On April 10-th we
celebrated 250 anniversary from
the birth of Hahnemann – the father
of homeopathy, the new medicine,
the new philosophy, which main
principle Hippocrates formulated
back in IV c. B.C.! Since its
invention, physicians, scientists
and other people learnt homeopathy,
some of them only with the purpose
to disprove it. But the result
was quite unexpected, as we know:
they became fervent followers
of the new philosophy and method
of healing. Herring is a bright
example for this. Hahnemann himself
said: “Practice my system and
prove it doesn’t work ".
Although the masters of homeopathy
have stated clear principles of
working within this science, nowadays
exist different schools that give
their own interpretation. Each
one of them declares that it is
the real follower of Hahnemann.
Let us try to disperse and pass
to the next generations his message
in the way, which he tried to
make us understand, with care
and love.
Many pages are written on Hahnemann,
mostly with connection to the
homeopathy and his basic writings.
It is well however to take a look
at his life, the principles he
was grown with, his interests,
the difficulties and obstacles
on his way, in order to estimate
the enormous work lying in the
base of this great system and
philosophy of the healing art.
Hahnemann was born in Meissen,
in the family of Christian Gottfried
Hahneman and Joanna Christiana
Spiess. It is a second marriage
to the father – his first wife
died after the birth of twins,
who died too. Christian Gottfried
brought up his children according
to the principles of Jean-Jacques
Rousseau, which were widely spread
among the educated people in Europe:
"Never to listen nor learn
passively.
To act and to live without pretense
or show.
Never to act against the supreme
idea of the first principle of
the creation, eminence of the
humanity or its noble destiny."
Hahnemann’s life was not easy.
He had to live school several
times, to be able do work and
support his family, which was
in need. His teachers though succeeded
to provide him with free education
so he could go back to school.
His irresistible strive for science
and research was so strong, that
he had to read his favorite books
in hiding, including at night,
on a candle light. He even dared
to oppose his father’s will, who
sent him to work in a grocery
– and left it, to continue his
education. In 1775 Hahnemann started
his studies in the University
of Leipzig and since then he took
care of himself. The only thing
he could enjoy in his life, was
hard work, without any entertainment
and freedom, incidental to young
age. He taught French and German
for living, translated from English
to German, which gave him the
opportunity of professional growing
up too. He visited many lectures
of renown professors, and Prof.
Porner, the head physician of
Meissen, estimated Hahnemann’s
hard work and the strive for knowledge
and gave him the opportunity for
free lectures. Because of the
lack of practical training in
Leipzig, Hahnemann moved in Vienna.
Later on he moved to Erlangen,
where he took his certificate
for medical education and studied
botany in plus. A bit later he
was captivated by chemistry. In
1782 he married Johanna Henriette
Kuchler.
Later on his family had to move
many times. He lived in many towns
for more prestigious job as a
physician, for more acceptable
earning and prices, to be able
to practice his new method, because
of the criticism to the new system
and so on. In 1835 he moved in
Paris, where he spent the rest
of his life.He received in France
what he couldn’t achieve previously
– name, position, glory, funds,
peace. He died on July 2 1843
at the age of 88 years.
For the days of his intensive
life Hahnemann translated many
scientific works, visited many
lectures of famous professors,
his interests spread to very large
extents. All this undoubtedly
contributed to his development.
As it is well known, the idea
of homeopathy arose after the
translation of Kulin’s Materia
Medics 1790. The 6-th edition
of the Organon is considered the
most important of his writings.
All his writings need deep study
and even today we must remember
the basic principles and postulates
which he formulated. We are very
grateful to Hahnemann for the
invention of the homeopathic way
of treatment. As with every remarkable
invention, what happened to it
was depending not only on its
inventor, but also on the surroundings,
on what they would understand
from the master’s saying, on their
wish to follow him, on their eagerness
to spread the idea… Together with
its spreading, many people take
part of it, everyone with one’s
own ideas, view and intentions.
Hahnemann formulated the qualities
which should possess everyone
to be good practitioner of the
healing art, but maybe it is still
well to see the example of the
master himself. A large range
of interests and abilities: fluent
knowledge of several languages,
between which he translated books,
diploma on allopathic medicine
before he invented homeopathy,
chemist, botanist, he didn’t only
read a lot, he translated a lot,
wrote himself many writings, communicated
with many people, clarifying his
ideas, he was interested and following
the development of those, working
with him and he helped not just
them, but also their families,
if needed. His main aim was to
provide the future of homeopathy,
its existence, spreading and all
this in the hands of reliable
people. Hahnemann paid special
attention to the selection of
people who would become real homeopaths.
He didn’t wanted just to increase
the number of his students, but
to make them real followers of
the teaching, without interpretations
on the application of the basic
principles, so that the system
could be kept within its original
design. If however it happens
and the following generations
of homeopaths allow even more
interpretations, we would end
by not discovering even a hint
of Hahnemann’s invention. Thanks
to some of the best students of
the master Boenninghausen and
Herring and to their efforts to
keep the system alive and successful,
and to their strict followers,
Hahnemann’s homeopathy still exists.
Homeopaths nowadays, like in Hahnemann’s
time are separated in two main
groups – the one practicing homeopathy
only and the other – allopathy
and homeopathy according to the
circumstances and the desires
of the patient. They use allopathic
remedies for immediate control
of the situation and when it is
under control, they turn to homeopathy.
There is the abrupt reaction of
the teacher on this occasion:
“I hear for long time and with
dissatisfaction that some persons
in Leipzig, who pretend to be
homeopaths, allow their patients
to chose whether to be treated
homeopathically or allopathically.
Is it due to the fact that they
are not convinced yet in the real
spirit of the new doctrine or
they lack real love to their friends,
or that conversely to their better
convictions, they don’t hesitate
to destroy their profession for
self-interested, greedy benefits
– live them alone, but that they
not require me in any way to admit
and accept them as my followers
and students.” The words are said
about two hundred years ago, and
the situation is the same today.
And what remains for those who
are against the new system? Just
like at the time of its invention,
homeopathy has many enemies. A
big portion of them unfortunately
have not a clue of its essence.
Science should be open for everybody.
And if homeopathy is a chimera
or a system without internal meaning
and application, it would drop
out by itself. If, on the contrary,
it is something progressive and
it spreads out despite the attempts
of its enemies to limit and destroy
it, it only means that it is something
valuable which has to be encouraged
and expanded.
Many years ago a philosopher wrote:
“When will a noble and farseeing
person come who will open the
temple of Esculap again, will
break to pieces the dangerous
instruments, will close the drugs
shops and will destroy this hypothetical
medicine with its drugs and limitations?
This fellow will preach finally
a new science of healing, as the
old one kills the humanity and
destroys the population of the
regions and countries.” These
words, addressed to Hahnemann,
are part of the speech of the
President of the Gillian Homeopathic
society, a speech glorifying the
notorious guest. A high estimation
of the meaning and importance
of the deeds of a great man, but
also a great message and obligation
to his followers.