Dutch general practitioner, proponent of alternative medicine and amateur archaeologist.
Frits Gouwe studied medicine in Utrecht and graduated in Groningen (15 June 1922). He practised in Woerden (1923), Ruinen (1925) and Veere (1926). From 1927-1931, he was government physician in the Dutch-Indies. After returning to Holland by ship, he applied for the vacant post of doctor Cysouw in Lutten. Gouwe was appointed by council decree of 17 April 1931 as municipal physician of the Ambt Hardenberg and established himself as general practitioner for the northern part of this municipality. His office house was villa Eikenoord in Lutten.
Gouwe focused on combating tuberculosis, because in the poor rural region of Lutten many suffered from TBC, causing many deaths. He was a great advocate of hygiene, fresh air and good and healthy food. Gouwe was also against the use of experimental animals and active member of the anti-vivisection movement. Fertilizer was in his opinion poison for the country and he therefore pleaded for natural fertilization. Together with Bierman, he started a large animal feed research. He also experimented with the cultivation of herbs for medical applications. He put together his own herbal medicines, including a self developed asthma drink for which the whole country became interested. Gouwe held lectures in various places to make his views known. From his hand are numerous writings and articles about his studies on paranormal and alternative medicine.
When tuberculosis was almost controlled, he focussed in the fight against cancer . Gouwe was a fervent natural man, a traitor of paranormal medicine such as the work of magnetisers and alternative cancer control methods. Together with Dr. Cornelis Moerman , he has tested pigeon feed to investigate which substances in foods could prevent or cure cancer. He also treated certain patients by short-wave irradiation according to the method of Dr. Jules Samuels .
As an officer of health, he was mobilized in 1939 in Oud-Leusden . On 9 May 1940 he was mobilised again in Soesterberg. On 13 May 1940, he went to Montfoort and on 14 May to Rotterdam to provide medical assistance to victims of the bombing. He returned home mid-May 1940.
Gouwe was passively involved in the resistance. He gave many men a TBC statement to prevent their forced employment in Germany. A by Gouwe invented serum to enhance the immune system was used by many. The skin was scratched on the upper arm and rubbed into the serum. As a medical doctor, he was active in providing medical assistance to hiding people, refugees and pilots. Suspected of assistance to shot-down Allied pilots, he was arrested and questioned, but he refused to provide information to the Germans because of his oath of office. By lack of evidence, Gouwe was first released, but on 13 January 1944 he was lifted from his bed, and imprisoned and kept hostage in St. Michielsgestel. Eventually he arrived via camp “Waterloo” Amersfoort , from where he was taken to Germany on 16 September 1944, in Mühlberg. On 2 October, Gouwe was transferred to Camp Neubrandenburg. On 23 September 1944, his son Hans Erik Gouwe was killed by the Dutch SD men, including Karel Lodewijk Diepgrond (11 july 1896, Amsterdam, – died after his release 1957), for alleged resistance activities without processs. Repeated requests from Gouwe via the Swedish agent to the German authorities to be released in connection with this were not honored. In the end he was freed by the Russians and returned home on 5 June 1945.
After the Second World War, Frits Gouwe, emaciated by all misery and hardship, quickly recovered his practice in Lutten and treated many cancer patients in addition to his regular patients. He died after a cerebral hemorrhage at the Röpcke Zweers Hospital in Hardenberg on September 25, 1962.
In addition to his work as a doctor, he was also a great nature lover and amateur archaeologist. Together with Mr. Jongsma, Bakker and Van Laar, he founded an antique room (oudheidkamer) in Hardenberg in 1948. The pre-historic bottom discoveries he delved together with, amongst others, the village poet H. van Laar throughout the area, he entered in an antiquity room (now “Historiekamer”). In addition, doctor Gouwe was in the fifties consul of the ANWB . In this function he prepared hiking trails, asking the farmers permission to let the route run over their land.the route run over their land.
Link to Dutch Wikipedia