen from 1862. Hahn was influenced by
Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland's book
Makrobiotik and began to prescribe to his patients a
lacto-vegetarian diet from 1852 that consisted of
whole wheat bread,
milk and uncooked
vegetables. Hahn's vegetarianism influenced
Eduard Baltzer,
Richard Wagner and many others. Hahn's
Die naturgemässe Diät ("The Natural Diet") in 1859 argued against the meat-based diet that was promoted by
Jacob Moleschott,
Gabriel Valentin and others. He argued for a meatless diet and provided evidence of its physiological benefits, including
longevity and
physical strength. In 1865, Hahn authored a bestseller
Das Paradies der Gesundheit, das verlorene und das wiedergefundene ("The Paradise of Health, the Lost One, and the One Regained"). Hahn also opposed animal
vivisection. Hahn died from
colon cancer on 3 March 1883. ==Selected publications==