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Samuel Hahnemann, MD
1755-1843
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History of Homeopathy
Born in Germany in 1755, Samuel Hahnemann became a conventional medical doctor of that time, practicing using
techniques such as bleeding and high doses of toxic poisons as medicine, such as mercury. Like most
doctors of his time, his results were poor. During a cholera epidemic two of his children died -- Hahnemann
was unable to save them. He swore off the practice of medicine, declaring that it was ineffective and
unethical. To support his family, he worked translating older medical literature from Greek or Latin into
German. As he did, he repeatedly found observations from earlier physicians such as Paracelcus,
that, the most effective medicine for treating any set of symptoms was usually a substance which, if given
in high doses to a healthy person, would cause those same symptoms.
Intrigued by this, Hahnemann began to experiment. He found that this older observation was often true, however,
many times the "right" medicine would still produce unwanted side effects. He came up with the idea of
diluting the medicines, which he did and also thoroughly mixed them through a process known as
succussion, striking the mixing container against a firm object, such as a leather-bound book. When even his
dilute medicines still produced some side effects, he diluted them again, succussing the mixture with
each dilution.
When the results were finally satisfactory, Hahnemann began a series of studies to determine what the effects
of various substances were on healthy people. He started by testing the medicines on himself, then
branched out to family members, friends and colleagues. This process became known as a "Proving" from
the German word for 'test'. These in fact were the first drug tests ever conducted -- long before the
pharmaceutical industry was even developed, let alone modern versions of drug tests.
Homoepathic Principles
Over time, two main principles came to be identified with this new time of medicine Hahnemann was using.
First, is the concept of choosing a medicine based on the similarity of the medicine symptom picture with
the symptom picture of the patient. This concept is referred to as the Law of Similars, and is summarized
as "Like Cures Like". The Second principle is that of preparing medicines through the two-part process of
dilution and succussing. Leaving out either of these steps will result in a medicine that does not have
the same effect.
Hahnemann called his system of medicine "Homeopathy" which translates as "Same Disease". By giving a sick
person a medicine which could essentially give someone a similar symptom picture, we are in essence giving
someone "the same disease" they already have, just a highly attenuated form of it. Prescription according
to the Law of Similars, and highly dilute, specially prepared medicines -- these are
the key points of the homeopathic system of medicine.
How Does Homeopathy Work?
Theories as to how Homeopathy produces its effects have abounded ever since the time of Hahnemann.
This is referred to in medical circles as the "mechanism of action".
Because some of the medicines used in homeopathy are so dilute, that it is statistically impossible
for the medicine to contain any of the original source material used to make it, conventional
science has always been suspicious of it, even to the point of blatant antagonism. Numerous scientific
studies of the clinical efficacy of homeopathy have been conducted and the vast majority of these
end up finding that the homoepathic approach is highly effective.
Perhaps one way to explore the question of "how does homeopathy work?", is to start by stating what we
know most reliably, which amounts to "how homeopathy DOES NOT work". Since the medicines are so dilute
that they no longer contain any biochemicals from the source medicine, and since we know that homeopathy works,
we can conclude that the mechanism of action of homeopathy IS NOT biochemical in nature. Homeopathic medicines
do not follow traditional pharmacology principles, where a medicine is absorbed into the blood stream,
circulates and is diluted, and eventually binds a receptor on the surfact of a cell and initiates a
chain reaction in that cell.
Most modern theories about homeopathy are centered around some type of wave phenomenon. Experiments have been
conducted in animal models which show that homeopathic medicines can have a biological effect even
when sealed inside glass vials and no contact occurs between the medicine and the target. Other experiments
have been done in which a radio antenna/amplifier system collects whatever signals are naturally radiating
from homeopathic medicines, and re-broadcasts those signals to animal subjects in another location resulting
in a measurable effect. The only type of model which supports these observation is some kind of field effect
or wave phenomenon.
What are Homeopathic Medicines Made From?
Homeopathic medicines could, at least in theory, be made from anything. In practical application,
however, they are made from any substance which is either a strong medicine or a strong poison.
This includes plants, animals and minerals, as well as human tissue, disease-causing micro-organisms,
even isolated hormones and neurotransmitters. A new field of detoxification uses homoepathic medicines
made from substances which are environmental poisons.
Types of Homeopathy
Single Remedies These are the original type of homeopathic medicine produced by Hahnemann.
They are made from a single substance, be it animal, plant, mineral, etc.
Combination Remedies These are made by combining several single remedies into a formula, much like
herbs are used in Botanical Medicine. It is believed that combination homeopathic remedies can have
synergistic effects beyond what could be achieved usinging single remedies alone.
Simillimum is a remedy that matches the symptoms of the patient as closely as possible. It generally
implies the use of a single remedy.
Isopathic These are remedies made from the exact same substance that caused your disease. For example,
if you are suffering from mercury poisoning, and are treated using homeopathic mercury, then for this
case, Mercury is being used as an Isopathic remedy.
Nosode are medicines made from disease-casuing substances. The illness tuberculosis is caused
by an overproliferation of a particular bacteria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The homeopathic
medicine made from this, Tubercullinum, is considered a Nosode.
Allersode This is a medicine made from whatever substance a patient happens to be allergic to.
If you are allergic to dogs, and use a homeopathic preparation of dog dander to desensitize your immune
system to dogs, then this is considered and Allersode. Technically, allersodes are a subset of Isopathic
remedies.
Cellular Drainage is a type of combination homeopathic remedy specifically designed to have its
effects on a particular type of tissue or cells, promoting the detoxification of those tissues at the
celluar level.
Lesional Remedies are prescribed for particular illnesses or injuries - specific lesions. These
are usually acute. For example, if you sprain your ankle and are given a remedy strictly for the
pain, swelling and discolloration of the ankle, that remedy is being used as a Lesional Remedy. It
could either be a Single Remedy or a Combination remedy.
Miasmatic Remedies. A Miasm is an inherited or acquired tendency to have diseases in a particular
pattern. There are between 5-10 main miasmatic patterns, depending on which author you read. In the
evaluation of your case, the homoeopathic doctor will analyze your case and decide if you need a
lessional remedy, a Miasmatic remedy, or a Constitutional remedy.
Constitutional Remedy. Each of us is born with a physical appearance and inherrent physical, mental
and emotional traits, including our personalities. Some people are shy, others are naturally gregarious,
and so on. The sum total of all these traits is referred to as your Constitution. At some point in your
long-term treatment, you will probably be prescribed a Constitutional Remedy, which can be thought of
as rebalancing, or re-tuning, all of your traits and capabilities, and the physical, mental and emotional
level.
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