Homeopathy’s history
In the early 1800s the founder of homeopathy was the German doctor and chemist Samuel Hahnemann. He didn’t agree with the harsh treatments of his time such as blood letting and drastic doses of medicine producing terrible side effects. He was a great believer in the curative powers of a healthy diet and body hygiene. His discoveries led to this new system of medicine. Homeopathy is based on the fact that a drug in small amounts will cure the same symptoms it causes in large amounts. After many years of dedicated study and research Hahnemann made the breakthrough, coming to the conclusion that when the remedies were diluted, they were paradoxically greater in strength. In 1849 the first homeopathic hospital was built in London. In the early 1900s Dr. Tyler Kent, an American doctor and homeopath, founded the idea that people with similar body shapes and personalities tend to have similar diseases. Therefore, these factors should be taken into consideration along with the symptoms when prescribing remedies, which now is known as classic homeopathy. In more recent years numerous scientific double-blind studies published in prestigious journals such as the Lancet and the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology have proven the effectiveness of homeopathic remedies, empowering more and more people to take notice of this type of treatment.
Vital force
In homeopathy the paradox is that the more dilute the remedy, the greater its potency. Hahnemann believed there must be subtle energy within the body that responded to this tiny aggravation when the remedy was taken, allowing the body to heal itself. Homeopathy emphasizes the importance of treating individuals as individuals and of understanding the whole person as opposed to only understanding a single diseased part.
Who uses homeopathic remedies?
Every pharmacy in Germany and France stocks homeopathic remedies. It is the most popular cold and flu medicine in France. It is the most popular hay fever remedy in Germany. In 1996 Americans spent $220 million on homeopathic medicines.
