Discovery and Evolution of Homeopathy

Usually, when one spells “Homeopathy”, everyone think that it is a German native medicine – Actually it is not so i.e., Even though German gives birth to Homeopathy, it is not traditionally practised over there (i.e., not like Ayurveda in india or Siddha in Tamilnadu or Acupuncture in china). It had evolved with scientific principles as a medical advancement in the hand of an allopath who abandoned medical practice because of his inability to heal his patients wholly or permanently by the methods of his era.

“Homeopathy” as a medical science is discovered by DR CHRISTIAN FRIEDRICH SAMUEL HAHNEMANN a German Physician in 1790. Homeopathy because of its safe, effective, permanent cure and non violence approach in treatment had taken wide spread all over the world. Even though many things played role in evolution progress of Homeopathy, mainly two diseases help out Homeopathy to come in a big way. They are

1. Malaria - which helped for its birth and to postulate law of cures.
2. Cholera – which showed the world the effectiveness of Homeopathy and thus helped for its growth and spread.

(I hope this is not out of place to inform everyone that recently Chikungunya had created lot of awareness about Homeopathy for its effective and safe treatment. Many of the patients, who just came to Homeopathy for Chikungunya complaints, now love to avail Homeopathic treatment for their other complaints too. Further, after their experience with smooth Homeopathic approach and its nil side effects, they all use to recommend Homeopathy for their family members too.)

DISCOVERY OF HOMEOPATHY – The first inspiration for Homeopathy knocked Dr Samuel Hahnemann’s mind in the year 1790, while he was indulged in translation work of “A Treatise on the Materia Medica” written by Scottish physician William Cullen. Here author William Cullen commented about the action of Cinchona bark (Quinine) in curing Malaria / intermittent fevers as a remedy for agues and fevers because of its astringency. As falling apple ignited Newton, Cullen’s comment on cinchona bark for malaria ignited Dr Hahnemann to discover Homeopathy.

Dr Hahnemann presumed that Cinchona bark should have special characteristics against malaria since other astringent substances which even have more astringency than cinchona bark are no way effective against malaria. He came with the idea of ascertaining the action of the drugs which were claimed to be specific for that. He began to research on cinchona bark by self administration.

He consumed 4 drahms of cinchona bark extract and analysed the development of toxic symptoms in his own body. He developed drowsiness, palpitations, fever, headache, skin rashes, extreme prostration, thirsty feeling with cold extremities and tremors. He suspects he developed symptoms similar to that of malaria. He finally concluded that cinchona bark is effective against malaria because of its capability of producing same set of symptoms. Then he slowly dilutes the substances to reduce the toxicity, adjust the dose and combat the side effects. He tried and confirmed the same with other medicinal substances and diseases. With this fundamental, he postulates law of cure, i.e., Similia Similibus Curentur – which means that “let likes be treated by likes”. As sufferer happened to have “Similar sufferings” during treatment, he coined the name “Homeopathy” to describe the approach to healing. In Greek – homos (means similar) + pathos (means suffering).

In 1831, during the outbreak of epidemic cholera, Hahnemann experienced one great triumph as a Homeopathic practitioner. His way of approach and treatment helped in countless number of cases with simple medications. Effectiveness of Homeopathy in treating and controlling the cholera had created lot of awareness about Homeopathy all over the world. By that time, Dr Hahnemann had published several papers on the “Cure of the Asian cholera”.

Further, one can recognize well, the development of Homeopathy when they happened to study the life history of Dr Hahnemann.

Interesting story follows……

for new hope

Dr. S. Chidambaranathan, BHMS, MD (Homeo)

Laxmi Homeo Clinic

24 E. New Mahalipatti Road

Madurai, TN 625 001

India

Tel:  +91-452-233-8833 | +91-984-319-1011 (Mob)

Fax: +91-452-233-0196

E-mail:  drcheena@yahoo.com

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