Homoeopathy is a specialized system of medicine developed by Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, based on the natural law of healing ‘Similia Similibus Curantur’ which means ‘likes are cured by Likes’. Dr. Hahnemann was born on 10^th of April1755 in Meissen, West Germany. He was a graduate in Chemistry and Medicine. After qualifying as a doctor he set up his practice in 1779. He was one of the few doctors with a post graduation in medicine at that time.

Although Hahnemann worked mainly as a doctor, he supplemented his income by writing articles and books on medicine and chemistry. In these writings he protested against the harsh medical practices of the time, especially blood –letting, purging and the drastic doses of medicines that were administered to patients, often with terrible side effects. At a time when overcrowding was common and standards of hygiene were poor, he advised regular bathing and cleanliness of bed clothing.  Hahnemann became increasingly disillusioned with conventional medical practice and eventually gave up being a doctor to work as a translator.

It was while translating the Cullen’s Materia Medica, that Hahnemann discovered the first principle of Homoeopathy. In the second volume of his work, Cullen had expressed his opinion about the action of Cinchona bark in intermittent fever. According to him, the therapeutic action of cinchona bark is due to its tonic effect on stomach and bitterness. This description inspired Hahnemann to conduct experiments upon him with cinchona bark in order to find out its effect on a healthy person. He took good quality cinchona and after a while started experiencing the symptoms of malarial fever. All the symptoms of malaria started recurring whenever he repeated the dose.

After this experience, Hahnemann came to the conclusion that the action of cinchona bark in intermittent fever is not due to its tonic action on stomach and bitterness, but due to its ability to produce symptoms similar to those of intermittent fever in healthy individuals. In other words the pathogenetic effect of medicines will give the key to their therapeutic powers. His continued research and experiments paved the way for the system of Homoeopathy. In the beginning, Dr. Hahnemann faced severe financial constraints, legal hurdles and criticisms from other practicing doctors, but was able to overcome all these by convincing the people the curative powers of homoeopathic medicines.

In India

Homoeopathy reached India via the German missionaries who came to India to propagate Christianity. Many of the people attracted by the therapeutic effects of homoeopathic medicines started practicing homoeopathy in different parts of India including Kerala. Later Government recognized homoeopathy as a separate medical system and Medical Colleges were established to teach homoeopathy. Now in Kerala alone, there are 5 Homoeopathic Medical Colleges Including one in Kozhikode which is the first Homoeopathic Medical College in Asia itself where graduate and post graduate level courses in homoeopathy are offered. 

While treating a case, homoeopathy gives importance to the person who is sick and not to the disease itself. There is no specific medicine for a specific disease. Also, in homoeopathy, the physician takes into account the mental as well as the physical peculiarities of the person affected with a disease assuming that the individuals react differently with different situations and conditions.

Homoeopathy utilizes all modern techniques and amenities required for the diagnosis of a disease condition.

Homoeopathy as a preventive medicine

            Homoeopathy is effective as preventive medicine also. It is evident from the recent outbreaks of chikunguniya, leptospirosis and dengue fever epidemics. Homoeopathy was instrumental in preventing the spread of these dreadful diseases in many parts of Kerala. As a result, the government has set up a Rapid Action Epidemic Control Cell (RAECH) for Homoeopathy to monitor and guide the homoeopathic physicians in preventing disease outbreaks.

Recently Govt. has sanctioned a “School Health Programme” where homoeopathic treatment is given to School children who are poor in health and in their intellectual level. This programme has already started showing good results.

Though homoeopathy is getting world wide acclaim and acceptance, it still needs more studies and researches to make it a better and complete system of therapeutics.

Dr. M.E.Prasanth Kumar

Editor in Chief,

Indian Homoeopathic Medical Association