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Discovery of
Homoeopathy (1790-96)
In 1790 Hahnemann was translating from English to German,
William Cullen’s ‘A TREATISE ON MATERIA MEDICA’. Dr. Cullen was
holding the chair of Materia Medica in Edinbugh University.
According to Cullen cinchona cures malarial fever due to its
tonic effect on stomach. Hahnemann challenged Cullen’s
contention of ‘tonic effects’ on stomach of cinchona bark and to
test the truth started taking 4 drachms of cinchona bark juice
twice daily and the symptoms associated with intermittent fever
appeared in him in succession. He suffered from malaria like
symptom. It was here that Hahnemann sensed a law of cure. He
understood that the effect a substance produces on the healthy
human body is the curative power by which it cures similar
disease symptoms in sick persons. It was only in 1796 that the
law of similar became perfectly clear to Hahnemann. The new
method of treatment was pointed out to the whole world in his
essay titled ‘an essay on new principle for ascertaining the
curative powers of drugs and some examinations of the previous
principle’, published in Heufeland’s Journal. He put his
discovery in these words. “Every powerful medicinal substance
produces in the human body a peculiar kind of disease. We should
imitate nature which sometimes cure, a chronic disease by super
adding another and employ in the disease a medicine which is
able to produce another very similar artificial disease and the
former will be cured; ‘similia similibus’. He put forward his
new doctrine of ‘similia similibus curentur’ (let like be cured
by likes). Thus 1796 is the year of birth of Homoeopathy.
(Richard Haehl)
In 1805 Hahnemann published his first book on Homoeopathic
Materia Medica in Latin and titled it ‘FRAGMENTA DE VIRIBUS
MEDICAMENTORUM POSITIVIS SIVE IN SANO CORPORE HUMANO OBSERVATIS’.
It had two parts. First part contained the symptoms of 27
medicines and second part contained its index
.
In 1810 his ‘ORGANON DER RATIONELLEN HEILKUNDE’ (Organon of the
rational art of healing) was published. In 1811 the first volume
of MATERIA MEDICA PURA was published. It contained the symptoms
of 12 medicines.
Prince Schwarzenberg, the ex-General Officer Commanding the
Allied Armies against Napoleon was paralyzed by a stroke on
1817. He came to Leipsic for Hahnemann’s treatment. He improved
under homeopathic treatment but soon started his old habit of
strong drinks and taking allopathic medicines and other
measures. Hahnemann did not approve the life style and the
habits of his celebrated patient. It was 5 weeks before prince’s
death that Hahnemann stopped visiting him. The prince died after
6 months of his arrival in Liepsic from another stroke in 1820.
Prince Schwarzenberg’s death brought intense agony to the
Austrians and gave opportunity to allopaths for attacking
homoeopathy and Hahnemann. In the same year the Saxon Government
prohibited Hahnemann from dispensing his own medicines, by a
royal decree of judgment on a complaint filed by the
Apothecaries Gulid.
The benevolence of Duke Friedrich Ferdinand Anhalt- Koethen came
to his rescue. The Duke invited Dr. Hahnemann to live & practice
in Koethen. In 1821 he left to Koethen.
In 1822 Dr. Ernst Stapf started to publish the first periodical
of Homoeopathy, The Archieve for the Homoeopathic Science of
Healing with the help of Drs. Gross & Muller.
In 1828, Hahnemann’s famous classic, Chronic Diseases: Their
Nature & Homoeopathic cure was published.
On 10th April 1829, the Jubilee of Hahnemann’s Doctorate was
celebrated by his disciples & the Society of Homoeopathic
Physicians of Leipsic was founded.
Hahnemann’s wife Johana Henriette died in1830, after nearly 48
years of a happily married life & the mother of his 11 children.
After 4 years, in 1834, a charming French lady, Marie Melanie De
Hervilly (34 years) came to consult him for her skin complaints.
In 1835 Dr. Hahnemann married her. Melanie took Hahnemann to
France in 1835. By a Royal Decree of August 12th, 1835,
Hahnemann was granted the right to practice homoeopathy in
Paris.
In 1842, Dr. Hahnemann completed the manuscripts of the 6th
Edition of the Organon of Medicine.
Demise:
He had a bilious diarrhea followed by intermittent fever; when
seemingly convalescent, bronchitis senilis appeared & he died in
three days. The great Master died on Sunday, 2nd July 1843 at
the age of 88years. He was placed in the family tomb of his wife
at Montmartre (on11th July)
Hahnemann’s statues& monuments were erected at Pere La Chaise in
Paris, in Koethen, in Leipsic & in Washington of U. S. A.
SAMUEL C. F. HAHNEMANN: LIFE & WORKS A BRIEF CHRONOLOGY
1755: Dr. Samuel Hahnemann was born in the town of Meissen,
Saxony onFriday, 11th April, early morning
1767: He was admitted to the Town School in Meissen.
1770: He was admitted to the Prince’s school.
1775: He left Princess School after submitting a dissertation in
Latin, as was the custom, titled: The Wonderful Structure of the
Human Hand. In 1775 he left for Leipsic University to study
Medicine.
1777: Hahnemann translates John Stedman’s PHYSIOLOGICAL
EXPERIMENTS & OBSERVATIONS; Nugent’s ON HYDROPHOBIA Falkoner’s
ON MINERAL WATERS & WARM BATHS.
1778: He went to Erlangen.
1779: On 10th AUGUST at the age of 24 years, Hahnemann was
awarded his master’s degree, M. D., i. e. “DOCTOR OF MEDICINE”
from Erlangen University.
His thesis consisted 20 printed pages on: A CONSIDERATION OF THE
ETIOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS OF SPASMODIC AFFECTION (R. Haehl
translated it as: a view of the causes & treatment of cramp).
He began his practice in Hettstedt Town.
1781- 84: He reached Dessau. & at the end of the year, he
accepted the post of Medical Officer in Gommern near Magdeburg.
His writings were published in a journal named Kreb’s Medical
observations.
His interest in Chemistry brought him into contact with
Haesler’s Pharmacy, where he became acquainted with Haesler’s
step daughter Henriette Leopoldine Kuechler. Hahnemann married
her on 17th November, 1782.
1783: Hahnemann’s first child, Henriette, born.
1785: Hahnemann’s translation of French chemist, J Demachy’s
‘The whole sale manufacture of chemicals, or the science of
preparing chemical products in factories’ appeared in two
volumes. He went Dresden.
1786: Hahnemann’s On Arsenical Poisoning, its Treatment&
Judicial Detection published.
1790: His dissatisfaction with the prevalent system of medicine
compels him to abandon medical practice.
Hahnemann translated from English to German, William Cullen’s ‘A
TREATISE ON MATERIA MEDICA’. Hahnemann challenged Cullen’s
contention of ‘tonic effects’ on stomach of cinchona bark and to
test the truth started taking 4 drachms of cinchona bark juice
twice daily and the symptoms associated with intermittent fever
appeared in him in succession.
1792- 1793: He published the first volume of his medical writing
on public health; The Friend of Health.
Hahnemann reached Gotha. The benevolent Prince Duke Ernst Von
Sachsen- Gotha pleaced his hunting castle of Georgenthal at
Hahnemann’s disposal as a nursing home for mental patients. It
was here that Klockenbring was brought as a patient and when he
was cured, the institution was closed in 1793.
1796: He reaches Koenigslutter.The new method of treatment was
pointed out to the whole world in his essay titled ‘An essay on
New Principle for Ascertaining the Curative Powers of Drugs and
some examinations of the previous principle’, published in
Heufeland’s Journal. He put forward his new doctrine of ‘similia
similibus curentur’ (let like be cured by likes).
1796 is the year of birth of Homoeopathy. (Richard Haehl)
1805: Hahnemann moves to Torgau.
His article Aesculapius in the Balance, published.
Hahnemann published his first book on Homoeopathic Materia
Medica in Latin and titled it ‘FRAGMENTA DE VIRIBUS
MEDICAMENTORUM POSITIVIS SIVE IN SANO CORPORE HUMANO OBSERVATIS’.
It had two parts. First part contained the symptoms of 27
medicines and second part contained its index.
His first book on homoeopathic principles, Medicine of
Experience was published.
1810: Hahnemann’s classic on Homoeopathy ‘ORGANON DER
RATIONELLEN HEILKUNDE’ (Organon of the rational art of healing)
was published.
HEINROTH starts publishing a monthly journal, titled Anti-
Organon, against homoeopathy.
1811: The first volume of MATERIA MEDICA PURA was published. It
contained the symptoms of 12 medicines.
1811-1821: Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura published in 6
parts.
Part-1 1811 12 medicines
Part-2 1816 8 medicines
Part-3 1817 8 medicines
Part-4 1818 12 medicines
Part-5 1819 11 medicines
Part-6 1821 10 medicines
1813: His Spirit of the New Medicinal Doctrine published.
1821: Duke Friedrich Ferdinand Anhalt- Koethen invited Dr.
Hahnemann to live & practice in Koethen. In 1821 he left to
Koethen.
1822: Dr. Ernst Stapf started to publish the first periodical of
Homoeopathy, The Archieve for the Homoeopathic Science of
Healing with the help of Drs. Gross & Muller.
Homoeopathic Physicians allowed by a Royal Decree to dispence
their own medicines.
1823: The 2nd Edition of the First Volume of Materia Medica Pura
published.
1824: The 2nd Edition of the second Volume of Materia Medica
Pura published.
1825: The 2nd Edition of Volume 2& 4 of Materia Medica Pura
published.
1827: The 2nd Edition of the Fifth Volume of Materia Medica Pura
published
1828: Hahnemann’s famous classic, Chronic Diseases: Their Nature
& Homoeopathic cure was published.
1829: On 10th April 1829, the Jubilee of Hahnemann’s Doctorate
was celebrated by his disciples & the Society of Homoeopathic
Physicians of Leipsic was founded.
4th Edition of Organon of Medicine published.
1830: Hahnemann’s wife Johana Henriette died, after nearly 48
years of a happily married life & the mother of his 11 children.
1834: Marie Melanie De Hervilly (34 years) came to consult him
for her skin complaints.
1835: Dr. Hahnemann married her. Melanie took Hahnemann to
France in 1835. By a Royal Decree of August 12th, 1835,
Hahnemann was granted the right to practice homoeopathy in
Paris.
1838: Hahnemann publishes the 5th & last part of Chronic
diseases.
1842: Dr. Hahnemann completed the manuscripts of the 6th Edition
of the Organon of Medicine.
1843: He had a bilious diarrhea followed by intermittent fever;
when seemingly convalescent, bronchitis senilis appeared & he
died on Sunday, 2nd July 1843 at the age of 88years.
He was placed in the family tomb of his wife at Montmartre
(on11th July)
1921: 6th Edition of Organon of Medicine edited by Richard Haehl
published.
SAMUEL HAHNEMANN
CREATIONS IN TRAVELS
YEAR PLACE AGE
* 1755: BORN MEISSEN
*1755-1777: SCHOOLING LEIPSIC
*1779: M. D. DEGREE ERLANGEN 24 YEARS
*1805- 1811 TORGAU 50- 56 YEARS
1805- Medicine of Experience.
1805- Fragmenta De Viribus Medicamentorum…
1810- FIRST EDITION OF ORGANON OF MEDICINE
1811- FIRST VOLUME OF MATERIA MEDICA PURA
*1811-1821 LEIPSIC 56- 66
1816- MATERIA MEDICA PURA- V-1& V-2.
1817- MATERIA MEDICA PURA- V-3
1818- MATERIA MEDICA PURA- V-4
1819- MATERIA MEDICA PURA- V-5
1819- ORGANON OF MEDICINE- 2ND EDITION.
1821- MATERIA MEDICA PURA-V-6
*1821- 1835 KOETHEN 66-80
1824- ORGANON OF MEDICINE-3RD EDITION
1828- Chronic Diseases: Part-1, 2, 3.
1829- ORGANON OF MEDICINE-4th EDITION
1830- Chronic Diseases: Part-4
1833- ORGANON OF MEDICINE- 5TH EDITION
*1835- 1843 PARIS
1842- Dr. Hahnemann completed the manuscripts of the 6th Edition
of the Organon of Medicine.
1843- HAHNEMANN DIES ON 2ND JULY 88 YEARS.
Dr. Samuel Hahnemann’s ORGANON OF MEDICINE
A Chronology Of Its EDITIONS, TRANSLATIONS, PRINTS& REPRINTS
THE PRECURSORS OF ORGANON:
1796: ‘An essay on a New Principle for Ascertaining the Curative
Powers of drugs and some examinations of the previous
principle’, published in Hufeland’s Journal.
1805- Medicine of Experience.
Its English Translation by R. E. Dudgeon:
: 1843: British Journal of Homoeopathy
: 1851: The Lesser Writings of Samuel Hahnemann
ORGANON OF MEDICINE:
FIRST EDITION: 1810, ORGANON DER RATIONELLEN HEILKUNDE
1913:1ST English Translation by Dr. C. E. Wheeler.
2003:2nd English Translation by Mahendrra Singh.
SECOND EDITION: 1819, ORGANON DER HEILKUNST
2003:1ST English Translation by Dr. Mahendra Singh.
THIRD EDITION: 1824, ORGANON DER HEILKUNST
2003:1ST English Translation by Dr. Mahendra Singh
FOURTH EDITION: 1829, ORGANON DER HEILKUNST
1833:1ST English Translation by Charles H. Devrient.
2003:2nd English Translation by Mahendra Singh.
FIFTH EDITION: 1833, ORGANON DER HEILKUNST
1839:1ST English Translation by C. Hering’s The North American
Academy of The Homoeopathic Healing Art, U. S.A.
1876:3RD English Translation by DR. Conard Wesselhoeft.
1889:4th English Translation by DR. Bernad Finke.
SIXTH EDITION: 1921, ORGANON DER HEILKUNST
1922:1ST English Translation by DR. William Boericke, U. S. A.
1955:1STIndian Edition by M/s Bhattacharya & Company, Kolkatha.
THE FRAME OF
ORGANON OF MEDICINE
First Edition
Year of publication Title Preface Text Introduction Aphorisms
1810(Torgau) Organon Der Rationellen Heilkunde Had four pages It
had no INHALT, ie.content or text • It had 64 paragraphs and one
footnote
• The paragraphs were not numbered • There were 271 aphorisms
• Its footnotes were not numbered. They appeared at the end of
the aphorisms and were denoted by ANM; Anmerkung which means
footnote or remark.
Novelties in 1st edition Translations Errors
• The antipathic axiom contraria contraries given in paragraph
47 of his An essay on new principles was given in complete as
contraria contraries curentur in para 1 of the introduction
• The homoeopathic axiom similia similibus given in paragraph 64
of his An essay on new principles was given in complete as
similia similibus curentur in para 2 of the introduction •
1913:1ST English Translation by Dr. C. E. Wheeler.
• 2003:2nd English Translation by Mahendra Singh.
• Dr. C E Wheeler did not translate the introduction
• Among the footnotes of the aphorisms he translated only a few
• He did not translate §158 and printed §159 as 158, §160 as 159
and omitted §160 completely.
Second Edition
Yr of publication Title Preface Text Introduction/ Einleitung
Aphorisms
1819
Leipsic • Organon Der Heilkunst
• From the title, the word Rationallen was removed.
• Heilkunde was replaced by Heilkunst
• German poet Gellert’s poem of four lines in the 1st edition
was removed and instead was printed Aude Sapere Had 18
paragraphs INHALT ie.content or text was introduced in this
edition • It had 70 paragraphs and 268 footnotes
• It was divided into three chapters:
i) 1- 52
ii) 53- 60
iii) 61- 70
• The end of the chapter was indicated by a closing line • There
were 315 aphorisms
• Its footnotes were not numbered. They appeared at the bottom
of the page and were marked by asterisks ‘*’ or crosses(+)
• There were no aphorisms numbering 216, 217 and 218. So
although the number given to the last aphorism was 318, there
were only 315 aphorisms.
Novelties in 2nd edition Translations Errors
• The title of the book was changed to Organon Der Heilkunst
• From the title, the word Rationallen was removed.
• Heilkunde was replaced by Heilkunst
• German poet Gellert’s poem of four lines in the 1st edition
was removed and instead was printed Aude Sapere
• INHALT ie.content or text was introduced in this edition
• Footnotes appeared at the bottom of the page and were marked
by asterisks ‘*’ or crosses(+) • 1824:1st French Translation by
E G Brunnow
• 2003:2nd English Translation by Mahendra Singh.
• There were no aphorisms numbering 216, 217 and 218. So
although the number given to the last aphorism was 318, there
were only 315 aphorisms.
Third Edition
Year of publication Title Preface Text Introduction/ Einleitung
Aphorisms
1824;
Koethen. • Organon Der Heilkunst (Organon of healing art) There
was preface to the 1st edition, 2nd edition& 3rd edition. INHALT
or text contained 12 pages. • It had 70 paragraphs and 266
footnotes
• It was divided into three chapters:
iv) 1- 53
v) 53- 61
vi) 62- 70
• There were 319 aphorisms
• Its footnotes were marked by numbers.
• There were no aphorisms numbering 216, 217 and 218.
• There were 2 new aphorisms; §319& §320, & 2 additions, §108b&
§167- b.
Novelties in 3rd edition Translations Errors
• Its footnotes were marked by numbers.
• Aphorisms 319& 320 dealing with Mesmerism were added.
• There were 2 new aphorism; §108b& §167- b. • 1832: French
Translation by E.G. Brunnow.
• 2003:2nd English Translation by Mahendra Singh.
There were no aphorisms numbering 216, 217 and 218. So although
the number given to the last aphorism was 320, there were only
319 aphorisms even after adding 2 extra aphorisms.
Fourth Edition
Yr of publication Title Preface Text Introduction/ Einleitung
Aphorisms
1829;
koethen • Organon Der Heilkunst (Organon of healing art) Had 4
paragraphs INHALT or text contained 10 pages.
After the text a catalogue of books of 2 pages printed. • It had
138 paragraphs.
• It was divided into two parts:
Part-1- 66 paragraphs.
• Chapter1-para1-6
• Chapter2-para7-9
• Chapter3-para10-21
• Chapter4-para22-33
• Chapter5-para34-48
• Chapter6-para49-50
• Chapter7-para51-57
• Chapter8-para58-66
Part-2- 72 paragraphs.
It was divided into 3 chapters.
• Chapter1-para1-55
• Chapter2-para56- 63
Chapter3-para64-72. • There were 292 aphorisms
• Its footnotes were numbered separately on each page from 1
onwards.
Fourth Edition
Novelties in 4th edition Translations Errors
• The theory of Chronic Miasms was introduced.
• The introduction was divided into 2 parts:
1: dealing with the fundamental defects of the allopathic
system.
2: contained examples of homoeopathic cures. • 1832:1st French
Translation by E G Brunnow
• 1833: First English translation by Charles H. Devrient.
• 2003:2nd English Translation by Mahendra Singh.
• Hahnemann did not mention anything about the gross errors
regarding § 216, 217,218 of the 2nd &3rd editions.
• Although the theory of chronic disease was introduced in this
edition in §70-75 but no reference to it was made his Preface.
Fifth Edition
Yr of publication Title Prefaces Text Introduction Aphorisms
1833;
koethen Organon Der Heilkunst Had 7 paragraphs. Its INHALT was
followed by 2 pages of catalogue. There were 99 paragraphs.
It was divided into 12 chapters.
I. Chapter 1: Para 1-8
II. Chapter 2: Para 9-11
III. Chapter 3: Para 12-24
IV. Chapter 4: Para 25-36
V. Chapter 5: Para 37-52
VI. Chapter 6: Para 53/54
VII. Chapter 7: Para 55- 61
VIII. Chapter 8: Para 62-65
IX. Chapter 9: Para 66-77
X. Chapter 10 :Para 78-82
XI. Chapter11: Para83-90
XII. Chapter12: Para 91-99 There are 294 aphorisms.
Footnotes are numbered serially as 1, 2, and 3, etc. for each
page.
Fifth Edition
Novelties in this Edition Translations Errors
Doctrine of Vital Force was introduced.
Method of Drug Dynamization was introduced. Its English
translations were done by:
1839- Hering’s Academy.
1849- Dr. R. E. Dudgeon
1876- C. Wesselhoeft
1889- B. Finke. In footnote to § 117 Hahnemann mentions Emperor
Alexius as the brother of Princess Maria Porphyrogeneta. It is
wrong. Alexius was her father.
Sixth Edition
Year of publication Title Prefaces Text Introduction Aphorisms
1921 Organon Der Heilkunst.
The words Aude Sapere were wrongly removed from cover page & put
on top of publisher’s contents. Had 4 paragraphs. INHALT was
removed by the publishers. There were 99 paragraphs.
It was divided into 12 chapters.
Chapter 1: Para 1-8
Chapter 2: Para 9-11
Chapter 3: Para 12-24
Chapter 4: Para 25-36
Chapter 5: Para 37-52
Chapter 6: Para 53/54
Chapter 7: Para 55- 61
Chapter 8: Para 62-65
Chapter 9: Para 66-77
Chapter 10 :Para 78-82
Chapter11: Para83-90
Chapter12: Para 91-99
Chapters were separated from each other by a closing line. There
are 291 aphorisms.
Footnotes are numbered serially as 1, 2, and 3, etc. for each
page.
Novelties in this Edition Translations Errors
The word Vital Force was replaced by Vital Principle.
A new scale of preparation of drugs known as 50 Millisimal scale
was introduced. Its English translations were done by:
1922- Dr. William Boericke.
1996- Steven Decker. Dr. Boericke copied Dudgeon’s every error
in translation. E. g. Error in § 117
THE STORY OF DELAY
IN PUBLICATION OF 6TH EDITION OF ORGANON
-Joseph M Schmidt
In 1842, one year before his death, Hahnemann completed his
manuscript of 6th edition. After Hahnemann’s death in July 1843
the manuscript first went into the possession of his widow
Melanie Hahnemann d’ Hervilly, who did not accept any of the
many offers on the part of homoeopaths to publish it. Mrs.
Hahnemann, her adopted daughter Sophie and her husband, Carl Von
Boenninghausen had to leave Paris. All posthumous works of
Hahnemann were then brought there, and after the death of Mrs.
Hahnemann every thing went into the possession of Von
Boenningausen family.
Only in 1920 Richard Haehl with financial aid from William
Boericke and James W Ward succeeded in purchasing the posthumous
works of Hahnemann from the family of Von Boenninghausen. So the
manuscript after several adverse circumstances remained
unpublished for 79 years, until Richard Haehl in 1921 and
William Boericke in 1922 edited a German and an English edition
respectively.
ORGNON OF MEDICINE
A Sketch of the Book
The 1st edition was published in 1810. There were 271 aphorisms.
The 2nd edition was published in 1819. There were 315 aphorisms.
The 3rd edition was published in 1824. There were 319 aphorisms.
The 4th edition was published in 1829. There were 292 aphorisms.
The 5th edition was published in 1833. There were 294 aphorisms.
The 6th edition was published in 1922. There were 291 aphorisms.
ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
In 1833, the first English translation from the 4th German
Edition was done by Charles. H. Devrient.
English translations of 5th edition were done by: 1839- Hering’s
Academy, 1849- Dr. R. E. Dudgeon, and 1876- C. Wesselhoeft& in
1889- B. Finke.
The first edition of Organon was translated by Dr. C. E. Wheeler
in 1913.
English translations of 6th edition were done by: 1922- Dr.
William Boericke., 1996- Steven Decker.
INTRODUCTION TO ORGANON
According to Hahnemann old medicine, Allopathy is a mode of
treatment with mixtures of unknown medicinal substances for
forms of diseases arbitrarily setup, and directed towards the
material object completely at variance with the nature. They try
to remove the cause of disease (Tolle causam).
The old school of medicine believed that they can cure diseases
by the removal of the material cause of the disease (materia
pecans). So they tried to remove this imaginary material cause
of the disease (a) by using emetics in cases of stomach
derangement (b) evacuation of bile by vomiting bilious fevers
(c) venesections in cases of haemorrhage (d) blood lettings in
inflammations etc.
They also used their repellant remedies (a) to dry up old
running ulcers in the legs with applications of oxide of lead
(b) drive off itch from skin with ointments of sulphur etc. this
resulted in metastatic affections sooner or later which are
always worse than the original malady..
They regarded the pathological changes which take place in the
inward being of man in diseases as the proximate cause of
disease (prima causa morbi) as well as the internal essence of
the disease, the disease itself- although the cause of a thing
or of an event can never be at the same time the thing or the
event itself.
Some of the physicians used specific medicines, i.e. its action
is homogenous to the morbid irritation but such medicines are
used in large doses and were dangerous to life. They never
dreamt of smaller doses.
The causes of our maladies cannot be material since the least of
foreign material or substance however mild it may appear to us,
if introduced into our blood vessels, is promptly ejected by the
vital force, as though it were a poison or when this does not
happen, death ensues. The old school physicians failed to
appreciate the spiritual nature of life and the spiritual
dynamic power of the exciting causes of diseases and they had
degraded themselves into mere scavenger doctors.
They alleged that their multifarious evacuant processes are a
mode of treatment by derivation, wherein they follow the example
of nature which, in her effort to assist the diseased organism,
resolves fever by perspiration and diuresis and other diseases
by vomiting etc. this derivation was one of the principal modes
of treatment of the old school of medicine.
To assist this derivative method they employed the allied
treatment by counter- irritants; woolen garments to the bare
skin, substances to cause pain etc and here also following the
example of crude unassisted nature which tries to free her from
the dynamic disease by exciting pain in distant parts in the
body by metastasis. They believed that by using this hurtful
procedure they were acting as duce nature (obey the hints of
nature) & might justly claim the title of minister nature
(servant of crude power of nature).
The old school has yet another method of treatment, which is
termed the simulating and strengthening system (by excitantia,
nervina, tonica confortantia, roborantia). It is probably
speaking enantiopathic treatment.
According to Hahnemann, “to cure mildly, rapidly, certainly and
permenantly, choose, in every case of disease, a medicine which
itself produce an affection similar to that sought to be cured”
(Similia Similibus Curentur- the therapeutic law.)
The mixture of several medicines, even if the effects of each
single medicine on the human body were accurately known, the
association, in one prescription of several ingredients, will
never produce a curative effect.
There was another system of treatment known as isopathy (found
by Mr. M Lux) which is a mode of cure by identicals and idem.
Example: The manufacturers of lacquered ware apply to a part
scalded with hot varnish a substance that causes a similar
burning sensation such as strong heated spirits or oil of
turpentine
THE
INTER-RELATIONSHIP OF THE CONTENTS AND APHORISMS
OF THE ORGANON OF MEDICINE
§1: The high and only calling of a physician is to restore
health to the sick which is called cure
§2: The highest ideal of cure
§3: What the physician should know?
§5- §22: What is curable in disease?
What is disease? §5-15
The function of the dynamic vital force: §9-10
§9: In the healthy condition of man, the spiritual vital force
(autocracy), the dynamis that animates the material body, rules
with unbounded sway, & retains all the parts of the organism in
admirable, harmonious, vital operation as regards both sensation
& function…
The totality of symptoms expresses the disease: §7, 8, 11, and
12,17,18,22.
§7: totality of symptoms is the outwardly reflected picture of
the internal essence of the disease, that is, of the affection
of the vital force.
§19-69: What is curative in drugs?
Drugs cure by their power to change the state of health: §19- 20
§22-70: clearly defined principles for adapting drug to disease.
The homoeopathic law: §26, 27.
§26: A weaker dynamic affection is permanently extinguished by a
stronger one, if the latter is very similar to the former.
Results of two dissimilar diseases meeting in the same organism:
§35.
Results of two similar diseases in meeting in the same organism:
§43, 44.
Allopathic method: §55
Antipathic method: §55-61
Based on Galen’s teaching contraria contraries: §56
Summary: §70
How to gain knowledge of diseases? §72-104
Acute disease: §73
Chronic disease: §72, 74-84.
Syphilis: §79
Sycosis: §79
Psora: §80
Case taking: §84-104
Drug proving: §105- 144
Primary action & Secondary action: §63-66, 112- 115
§63: every agent that acts upon the vitality deranges more or
less the vital force & causes a certain alteration in the health
of the individual. This is termed primary action.
To its action our vital force exerts an opposite reaction. This
is the secondary action or counter action.
Idiosyncrasy: §117
How to prove drugs? §120-142
A true Material Medica: §143-145
§143: A true Materia Medica is a collection of real, pure,
reliable modes of action of simple medicinal substances, a
volume of book of nature, wherein is recorded a considerable
array of the peculiar changes to health& symptoms ascertained to
belong to each of the powerful medicines.
Partial or One sided diseases: §172-184.
Local affections: §185-203:
Chronic Diseases: § 204-209
Mental diseases: § 210-230
Intermittent Diseases: §231-244
Alternating Diseases: § 232
Drugs to diseases: §245-294
Dose and remedy: §245-294
Repetition of dose: §245-248
Care to be taken in diet, regimen: §259-263
Direction for preparing drugs: §266-271
Methods of administration: §289-292
Mesmerism: §293-294
This first corrected translation by Dr. Mahendra Singh & Dr.
Subhas Singh is a wonderful book. The errors & anomalies
committed by Hahnemann, wrong translations & defective editing
of his English translators & their publishers have been
corrected & rectified in this book. These corrections have been
done by making a comparative study of Dr. Hahnemann’s all the 6
original German editions Organon of Medicine & his Medicine of
Experience, by comparing all the English translations of the
Organon with the help of German-English, German-Medical and
English Medical Dictionaries of Hahnemann’s and Dudgeon’s period
and with the help of persons proficient in German and English
languages.
But none of the translators of Organon can replace Dudgeon
because the English speaking world came to know Hahnemann &
Homoeopathy after Dudgeon’s translation of Organon & the errors
made by him were only minor when compared with his wonderful
contribution. We could not forget the name of Charles H.
Devrient because he made the first English translation of
Organon in1833.
Even though it is corrected, this book has some errors. E.g.
Year of 1st English translation of 5th edition: 1836 in one
place, 1939 & 1839 in another place, Year of 1st English
translation of 4th edition: 1913 in one place, 1917 in other
place, year of his appointment as medical officer (1781, 1791)
&duration of Hahnemann’s education etc. These mistakes will make
confusion.
Some errors are not explained satisfactorily. For example, Error
in the Appendix to §8 footnote (error of Dr. R. E. Dudgeon).
Footnote to §8: Hufeland, chief of the old school said that
‘Homoeopathy can remove the symptoms, but the disease remains’
(Vide Homöopathie, P. 27, 1,19).
Appendix to §8 footnote: A translation of Hufeland’s Homöopathie
will be found in the British Journal of Homoeopathy. XVI. P.
179.
But this book is important because it is the first corrected
edition & the second combined edition of the Organon of Medicine
in the world.
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