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History
of Homeopathy
The Founder of
Homeopathy
Homeopathy's roots emerge from the findings, teachings
and writings of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843).
Hahnemann graduated from medical school in 1779
and started his own medical practice. He soon began
his first homeopathic experiments in 1790, as a
result of his disillusionment with such common medical
practices of the day as purging, bloodletting, and
the use of toxic chemicals.
At one point, he gave up his own daily practice
to begin working as a chemist while translating
medical texts. It was when Hahnemann began working
on a project to translate William Cullen's Materia
Medica into German that he began his quest for a
better way of providing healthcare using the principles
of "Similars." While working on this project,
he became fascinated with a species of South American
tree-bark (cinchona) which was being used to treat
malaria-induced fever. Hahnemann ingested the bark
and discovered that it caused symptoms similar to
malaria. He continued his research into "cures"
and the idea of "similar suffering," and
began compiling his findings. Similia similibus
curentur, the Latin phrase meaning "let likes
be cured by likes," is the primary principle
of homeopathy. A homeopath searches for a substance
that produces in a healthy person those same symptoms
a patient experiences.
He concluded from this experience that effective
drugs must produce symptoms in healthy people that
are similar to the diseases they will be expected
to treat. Today this principal is known as the "Law
of Similars" and is the basis for the use of
the term homeopathy ("similar suffering").
Hahnemann and colleagues began to test various substances
to determine the types of symptoms they produced.
These results suggested to Hahnemann what the drugs
would be useful to treat. Hahnemann reasoned that
doses of these substances that produced overt symptoms
would be inappropriate for treatment of diseases
with the same symptoms. Thus he advocated reduction
of the dose to infinitesimal levels by multiple
serial dilutions of ten or hundred fold . Soluble
compounds or liquids were diluted in alcohol; insoluble
materials were serially diluted by grinding with
lactose. (more specific descriptions of his reasoning
can be found in the "philosophical basis"
section. He compiled his results into a treatise
called the "Organon of rational therapeutics"
which he first published in 1810. The sixth edition,
published in 1921, is still used today as homeopathy's
basic text. Hahnemann practiced Homeopathic medicine
for almost 50 years until his death in 1843
Homeopathy had a large impact on the practice of
medicine. The first homeopathic hospital opened
in 1832 and homeopathic medical schools opened all
over Europe. Homeopathic hospitals and practitioners
often had better outcomes compared to their allopathic
counterparts. These improved outcomes were undoubtedly
due to the harmful nature of allopathic remedies
of the time compared to the non-toxic nature of
homeopathic remedies. Thus the general public began
to tout the benefits of homeopathy and demand better
treatment from all physicians.
The
First U.S. Homeopathic School
Students of Hahnemann founded the first homeopathic
medical school in the United States in the late
1800’s. It gained recognition because of its success
in treating the many disease epidemics rampant
at the time — including scarlet fever, typhoid,
cholera and yellow fever.
The school’s method of treatment became very popular
in the early 1900’s. At that time, there were
22 homeopathic medical schools, 100 homeopathic
hospitals and over 1,000 homeopathic pharmacies.
Boston University, Stanford University and New
York Medical College were among those educational
institutions that were teaching homeopathy. However,
it was not long after this period of time (in
the early 1920’s) that many of the schools closed
— mostly due to the decline of homeopathy’s popularity
which was greatly effected by the American Medical
Association. This was also around the time when
modern drug companies began releasing drugs that
were easy to administer to patients, a trend that
also contributed to the decline of homeopathy.
The Homeopathic Resurgence
Although the United States experienced a dwindling
interest in homeopathy in the 20th century, other
nations, including countries in Europe and Asia,
were experiencing a steady growth of homeopathic
teachings and interest.
Today, nearly all French pharmacies sell homeopathic
remedies and medicines; and homeopathy has a particularly
strong following in Russia, India, Switzerland,
Mexico, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, England,
and South America.
Homeopathy is also rising again in the United
States. This resurgence has been documented by
the National Center for Homeopathy in Virginia,
which stated that Americans spent 230 million
dollars on homeopathic remedies in 1996. It has
also been said that sales are rising rapidly at
about 12 – 15% each year.
Doctors, scientists, researchers, corporations
and the general public are all responsible for
the accelerated expansion in the interest of homeopathic
products, research and educational initiatives.
Facts About Homeopathy
Homeopathy
is a therapeutic system which has been used for
over 200 years.
It works on the principle that 'like treats like'.
An illness is treated with a medicine which could
produce similar symptoms in a healthy person.
The active ingredients are given in highly diluted
form to avoid toxicity. Homeopathic remedies are
virtually 100% safe.
Homeopathy is successful in treating a wide range
of conditions, often after conventional medicine
has failed.
Homeopathic doctors use history-taking, examination
and investigation, just as all doctors do.
Prescribing is based on all aspects of a patient's
condition. The patient's personality and lifestyle
are important.
Homeopathy integrates well with conventional medicine.
Homeopathy has been available on the NHS since
the Health Service first began in 1948 in UK.
Homeopathy is a complementary therapy
Homeopathy has been widely used throughout the
world for more than 200 years. In 2000, the House
of Lords’ Select Committee on Science & Technology
cited homeopathy as one of the five Group One
therapies, having “an individual diagnostic approach”
along with osteopathy, chiropractic, herbal medicine
and acupuncture. (1)
Homeopathy can be safely used alongside most conventional
medicines.
How long has Homeopathy been used?
Homeopathy has been used in the UK for over two
hundred years, but has an honourable tradition
dating back to ancient Greece. It was Samuel Hahnemann,
a brilliant doctor working in 1796 who developed
the scientific and philosophical foundations of
this gentler way of healing. These scientific
principles form the basis of successful homeopathic
practice today.
Are homeopathic remedies
safe?
Homeopathic remedies are a unique, potentised
energy medicine, drawn from the plant, mineral
and animal worlds. They are diluted to such a
degree that not one molecule of the original substance
can be detected (after the 12c potency).
They work by gently boosting the natural energy
of the body, and are very safe, even for pregnant
and sensitive patients. There is no danger of
addiction or toxicity.(2)
How are the remedies
discovered?
The clinical indications of our medicines are
discovered in all of three ways:
• The toxicity symptoms (or poisoning picture,
eg. vomiting and diarrhoea caused by arsenic)
• The ‘signature’ of the medicine, an ancient
medical idea based on the ‘affinities’ of certain
substances (eg. Deadly Nightshade, Atropa belladonna
has large shiny black berries that resemble the
dilated pupils of the eyes in high fever)
• The ‘proving’, in which the highly diluted substances
are tested blind on a group of healthy volunteers
who then record the symptoms they experience.
Where there is agreement amongst provers, the
symptoms are documented in a Repertory.
All this information is used to match the remedies
with your symptoms.
How are the remedies made?
There are five regulated homeopathic pharmacies
in the UK (see Find a Pharmacy). The raw extracts
(from plants or animals) or triturations (from
minerals and salts) are made into a ‘tincture’
with alcohol which forms the basis of the dilution
procedure. Dilutions are made up to either 1 part
tincture to 10 parts water (1x) or 1 part tincture
to 100 parts water (1c). Repeated dilution results
in the familiar 6x, 6c or 30c potencies that can
be bought over the counter: the 30c represents
an infinitessimal part of the original substance.
If they are so dilute,
how can they work?
After each dilution the mixture is vigorously
agitated in a machine that delivers a calibrated
amount of shaking. This is called succussion.
It is thought that this process imprints the healing
energy of the medicinal substance throughout the
body of water (the diluent) as if a message is
passed on. The message contains the healing energy.
Even in ultra-molecular dilutions, information
specific to the original dissolved substance remains
and can be detected. (3)
What can homeopathy treat?
Homeopathy has a wide application, from acute
fevers, sore throats and toothache, to chronic
illnesses such as arthritis, eczema, asthma, anxiety,
mild depression and chronic fatigue syndrome.
There has been some very good research evidence
to support this (see Research section).
What happens when you
see a homeopath?
Your homeopath understands that establishing good
health involves treating both mind and body, so
time is taken to listen to your emotional and
physical symptoms. To stimulate your body's own
healing process, a remedy closest to your individual
symptom picture is prescribed. Healing beings
from within your body, strengthening your health
and immune system, without
any danger of damaging side effects. (2)
Where can I find a qualified homeopath?
The Society of Homeopaths produces a frequently
updated register of professionally trained homeopaths,
who work to the Society's Code of Ethics &
Practice. You can find one in your area by consulting
the register available on this website (See Find
a homeopath in your area). Enter your postcode
to find homeopaths closest to you.
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