The History of Homeopathy
The founder of homeopathy was a man named Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), a German scholar, physician and chemist. Hahnemann felt that the healing methods used by his contemporaries were very dangerous and ineffective. These treatments included such things as purging, bloodletting and using poisonous substances such as mercury and arsenic in large doses. Thus, soon after he began his practice, Hahnemann made the decision to give it up because he could not bear to expose his patients to the potentially dangerous side effects.

He then decided to devote his time to translating medical textbooks and researching more satisfactory therapeutic solutions. In doing so, Hahnemann grew very interested in the work of Hippocrates and his concept of the law of similars. His interest in this concept further developed when he translated an article written by an English doctor, William Cullen. The article described the healing action of cinchona bark, or quinine, on intermittent fevers accompanied by shaking, such as malaria. It stated that the effect of cinchona was due to its action on the stomach nerves from the astringent and bitter quality of the substance. This explanation did not satisfy Hahnemann’s curious nature as he then wondered why other bitter and astringent plants did not have similar effects against malaria. Thus, he decided to find out whether or not this was true by experimenting on himself.

Upon taking repeated doses of cinchona, Hahnemann developed fever, chill and malaise, all similar symptoms of malaria. Shaking, sweating and distressed, Hahnemann had found something very significant, the principle of like cures like. This founding principle of homeopathy, states that substances which are capable of producing specific symptoms when consumed in repetitive doses of a healthy individual are also capable of treating a “similar” set of symptoms, the result of disease, in a sick person.

The word homeopathy reflects this principle, being derived from two Greek words meaning “similar suffering“. Homeopaths use this principle by giving the patient a minute dose of a substance, which in its original state will create the symptoms that it is meant to cure. For example, in a condition where the symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, watery and burning eyes predominate, the homeopathic remedy of red onion, Allium Cepa, would be helpful. Thus, this remedy is observed to be helpful for conditions such as allergies, colds and other scenarios that are associated with similar symptoms.