Chapter 1 - What is Homeopathy?
Definition - Homeopathy is a therapeutic system of medicine that is based on the principle of
similars- like cures like - which means that a substance that can cause certain symptoms in a
healthy person can cure similar symptoms in an unhealthy person. Homeopathy aims to aid
and stimulate the body's own defense and immune processes. Homeopathic medicines are
derived from a variety of plants, animal materials and minerals. These medicines are
prescribed to fit each individual's needs, given in much smaller and less toxic doses than
traditional medications, and are used for both prevention and treatment. Established 200 years
ago by German physician Samuel Hahneman, and is recognized by the World Health
Organization as the second largest therapeutic system in the world.
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Homeopathy is a system of medicine, which was discovered and developed by a German
allopathic physician, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, between 1792 and 1842.
The then prevalent system of medicine was not at all scientific (in its modern sense). The
knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology etc. was not advanced enough. Most of these
sciences were still in their infancy in the 18th century. Most of the disease causing organisms
and conditions were still unknown to the medical fraternity. So the treatment for most diseases
was eclectic. Everyone treated their patients according to their own whims and fancies.
Methods like bloodletting, leeching, purging, giving crude doses of mercury etc. were the
common treatment for most disorders.
Dr. Hahnemann was very dissatisfied with the limited knowledge of human organism, disease
process and the effects of medicines being used. So, he left his medical career and took up
translation work to support his family.
While translating Dr. Cullen's book of medicine (Dr. Cullen was a professor of medicine in
university), Dr. Hahnemann came across a line in which Dr. Cullen attributed the curative
action of Cinchona bark (from which quinine is prepared) in malarial fever to the fact that it
was bitter. Dr. Hahnemann was not satisfied with this explanation as there were so many bitter
substances around but none other showed any curative action in malarial fever.
To find the truth, he decided to investigate the action of Cinchona bark extract by taking the
medicine himself. After taking the medicine for 2 days, he found that symptoms similar to
malaria developed in him. He was amazed with this observation. He repeated the experiment
on many friends and family members and found the same results. So from this observation he
deduced that Cinchona bark is able to cure malaria because when taken by a healthy human
being, it can create malaria like symptoms.
Then he started working on this concept further to find if this a specific observation or a
general truth applicable to all drugs. He tested medicines with known therapeutic values on his
friends and family and discovered that this is a general law which decided the curative action
of all medicines. He called it 'Similia Similbus Curantur' or 'Like Cures Like'.
Simply stated, it means that a medicine can cure those symptoms in a diseased person, which,
it can produce in healthy individuals. It has been more than two centuries since he discovered
this law. Since then it has been tested millions of times and has stood the test of time.
Today there are more than 400 Homeopathy Medical Colleges in the world, at least 5,00,000
practitioners, and millions of patients using Homeopathy. Homeopathic medicines are
available in most countries and in some countries like India, Pakistan, and Norway, the legal
status of Homeopathy is already at par with allopathy.
After discovering that one basic principle in 1792, Hahnemann established Homeopathy as a
full system of medicine in the next 50 years. Homeopathy became very popular in the 19th
century. It went through a phase of decline in 20th century when the sciences considered
auxiliary to allopathic medicine (anatomy, physiology, pathology, surgery) became more
advanced; modern drugs like antibiotics and painkillers came into existence; and insurance
companies took hold of the medical practice. But now, as apparent limitations of these modern
wonder (!) drugs are being realized and more work is being done on scientific and clinical
research in Homeopathy, this science is gradually coming back to the center-stage!
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