Homeopathy

The word Homoeopathy is derived from the greek word homoios meaning like and pathos meaning suffering.

Homoeopathy is a system of medical treatment introduced by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann in 1796 based on the Main Principle of Similia – Similia Similibus Curentur (meaning let similars be treated by similars). According to this principle A medicine is able to treat a condition which it produces when admistered in apparently healthy subjects during proving.

Before Hahnemann Hippocrates also mentioned about the concept of treating similar by similar in 400 BC. Some other physicians who mentioned about the concept of similars before Hahnemann were Paracelsus,  Boulduc, Detharding, Bertholon,  Thoury, Von Stoerck and Stahl. Dr Hahnemann was the first to experiment with the concept and introduced it as a system of treatment.

The fundamental Laws of homoeopathy include:

Law of similia

Dr. Hahnemann mentioned this law in §26 in his book ‘Organon of medicine’ where he mentions it as Homoeopathic Law of nature.

A weaker dynamic affection is permanently extinguished by a stronger one, if the latter (whilst differring in kind) is very similar to the former in its manifestations.

Law of Simplex

According to this concept A single and simple  medicinal substance should be administered in a given case at a time.

Dr Hahnemann mentions about this law in §273  in his book ‘Organon of medicine’(Sixth Edition) as:

In no case under treatment it is necessary and therefore not permissible to administer to a patient more than one single, simple medicinal substance at one time. It is inconceivable how the slightest doubt could exist as to whether it was more consistent with nature and more rational to prescribe a single, simple medicine at one time in a disease or a mixture of several differently acting drugs. It is absolutely not allowed in homoeopathy, the one true, simple and natural art of healing, to give the patient at one time two different medicinal substances.

Law of minimum

According to this law the medicine administered to the patient must be in the minimum dose required by the patient.

In § 277 Dr. Hahnemann mentions

For the same reason , and because a medicine, provided the dose of it was sufficiently small, is all the more salutary and almost marvelously efficacious the more accurately homoeopathic its selection has been, a medicine whose selection has been accurately homoeopathic must be all the more salutary the more its dose is reduced to the degree of minuteness appropriate for a gentle remedial effect.