History and Principles of Homoeopathy

The story of homoeopathy begins with Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843). He was an orthodoxly qualified German physician who, understandably, became dissatisfied with the medical practices of his day, which consisted largely in bleeding and the use of large doses of dangerous drugs. He therefore started translating medical books in German as he had good knowledge of literature. While translating Cullen's Materia Medica from English to German, he came to know that  Cinchona cures malaria because it has a bitter taste as patients feel in malaria.  It appeared to him that the author's explanation of Cinchona Bark was fanciful and irrational. So he set about to determine in his own way the
 Modus-Operandi of the drug. He tried it on to himself . He found,that it produced typical symptoms of malaria for which it was recommended and used. From this time onwards he conducted his investigation along theses new lines. He did what others had not done before. He studied medicines systematically by testing them on healthy humans. After repeated experimentation upon  himself and others, he eventually proved the law of SIMILARS  to be the basic law of cure.
The essential characteristic of homoeopathy as propounded by Hahnemann was the similiar idea, which he encapsulated in a Latin tag: *SIMILIA SIMILIBUS CURENTUR* meaning
 'let likes be cured by likes'. This is nature's law of cure also.
For example, belladonna (Deadly Nightshade) produces a hot, dry, flushed skin and hallucinations, both of which may occur in scarlet fever. Belladonna was therefore used by Hahnemann to treat, and prevent, scarlet fever. Another example is the use of a medicine derived from onions to treat the common cold, because onions cause the eyes and nose to discharge profusely.
Other features of homoeopathy were that the medicines were given singly and the medicines were not repeated routinely but only when the patient's symptoms demand it. These principles were at variance with those of the orthodox practice of his day but could certainly be said to be more scientific.

Source of  Medicine

The main homoeopathic medicines are derived from vegetable, mineral, or animal sources. Some of these are highly poisonous in their original, undiluted form and patients who learn that they are being given medicines derived from such sources sometimes feel apprehensive, but the homoeopathic method of preparation yields such extremely high dilutions that there is no danger.
Another important group of homoeopathic medicines is the *nosodes*, derived from disease products. They can be given for symptoms that persist after recovery from the disease in question - the *never well since* clinical picture. Some of the nosodes have been used so widely that they have taken on the status of independent homoeopathic medicines and are prescribed on the basis of symptoms even when there is no history of the disease they are related to.

Side Effects  

The principal claim made by homoeopaths is that their treatment is safe, and this is true, provided that no serious disease has been overlooked and conventional treatment is not withdrawn unadvisedly. As noted above, there are no dangerous interactions between homoeopathic medicines and conventional ones. There are no side effects of Homoeopathic medicines reported till now as they are in very minute form. But there may be some ill effects when a wrong medicine is taken for a long time. 

Aggravations  

Hahnemann taught that if the right homoeopathic medicine was given the patient would always become a little worse before improving. This is the so-called homoeopathic aggravation. Some modern homoeopaths also believe this and report that they quite often see aggravations of this kind. Others, equally experienced, hardly ever see them. In any case, even if aggravations do occur they are short-lived and never cause serious or long-lasting damage to health.
Except in case of suppressed disease which is mostly related to skin, there is no such aggravation in Homoeopathy. In skin disease if there is use of external application in treatment taken before Homeopathic medicine then that will suppress the disease in this condition. There may be slight aggravation because homoeopathic medicines through suppressed disease form internal vital organ to skin which is less important organ.

Slow Healing? 

There is a myth that Homoeopathy is a slow healing pathy, but it is equally good for both Acute and Chronic diseases. Homoeopathic medicine given sub-lingually are absorbed directly in the blood. This makes it act faster. This can be further explained through the following examples :
1. Kidney Stone pain being highly acute can cause damage to kidney within a few minutes. This can be taken care of very easily by homoeopathic medicines and can prevent the immediate damages.
2. In case of acute asthma, a human can loose his life within a few minutes on account of oxygen lack. Homoeopathy can handle this life threatening condition successfully. 

Prohibitions

Following articles are prohibited during the homoeopathic treatment as they have some medicinal property. They interfere in the action of the homoeopathic medicine:
1. Raw Onions
2. Raw Garlic
3. Coffee
4. Mint
5. Foods containing artificial strong odour
6. Tobacco in the form of cigarette and raw
7. Cardamom
8. Clove 

Coming Soon:  Common Diseses and their Homoeopathic Medicines, First Aid Kit for everybody.

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