like cures Like

The principles of homeopathy were first formulated at the end of the 18th century by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician. Disillusioned with the brutal medical practices of his time, he gave up his practice to concentrate on the translation of medical texts.

He began developing the homeopathic theory while translating a book on malaria. The book stated that cinchona bark (quinine) was an effective treatment for malaria because it was bitter and astringent, but Hahnemann felt this could not be the reason, since there were many other bitter and astringent herbs that did not cure malaria. In order to better understand the effects of the plant he decided to take some, and was amazed when he experienced malaria-like symptoms. He realised that cinchona was an effective treatment for malaria because it was capable of producing similar symptoms in a healthy person. This was Hahnemann's "eureka" moment, and the first observation of the homeopathic principle "like cures like". Hahnemann chose the name homeopathy from the Greek words "homios" and "pathos", which mean "similar suffering".

less is more

Hahnemann then began experimenting on himself, friends and family with other substances to understand their therapeutic uses, and soon had around a hundred different remedies. Some of the substances such as arsenic were toxic in material doses, so he tried diluting them to see if they would have a gentler effect. He was surprised to discover that the more he diluted a substance, the less its toxicity and greater its healing properties. His methodical clinical observations and logical analysis stood in sharp contrast to the excessive and non-scientific medical practices of the day.

the spread of homeopathy

Homeopathy was brought to America in 1825 and rapidly became the most sought after treatment of the day. It was used successfully to treat diseases such as malaria, cholera and yellow fever, and spread quickly to Europe and Asia. Even at the beginning of the 20th century as many as 15-20% of all doctors were homeopaths. With the advent of penicillin and antibiotics and other medical advances homeopathy became less popular for a time. However it experienced a resurgence in the 1960's, and has been steadily growing in popularity ever since.

homoeopathy today

Today, homeopathy enjoys more official recognition in the UK than in any other country, largely due to a long tradition of royal patronage. The only other countries that come close in this respect are India and Pakistan. There are five NHS homeopathic hospitals in the UK, and GPs are increasingly referring patients with hard-to-treat symptoms to homeopaths. In fact over 12,000 medical doctors and licensed health care practitioners administer homeopathy in Britain, France, and Germany.

Growing numbers of people are choosing homeopathy as their preferred healthcare system. An estimated 500 million people worldwide receive homeopathic treatment, and there over 30 million users in Europe alone. Homeopathy has plenty of high-profile fans, including members of the royal family, actors and other celebrities. It is even used by homeopathic vets to treat all manner of animals, from dogs and cats to dairy herds and valuable racehorses.