About Homeopathy

Homoeopathy is recognized through the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 in India. It was formally propounded and systematized as a distinct new medical system by the German physician, Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann and is based on the principle 'similia similibus curentur', which means 'let likes be treated by likes'. This imply that disease-producing powers of a substance can be used to treat natural diseases that exhibit similar phenomenon. The core principle of Homoeopathy is Similia Similibus Curentur, while the other principles are Doctrine of Drug-proving, Doctrine of drug- dynamisation , Theory of chronic diseases, Totality of symptoms, Direction of cure and the supporting principles are Vital force / dynamism, Single remedy, and Susceptibility / individualization.

Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann (10th April, 1755 – 2nd July, 1843), was an expert in eight languages and was a studious medical observer. After graduating MD from the University of Erlangen in 1779, he practiced medicine till 1784, but disenchanted with the imperfections of medical practice of that time and left his clinical practice. He had great interest in chemistry and was an acclaimed chemist of that time. He used the talents in languages and chemistry in two main ways to satisfy his great inquisitiveness about the world, other people and their cultures and opened a unique window in to the medical system and traditions of other cultures. He could accomplish translations of great medical works of other cultures and also gain exceptionally wide knowledge of drugs and their uses. In 1790, Hahnemann took to translating Cullen’s Materia Medica, wherein he came across the medicinal effects of Peruvian bark. He was not convinced with the explanation given by Cullen on the fever curing property of Peruvian bark and conducted experiments. Based on the experimental evidences, Hahnemann codified a new paradigm in medical practices and published the Organon of the Healing Art (Organon der rationellen Heilkunde) in 1810, wherein he laid the foundation of the theory and method of Homeopathy. Thus Homoeopathy was born.

The origin of the word ‘Homoeopathy’ is from Greek words hómoios (similar) and páthos (suffering), i.e. ‘Similar sufferings’. Major works of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann on homoeopathy are
(i) Organon of Medicine (6 editions),
(ii) Materia Medica Pura ( 2 Volumes),
(iii) Chronic Diseases and
(iv) Collection of his writings known as Lesser Writings.