Person

Paskins, William Arthur

• Paskins, Arthur W.

Dr. William Arthur Paskins, also known as Dr. Arthur W. Paskins, was a naturopathic doctor in British Columbia. Paskins was the director of the Associated Nature Cure & Physiotherapy Institute in British Columbia in the 1920s and 1930s. He wrote to the Royal Commission on State Health Insurance and Maternity Benefits of British Columbia in 1930 requesting that naturopathic medicine be covered under insurance, reminding the commission that not everyone used allopathic medicine.

Paskins was also instrumental in promoting the necessity of the Naturopathic Physicians Act of British Columbia in 1936. This was the first act in Canada to have legislation enacted specific to naturopathy.

As a result of this act, Paskins became the first chair of the Association of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia from 1936 to 1939. He was again its chair from 1942 to 1946. In 1943 Paskins also expressed interest in establishing a chair of physical medicine at the University of British Columbia.