What is the history of Homeopathy?
Dr. Hahnemann became disillusioned with the rather crude and dangerous medical practices of his day, and set out to find an alternative method of healing which led him to the discovery of the first principle of homeopathy; "like cures like," which is also known as the "Law of Similars." Dr. Hahnemann observed that substances that produce symptoms of a disease in healthy people in large dosages will cure the same symptoms when given in very minute (diluted) amounts. The same principle is widespread in mainstream medicine, the most notable examples being antidotes and vaccines. Dr. Hahnemann named his new healing science by combining the two Greek combining forms homeo- meaning "same" and -pathymeaning “disease".
The theory that like cures like can be traced back as far Hypocrites (468 -377 BC), but it wasn't until the work of Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) that the theory developed into a usable practice.
Hahneman's “provings” consisted of giving doses of various substances to both himself and his healthy volunteers, and noting the effects in detail. For safety reasons, the substances taken were very dilute, and it is here that Hahnemann chanced upon one of the more puzzling aspects of homeopathy. The more dilute a homeopathic medicine is, the more effective it is in treating illness.
Hahneman's work was continued by James Tyler Kent in 1877-78. Kent's interest in Homoeopathic medicine was prompted by his wife's serious illness, which failed to respond to any other form of medicine available at the time. Kent's position as Professor of Anatomy (at the American Medical College, St. Louis) placed him in a perfect position to observe the effects of substances in precise detail. Kent's research into homeopathy became his life's work, and he conducted “provings” on some 650 materials, observing over 64,000 symptoms. Even today, Kent's is still the most widely used repertory in homeopathy.
How does homeopathy work?
According to homeopathic theory, various materials found in nature contain an energy field that can exert a healing effect on the body. This energy field can be amplified, or "potentiated," by a series of dilutions and vigorous shakings. The more the "mother tincture" is diluted, the stronger the healing effect will be. The materials used in homeopathic formulations can come from plants (herbs), from minerals or from animal parts.
Homeopathic preparations carry a designation such as 2X, 4X, 6X etc. These indicate the number of times the mother tincture has been diluted and potentiated. The higher the number, the more dilute the preparation and the stronger the healing effect.
