Friday, October 8, 2010





Pasukan Sukarelawan Homeopathy Malaysia yang di ketuai oleh Prof Dr Nik Omar telah berkhidmat dimerata tempat diseluroh dunia, khususnya disekitar negara-negara Asia. Sejak ditubohkan pada tahun 1979 hingga kini 2010 pasukan ini terus aktif membantu mangsa-mangsa malapeka.

Contonya di Kemboja , paasukan ini telah mendapat pujian dari penduduk setempat dimana inilah kali pertama penduduk di Siem Reap dan juga di Pheom Penn menerima rawatan percuma dari Pasukan sukarelawan dari Malaysia.

Kaedaan penduduk Muslim Kemboja amat daif dan memerlukan bantuan dari badan-badan amal di Malaysia dan juga dari negara-negara kaya.
Pusat islam Malaysia boleh mainkan peranan membantu menghantar guru-guru agama kesana.

Homeopathic Free Services at Cambodia








Malaysian Homeopathic Medical Team
from
Malaysian Homeopathic Medical Practitioners Association - MRHP Malaysia


" Every year approximately 50 homeopathic doctors from Malaysian Homeopathic Medical Practitioners Association give up their annual holidays. They make their medical knowledge and skills available to the charity. Homeopathic Doctors Without barriers' free of charge for a period of a least four days to eight weeks. They give free treatment.....
more detail read

http://www.homeopathymalaysia.org.my/

Homeopathy In Germany, Brief History

A short Review of Homeopathy in Germany (History and Development)

by Siegfried Letzel

Filed under Homeopathy Around the World

Germany The Birth Place of Homeopathy

In this essay, I am trying to avoid writing a biography of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. Biographies on Him are available in a great number of (online) literature. Still, there will be no way to give a short history of homeopathy without Him being mentioned. Also, the given history will be far [...]

In this essay, I am trying to avoid writing a biography of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. Biographies on Him are available in a great number of (online) literature. Still, there will be no way to give a short history of homeopathy without Him being mentioned. Also, the given history will be far from being complete. You will find a selection of notable data, but most probably, You will also miss many. Hpathy and me as the writer of these lines are open to Your input, we will be able to add further informations according to recommendations that You may consider being essential.

Let me start with the question of when homeopathy had its date of birth. Opinions are in disagreement. Most authors focus on two events:

a. Dr. Hahnemann’s translation of ‘A Treatise Of The Materia Medica’ by William Cullen resulting in the famous experiment with china bark (1790).

b. The publishing of Dr. Hahnemann’s artikle in the Hufeland’s Journal in 1796, entitled ‘Versuch über ein neues Prinzip zur Auffindung der Heilkräfte der Arzneisubstanzen nebst einigen Blicken auf die bisherigen.’ (‘Essay On A New Principle To Determine The Healing Powers Of Medicinal Substances, Including Consideration Of Those To Date’).

In 1800, Dr. Hahnemann starts His homeopathic practice. The following years He develops His main works one of which will become the ‘Organon Of Rational Healing’ (in later editions: ‘The Medicine Of Experience’), the ‘Materia Medica Pura’ and a good number of more publications. In 1811, when He arrived in Leipzig, homeopathy has to be considered as being unknown. In 1821, when Dr. Hahnemann left for Köthen, His art of healing has already become popular. In Leipzig, the atmosphere between pharmacists and physicians towards Dr. Hahnemann got increasingly disturbed. The pharmacists didn’t want to see Hahnemann dispensing medicines on His own, and some of the physisicians still used conventional treatments together with homeopathy which was unacceptable for Dr. Hahnemann. Also, He has taught as a lecturer who was not a member of the salaried university staff. His violent eruptions when commenting on conventional medicine were one reason that after some years, only four handful of students were left following Him faithfully. They have been an important source for His ongoing remedy provings. They, together with Dr. Hahnemann’s charisma and successful treatments (of mighty and wealthy patients), contributed to the increasing popularity of homeopahty. Still He had to face the critics (and the reports to the authorities) of the local pharmacists because of His continued self-dispensing and submission of medicines (the latter became prohibited).

During Dr. Hahnemann’s years in Köthen, homeopathy got a further push due to the cholera epidemy that had cost many lives not only in Germany. His successful treatment of cholera cases did promote His reputation to a good extend. Why He was so successful in dealing with cholera is a point of discussion: was it homeopathy or was it His rejection of the conventional method of blood-letting. Also He gave His patients enough water to drink which was not common in treating cholera conventionally. Kindly have a look at Hahnemann’s articles published in His ‘Lesser Writings’ (‘Kleine Schriften’) on cholera in order to get a hint of the faith and enthusiasm that Hahnemann was able to spread – now even beyond the borders.

Helpful to establish homeopathy definitely were the ‘Archiv für die homöopathische Heilkunst’ ~ ‘archive of the homeopathic art of healing’ (Stapf’s archive), the foundation of the ‘Verein zur Beförderung und Ausbildung der homöopathischen Heilkunst’ ~ ‘Society for the Promotion of and Training for the Homeopathic Art of Healing’ (later ‘Homöopathischer Zentralverein’ ~ ‘Homeopathic Central Society’), and the appearance of the ‘Allgemeine homöopathische Zeitung’ (AHZ) ~ ‘General Homeopathic Journal’.

Already during the 40′s of the nineteenth century, different streams of homeopathy and even splittings within homeopathy became obvious. Not all of the followers of Dr. Hahnemann were able to follow His theory of the Psora. That time we met the foundation of the ‘free homeopaths (free from Hahnemann), the linking homeopaths (linking to conventional medicine) and the Hahnemannians. During the 1890′s, the term ‘scientific-critical homeopathy’ has been coined (even though medicine was not yet scientific in the modern sense of the meaning).

The early ‘Homeopathic Central Society’ set up a fund for a homeopathic hospital that was started with 24 beds. In 1824 it had to close again for financial reasons. It is recorded that it is especially due to Dr. Hahnemann’s dictatorial manner (He already had closed the ‘Zentralverein’ in 1835 without really being authorized to do so, but it was reopened in1836 against His will) that the economic problems got out of control and so public funds for the hospital got withdrawn.

In Stapf’s Archive, the ‘Magna Carta’ of the critical homeopaths has been published refusing some of Hahnemann’s concepts. Vehsemeyer’s introduction of D-potencies gained acceptance not only by the critical homeopaths. It was not until the end of World War II, when remedies in C- and Q-potencies were increasingly used again.

It has to be mentionand that patients and lay practicioners (as famous Clemens von Bönninghausen and Georg Heinrich Gottlieb Jahr) considerably supported homeopathy. Among this group of fans there were priests, landowners, merchants and well educated citizens. Laymen have started numerous homeopathic clubs on the local level. Important supporters of homeopathy were found among the noble persons of these days. They increasingly started to enjoy homeopathic treatment and spread the good news even further so that the number of followers increased more and more. In those days it was very welcome that homeopathy was not a part of conventional medicine. This made it possible that homeopathy could have been practiced by by non-medical people who were the firm base in the process of the establishment of homeopathy.

While the first homeopaths departed, conventional medicine, as we know it, more obviously started to develop. The new generation of homeopaths seeked for contact (the link) to the school of medicine. The new focus was oriented more towards diesease rather than symptoms.

In Köthen, Arthur Lutze opened His sanatorium (claiming to treat 35.000 patients/year) which might not be exaggerated. He was really talented in promoting homeopathy, not leaving out the commercial side of view.

The development of homeopathy until 1926 can be summarized with the achievement of creating a homeopathic pharmacopoeia and with the growth of the homeopathic pharmaceutical industry (the first to be mentioned: Willmar Schwabe, famous for careful and conscientious work, with up to 2.500 branches worldwide). Now conventional medicine and homeopathy succeeded in getting closer in some aspects. All of the evolutionary processes resulted in the amazing fact, that in 1933, there were not less than 444 lay societies known to be of service to the many thousands of their members.

In 1871, during the period of the German Empire, nationwide, a law has been established including one paragraph saying, that whoever thinks of himself of being suited well enough, will be permitted to offer medical treatments regardless the education taken. For obvious reasons this liberal law got more and more restricted for the next years to come, leading to a better development of conventional medicine and of homeopathy as being practiced by physicians.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Latest Homeopathic News


Asian Homeopathic Medical League - AHML

International Homeopathic Medical League - LMHI

Homeopathy in Malaysia

http://www.homeopathymalaysia.org.my

Liga Medicurom Homeopathica Internationalis LMHI Congress at Belgium 2008





Executive Officer of Liga - LHMI










Executive Officers of the LMHI
International Homeopathic Medical League - LMHI

LMHI President

Dr. José Matuk Kannan
Mexico

E-Mail: president[at]lmhint.net
LMHI Prime Vice President

Dr. Renzo Galassi
Italy

E-Mail: primevicepresident[at]lmhint.net
LMHI Past President

Dr. Ulrich D. Fischer
Germany

E-Mail: primevicepresident[at]lmhint.net
LMHI General Secretary

Dr. Thomas Peinbauer
Austria

E-Mail: generalsecretary[at]lmhint.net
LMHI Treasurer
Yves Faignaert - LMHI Treasurer
Belgium

E-Mail: treasurer[at]lmhint.net
LMHI President of Honor
Sandra Chase M.D.
USA

Prof Dr Nik Omar Vice President International Homeopathic Medical League [Malaysia]



Prof Dr Nik Omar with Dr Renzo Galassi, Prime Vice President of LMHI [Italy]

Bulgaria Report 2008



Bulgaria
National Vice President


Dora Patschova - NVP Bulgaria

Dora Pachova
Bulgaria

E-Mail: bulgaria@lmhint.net


National Organization (Institutional Member):

Association of Homeopathic Physicians in Bulgaria (AHPB), www.homeopathybulgaria.org/
LMHI Report 2008

A new Health Law with a chapter for regulation of CAM has been in action since 1st January 2005. According to it only doctors and dentists are allowed to practice homeopathy. In the spring of 2007 a Working group was formed by Ministry of Health to give suggestions about final changes in CAM chapter because a lot of national organizations of people involved in CAM criticized it.
A new Drug Law was accepted by the Parliament and for homeopaths it means easer procedure for importing homeopathic remedies. This is very important because there is no national producer of homeopathic remedies.

Full Bulgarian LMHI Report

History of Homeopathy in Brazil

History of Homeopathy in Brazil
HISTORICAL ASPECTS REGARDING THE CURRENT SITUATION OF HOMEOPATHY IN BRAZIL

Benoit Jules Mure, a French doctor, arrived in Brazil on November 21, 1840, accompanied by families who settled in the colonies of Santa Catarina. Dr. Mure who was the founder of homeopathic dispensary in Palermo, of the dispensary at La Harpe street in Paris, the divulger of homeopathy in Sicily and in Malta, arrived here as the representative of the Union Industrielle of Paris.

The First Homeopathic Institute of Brazil was installed at the newly founded Colony of Sahy and this is the site where the movement of homeopathic proselytisme began. As a result of his constant contact with Rio de Janeiro, Dr. Mure decides to move to that city in 1843 and subsequent to regularizing his professional situation, becomes a combative propagator of the Hahnemannian science, assisted by João Vicente Martins, such efforts resulting in the foundation of the Homeopathic School of Brazil.

Supported by a notice issue by the Ministry of the Affairs of Justice dated March 27, 1846 and by the law that structured the study in Brazil, dated October 3, 1846, the Homeopathic School of Brazil is authorized, by the Imperial Authorities, to grant certificates of study to the homeopaths who conclude its course.

Decree No. 7283 dated May 10, 1879, issued by the Imperial Authorities, approves the bylaws of the Instituto Hahnemanniano Fluminense that, as a result of the alteration made to the bylaws, is transformed into the Instituto Hahnemanniano do Brazil.

Imperial Decree No. 9554 dated February 3, 1886 officially recognizes the Homeopathic Drugstores. This decree makes reference to "homeopathic doctor" for the first time in the Brazilian law.

The Homeopathic Infirmary of the Central Hospital of the Army was founded in 1902; the Homeopathic Infirmary of the Central Hospital of the Navy was formed in 1908.

On December 2, 1912, the Instituto Hahnemanniano do Brazil established the Hahnemannian Faculty.

Federal Decree No. 11473, dated October 3, 1915, authorized by the Congress, determines the donation of a property for the installation of the Hahnemannian School and Hospital which were founded on April 10, 1916.

Legislative Decree No. 3540, dated September 25, 1918, authorized the Instituto Hahnemanniano do Brasil to qualify homeopathic doctors.

The Decision of the Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs, through the Notice dated December 5, 1921, raises the Faculdade Hahnemanniana to the same level as the official colleges.

Law No. 1552, dated July 8, 1952 renders obligatory the study of Homeopathic Pharmacotechnique Notions in the Pharmaceutics Colleges of Brazil.

Law No. 3271 of September 30, 1957, federalized the Scool of Medicine and Surgery of Rio de Janeiro, whose origin is accounted to the Faculdade Hahnemanniana, and determines that it is obligatory to maintain the study of Homeopathy in this College, through three disciplines.

Decree No. 57477 dated December 20, 1965, regularizes the manipulation, prescription and sale of goods utilized in homeopathy.

Decree No. 78841 dated November 25, 1976 (supplement No. 4 of the Official Gazette of January 6, 1977) approves the General Part of the Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia, whose publication was authorized by Ministry of Health through Process No. 4556/77-RJ, based on article 6 of the referred decree, which was published still in 1977.

In 1980, the Federal Council of Medicine, according to Resolution No. 1000, includes Homeopathy among the recognized medical specializations, having established, in 1982, the instructions for obtaining the Title of Doctor Specialized in Homeopathy. Consequently, consubstantiating a denomination that existed since the Sanitary Code of the Empire in 1888.

The first public exam for homeopathic doctors takes place in 1988 at the Hospital do Instituto de Assistància aos Servidores of the Rio de Janeiro State. Since then, several public services, in numerous Brazilian states, have performed public exams for homeopathic doctors.

Following the structuring of Brazilian Homeopathic Medical Association in Novemnber 1988, during the XIX Brazilian Congress of Homeopathy, in the city of Gramado, RS, it was decided to join efforts toward the strengthening of the Brazilian homeopathic movement.

It was also, during the XIX Brazilian Congress of Homeopathy that the germ involving the formation of an association of homeopathic pharmacists first germinated. In May 1989, the First National Meeting of Homeopathic Pharmacists took place in Rio de Janeiro.

On June 8, 1989, an agreement is signed between the Brazilian Homeopathic Medical Association (AMHB) and the Brazilian Medical Association (AMB). From then onwards, The AMHB became responsible for the guidance of the Homeopathic Department of the AMB where it participates actively, having appointed a representative to take part in the meetings held by the Council of Specialization at the AMB.

As a result of the AMHB/AMB association, the AMHB benefits automatically, through the intermediary of the AMB, from the association that exist between the latter and the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM). Thus, it was decided to leave the preparation of the test of obtaining the Title of Doctor Specialized in Homeopathy under the responsibility of the AMHB, began to grant the Title of Specialist in Homeopathy to the doctors who meet the conditions established by these regulations.

The first test prepared by the AMHB for the purpose of grating the Title of Specialist in Homeopathy was performed on June 29, 1990. Ever since, annual tests are being realized.

The resolution of the AMHB in 1990, in accordance with the discussions and guidance of the Scientific Council of the AMB and the Comission of Specialization of the CFM determines that the Courses of Specialization in Homeopathy for Doctors from 1991 onwards shall have the duration of 1200 hours, distributed as follows: 450 hours: theory; 450 hours: practice and 300 hours: monograph.

There exist Specialization Courses in Homeopathy all over the country. Homeopathy Courses can be attended in the School of Medicine as an option, or at the post-graduation level, in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraíba and Amazonas.

The Brazilian Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists (ABFH) was created in 1991.

An examination was performed in 1992 for Full Professors by the Rio de Janeiro University, six homeopathic doctors having been approved as Full Professors in Homeopathic Clinic.

During the First National Meeting of the Homeopathic Pharmacists (1989) a standardization project was prepared, that resulted in the publication, in 1922, of the Manual of Technical Standards for Homeopathic Drugstores, its second edition, with improvements and corrections having occurred in 1995. This book arrived to fill gaps that were required to complete the Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia.

Resolution No. 267 of February 9, 1995 of the Federal Council of Pharmacy, provides for the regulation of the Title of Specialist for Homeopathic Pharmacist.

Austrian Report

Austrian LMHI Report 2009
Report by the National Vice-President for Austria



Four homeopathic associations, OGHM, AKH, SIH and OGVH are offering modified training programs to senior medical students, physicians, veterinarians and pharmacists. Diplomas are recognized by medical and veterinary chambers. Advanced training offerings show attempts of networking and collaboration among the different societies.

Increased efforts in research, publication and public relations have resulted in furthering the spread and establishment of the homeopathic idea. Austrian homeopathic manufacturers are renowned for excellent quality and deliver remedies worldwide.

Jorg Hildebrandt received the Peithner Award 2008 for his proving of Toxopneustis pileolus. Anton Rohrer was honored with the Samuel Hahnemann Award 2008 in Bamberg at the annual conference of the OGHM together with DZVhA. In his publication he addressed the topic of worldwide interest and relevance: Epidemics and Homeopathy. (Published in Documenta, Issue 27, 2008)

Armenian Homeopathy

Armenian LMHI Report 2009
Report by the National Vice-President for Austria



2009 was a very fruitful year for our Association and for all Armenian homeopaths. Drs. M. Gharbaghtsyan, R. Khojasaryan, N. Zakaryan and L. Saakyan attended a seminar of Drs. Pareek in India. Doctor H. Pfeiffer conducted a seminar for our members in Yerevan.

The Armenian Association of International Homeopaths and “Nor Arev” organized our 3rd International Homeopathic Congress. Doctors U. Fisher (Germany), A. Pareek, R. S. Pareek (India), D. Spinedi (Switzerland), H. Pfeiffer (Germany) were presenters. About 100 doctors-homeopaths from Armenia, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine enjoyed the meeting, with some interested patients and students of Medical Universities.

Four doctors passed clinical internship.

With “Nor Arev,” we initiated the homeopathic treatment at an orphanage.

The problem of the sale of complex drugs continues, and the pharmacological authority requires approval from a doctor-homeopath for licensing.

Belgium Homeopathy

Belgian LMHI Report 2008
BELGIUM 2008
Annual Report to the LMHI by the National Vice-President


Summary:

*
The main activity of the UNIO Homoeopathica Belgica last year was the preparation of the LMHI - congress in Ostend. The title of this congress “Evidence Based Homoeopathy” illustrates the intention to collect all possible evidence in homoeopathy with an open mind to the whole homoeopathic community. The verification of homeopathic symptoms and provings are other main topics of the congress.
*
The application for accreditation of the lecture about the “Biophysics of the homoeopathic remedy” of pharmacist Van Damme in 2000, was refused by the governmental accreditation commission. The general assembly of the UNIO decided to contest this decision before the Council of the State and the lecture was accepted for accreditation. With this decision under the arm we asked accreditation for several sessions of the LMHI – congress. Until now the Wednesday – morning session is accepted for accreditation in Ethics and Economics namely worldwide. Other sessions are still in application.
*
Exceptional for this congress is also the financial support of the “FNRS” (National Fund for Scientific Research). Unless the fact that the received financial support is only 1/6the of the support for allopathic congresses, this support can be considered has historical.
*
The general assembly decided to support the foundation of an independent unit of pharmacists under the wings of the UNIO. Up to now pharmacists were only accepted as sympathizing members.
*
A survey in 2003 turned out that our members prescribed 25% or less antibiotics in comparison with their allopathic colleagues. Unless these exceptional figures, the government was not interested. It was decided at the general assembly to collect again the statistical figures of all our members as far as their profile of prescriptions of antibiotics, during the year 2006. We will try to convince the government again with the new results.
*
A scientific framework for the practice of our profession was formulated without using the word homoeopathy.
*
The Royal Arrest about the recognition of the Liga Classica Homoeopathica (the organization of the NMQP’s) was contested before the Council of State, until now without result. The homoeopathic remedy is registered in Belgium and that’s why we cannot accept this registered remedies being prescribed by NMQP’s.
*
The English version of the booklet called “Scientific Framework of General Practice – Homeopathy – 2006” will be presented at the congress. The French version is already on our Website www.homeopathy.be.
*
Our UNION is involved in research on homeopathy. Unfortunately the proposal on Hay Fever (comparison between Cetirizine+placebo individual homeopathic treatment-IHT- versus IHT+placebo cetirizine), found until now no financial support unless the first pilot study is showing an identical efficacy as Cetirizine.
*
The participation to the CLIFICOL project and to the LR statistics is ongoing also.
*
The registration of the homeopathic remedies is going on under the presidency of Dr. Michel Van Wassenhoven.
*

The goals for next years are: registration of qualified homeopaths (by the officials) / basic standards for competence in homeopathy for pharmacists / registration and reimbursement of all homeopathic medications / involvement in Research activities and international actions / nomination of delegations to official commissions (see above) / Political and Union's news are published every 3 months in a journal mailed to our members. See more at the end of this document.


Members:

Members in total: 349

Medical doctors: 318

Dentists: 11

Veterinarians: 8

Pharmacists: 12


Organizations:





1.
Societas Regalis Homoeopathica Belgica (Royal Belgian Homoeopathic Society); To be accepted, members must be presented by 2 sponsors who guarantee the seriousness of the candidate. The candidate proposes a thesis on a homeopathic subject and is accepted by 2/3rd of the members by secret vote. (48 members). The national homeopathic library including books and journals is managed by the SRHB (http://biblio.homeobel.com) chaussée de Mons, 58 B-6150 Anderlues Belgium – Tel: +32-(0)71-54.09.03 Fax: +32-(0)2-52.94.35. (www.homeobel.com)
2.
Unio Homœopathica Belgica: a professional organisation for the defence of the homœopathic medical profession. 346 members only accepted after presentation of the proof of having satisfactorily followed the full curriculum of one of the 10 Belgian Homœopathic Schools. The fee includes professional medical liability insurance. President: Dr M. Van Wassenhoven, chaussée de Bruxelles n°132 B-1190 Bruxelles. (www.homeopathy.be)
3.
The Regulatory Affairs Society for Homeopathics (RASH); this organisation meets every month to work on homœopathic monographs. Members are pharmacists involved in the manufacture of homœopathic remedies. President: Rudy DE CLERCQ, industrial pharmacist.
4.
Les Amis de l'Homéopathie (The friends of Homœopathy) is a patient’s organisation supporting homœopathy. It publishes regularly a bulletin of information for patients. They also distribute the list of Homœopathic MD in Belgium. President: J. Hirsch, Clos du Cheval d’Argent n°9 B-1050 Bruxelles.
5.
Homœopathisch Bekeken (The Homœopathic viewpoint) is a journal for patients with a Dutch staff for both Dutch and Flemish patients. Dr J.F. Vermeire, Paddeschootdreef n°141 B-9100 Sint-Niklaas
6.
The Belgian Homeopathic Faculty is a non-profit organisation aimed to regroup all Belgian homeopathic teaching activities. Dean: Dr Arlette Blanchy. Rue Père De Deken, 8 B-1040 Brussels – Belgium. Tel. : + 32 – (0)2-733.30.40
7.
A.P.B. “Association Pharmaceutique Belge”, subcommittee homeopathy is aimed to regroup all pharmacists with a specific competence for the preparation of homeopathic remedies and to promote GMP. Responsable: Mme A. Lecroart, Rue Archimède n°11 B-1000 Bruxelles.



CEDHI (BRUSSELS)

Jules Bordetlaan – Av. Jules Bordet, 11 B-1030 BRUSSELS

CONTACT Belgique = 02/726.90.70 ou cedh@cedh.org

Centre Bruxellois d'Homéopathie Uniciste (BRUXELLES)

rue Père De Deken n°8 B-1040 BRUXELLES

CONTACT = Dr. A. Blanchy TEL/FAX 02/733.30.40

Email arlette.blanchy@gmail.com Site www.cbhu.be

Centre Liégeois d'Homéopathie (LIEGE)

rue Vignoble n° 1 B-4130 ESNEUX

CONTACT = secrétariat TEL / FAX 04/380.31.78

Email Clh@skynet.be ; www.clh-homeo.be

Institut Médical d'Homéopathie et de Biothérapie (BRUXELLES)

rue Carli n° 5 B-1140 BRUXELLES

CONTACT = TEL 02/240.67.76

I.S.K.H. (HECHTEL) :

12 septemberstraat n° 19 B-3940 HECHTEL

CONTACT = Dr. A. Geukens / Mevr. B. Klein

TEL 011/73.23.55

EMAIL = dr@geukens.net; INTERNET: www.geukens.net

Pédiatres Pratiquant l'Homéopathie (groupement de spécialistes)

Bd A. Reyers n° 34/14 B-1030 BRUXELLES

CONTACT = Dr J.-L. Laloy TEL 02/736.66.26

Vlaamse Studievereniging voor Unitaire homeopathische Geneeskunde ( Oostende)

CONTACT = Dr. E. DOEUVRE.

Christinastraat 129 B-8400 OOSTENDE

TEL = +32-(0)59-50.29.97

EMAIL = VSU.BNIH@gmail.com











Schools not delivering the National Diploma:

Ecole Belge d’Homœopathie (TERVUREN)

Chaussée de Mons, 58 6150 Anderlues.

CONTACT = Dr. D. Saelens : mail@homeobel.com

Ch. de Mons, 58 – B – 6150 ANDERLUES

TEL. : + 32 – (0)2/735.35.25 FAX 071/52.94.35

Email: mail@homeobel.com, Internet: ww.homeobel.com



Centre for permanent formation in homeopathy.

Homoeopathic pediatrics practising homoeopathy

Contact : Dr. J.L. Laloy, Bd. A. Reyers, 35/14 – 1030 Bruxelles

Tel.: + 32 – (0)2-736.06.26

Unda – Boiron



In Belgium, the homoeopathic continuing medical education (CME) is organised by the various schools particularly in continuous training course or participation in congresses. They decide with complete autonomy the program contents. In the future, the Faculty will be able to co-ordinate the items.



The members of the U.H.B. sign an annual declaration on one’s honour that a homeopathic and allopathic continuous training course has been completed. This document is added into the personal file kept for each member. This is a duty required by the Health Ministry to be officially recognised as a professional organisation.



We have chosen this formula because we don’t want to put pressure on our members and to be too demanding, as far as the State allows it.




Homeopathic library:

See : www.homeobel.com or http://biblio.homeobel.com.

A list of available manuscripts or books can be downloaded.

Homeopathic laboratories/manufacturers:

See RASH: President: : Rudy DE CLERCQ, industrial pharmacist.

Events:

Next General Assembly European Committee for Homeopathy and Research Sub-committee meeting will be organised November 2008 (Brussels – Hilton). info@homeopathyeurope.org

Regular meetings of the SRBH see www.homeobel.com

General assembly UNIO: 07-02-2009.



Journals and publications:
The Royal Belgian Homœopathic Society publishes a quarterly journal : Le Journal Belge d'Homœopathie (The Belgian journal of Homeopathy). Dr C. Schepens, rue Groeselenberg n°39 B-1180 BRUXELLES.

Homœopathisch Bekeken (The Homœopathic viewpoint) is a journal for patients with a Dutch staff for both Dutch and Flemish patients. Dr J.F. Vermeire, Paddeschootdreef n°141 B-9100 Sint-Niklaas



We have participate to the n°42 of the journal “Ethica Clinica” “Les médecines complémentaires à l’hôpital” (Complementary Medicine at Hospitals) www.fih-w.be



The Circle Homœopathic of Liege has give rise to a publishing company for Homœopathic books and papers. Dr M. Brunson, rue Vignoble n° 1 B-4130 ESNEUX.



Three booklets are available:

“A selection of 100 homeopathic remedies in 10 steps for acute complaints”, available in English – Français – Néerlandais. It can be ordered on INTERNET: www.homeopathy.be



“HOMEOPATHY – A guide for GPs” available in Français – Néerlandais.



« Cadre Scientifique de la Médecine Générale – Homéopathie » available in Français. English and Néerlandaise translations in preparation www.homeopathy.be


Next Goals :

Political and Union's news are published every 3 months in a journal mailed to our members. The goals for next years are : more communication and information about homeopathy avoiding any conflict (evidence is evidence!); registration of qualified homeopaths (by the officials) – basic standards for competence in homeopathy for pharmacists – registration and reimbursement of all homœopathic medications – involvement in Research activities and international actions – nomination of delegations to official commissions aimed at decisions about the future of medicine in Belgium – lobbying of the new minister of health – registration commissions – new group insurance’s for our members – subscription (and sell of a description booklet including the 100 most used homeopathic remedies for acute problems + box with these remedies available in each pharmacy on duty) for funding research (available in English, French, Dutch).



The Belgian Vice-President.

Cuba Uses Homeopathy


Cuba uses Homeopathy - makes history, NOSODES 2008

“HISTORY MADE for Homeopathy
This mass treatment of 2 million people with homeopathy, I don’t believe, has been done anywhere else in the world, not even in India, where homeopathy enjoys the shelter of the government.

And the awesome results of going from hundreds of infected to near-zero in the period of a few weeks, also is historical. My jaw dropped as I watched the graphs demonstrate their success.” Didi Ananda Ruchira

NOSODES 2008 History is made in Cuba
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Monday, December 29, 2008 at 7:02am | Edit Note | Delete Greetings all,

This is from Didi Ananda Ruchira:

A historical and inspiring event took place 10-12 December 2008 in Havana Cuba that I had the honour to attend. There, the Carlos J Finlay Institute under the guidance of its director-general, Dra. Conception Campa Huergo and Dr. Gustavo Bravo and others hosted NOSODES 2008, an International Meeting on Homeoprophilaxis, Homeopathic Immunization and Nosodes against Epidemics.

Homeopaths from Cuba, S America, Canada, Australia, UK, and Kenya (yours truly) made presentations on the wide varieties of successful disease prevention using homeopathy and more specifically, nosodes.

Each presentation was more amazing than the previous. All were very remarkable and notable in the field of research and science. Some of the topics included Childhood Disease Prevention, Homeopathic prophylaxis as an aspect of gov’tal programs, Nosodes Genus Epidemicus and Compexes, Homeoprophylaxis on Agronomy, Homeoprophylaxis on Veternary, Homeoprophylaxis in TB, Homeoprophylaxis in Chagas disease, Homeoprophylaxis in hepatitis, Homeoprophylaxis in Malaria (yours truly, again) and the list of presentations goes on.

(I am sorry for my lack of variety of adjectives for this email - “remarkable”, “awesome” and “amazing” will be repeated often because I have no other way to express my opinion of this conference)

Some of the speakers (known to our English speaking homeopaths) were Martine Jourde, Issac Golden (Aus), Kate Birch (Canada), Tony Pincus (Ainsworth, UK), Leo Van Gelder (NL) & Lindsay Hickey (UK). A number of Cuban & SAmerican homeopaths also presented their work. All have done unique work in the field of homeopathy & epidemic disease.

THE PREVENTION OF EPIDEMIC LEPTOSPIROSIS IN CUBA But none of these remarkable speakers, each presenting their amazing work in disease prevention and use of nosodes could not hold a candle to the historical accomplishment of the Cubans in their presentation of controlling the local endemic-epidemic disease of Leptospirosis.

Now, the Finlay Institute is primarily the Cuban research institute that produces allopathic vaccinations for their country. Since Cuba is outcasted by the USA government, they have come to depend on themselves for the making of medicines, health care programs, etc. And since the Cuba is not under the yoke of the international pharmaceutical juggernaut, they are not held back from adopting homeopathy and other alternative medicines wholeheartedly into their national health programmes. The Finlay director-general herself is very pro-homeopathy (not to mention, besides, a macrobiotic vegetarian).

To put it simply, what they presented is this:

Cuba goes through a yearly cycle of Leptospirosis epidemic, especially after the hurricanes flood the countryside and water pollution reaches its height. (Leptospirosis: infectious disease caused by the spirochaete Leptospira transmitted to humans from rats, giving jaundice and kidney damage. Can cause death)

Annually the population is exposed to the disease, most especially after hurricanes.

Until Aug 2007, the Finlay Institute (a part of the Ministry of Public Health, Cuba) has been distributing its own allopathic Lepto vaccination. August is the height of the hurricane season. Annually, many are left homeless, flooded out and under the stress of disaster situation. There is a sharp rise in the lepto epidemic.

The usual expectacy of infection even with allopathic vaccination would have been around a few thousands, with some deaths included.

Part of the reason for this is that the high cost of vaccination prevents putting but the most at-risk populations (ie children, pregnant women, elderly) on vaccination. The cost of such limited vaccination is about US$3,000.000.

But in Aug 2007, Finlay put approximately 2,200,000 people (yes! 2 million!) in 2 provinces on homoepathic nosode prophylaxis at the cost of about only US$ 200,000.

That figure represents the entire population of the 2 provinces. The prophylaxis consisted of 2 single doses about 2 weeks apart. Included in the dose was the Lepto nosode + some Bach flower remedies to address the mental distress of the disaster situation.

How very amazing it was to watch this presentation being made. Up to the point, the presenters were showing us graph after graph of the usual rise of the epidemic, year after year, even with the use of allopathic vaccination. Each year the graphs would edge higher and higher towards the year-end, reaching up to the thousands of infected.

But this time, within 2 weeks after Aug 2007, the rising lines literally dropped off the chart to ZERO-Ten infections only! Yes. Near-zero infections, zero deaths from leptospirosis after Aug 2007. And in 2008, no deaths, infections less than 10 a month.

HISTORY MADE for Homeopathy
This mass treatment of 2 million people with homeopathy, I don’t believe, has been done anywhere else in the world, not even in India, where homeopathy enjoys the shelter of the government.

And the awesome results of going from hundreds of infected to near-zero in the period of a few weeks, also is historical. My jaw dropped as I watched the graphs demonstrate their success.

The Cuban team readily admits that they have not invented anything new as far as homeopathic philosophy or application. They have simply followed what we homeopaths know to work. And since they have no pharmaceutical multi-nationals to stop them, they were able to do it on a massive scale unknown in the history of homeopathy.

What is remarkable is their application to such a large population, and its dramatic success, with full scientific verification. The results are incontrovertible and undeniable even by the most rabid of anti-homeopaths.

=======
I’m eagerly awaiting their formal publication in the medical journals of this remarkable event. I’m sure once these medical results are published, homeopaths will have more “weapons” in our “arsenal” to fight for our existence and for the adoption of homeopathy in national health programmes in industrialized and developing countries.

=======
As a word or two about Dra Heurgo, Dr. Bravo and the rest of the Cuban team. Truly remarkable people. “Concita” as Dra Heurgo is lovingly known by the people of Cuba, is well known and loved as a woman who has done remarkable work to improve the health of the population. I found her to be a remarkable person - untiring, passionate about her work and compassionate in her motivation to serve her fellow human beings.

I should like to nominate her for the Nobel Prize.

======

Sincerely,
Didi Ananda Ruchira
Director, Abha Light

Status of Homeopathy in Russia

1.2.4 The decisions of 1832-33. State status of homeopathy in Russia

The objections of the Russian medical administration, i.e., the Medical Council [Meditsinsky Sovet] at the Ministry of Interior, were brought together in the report "Conclusions of the Medical Council regarding treatment according the homeopathic method", received on December 15, 1831 and published in No. 3 of "Zhurnal Ministerstva Vnutrennih del" (Journal of the Ministry of Interior) in 1832. After having briefly described Hahnemann’s doctrine, the Council began to marginalize the new method:

This new speculation had no influence upon medical practice and became a subject of strong and true criticism, which was deserved by the groundless accusations toward allopathy and by its absurd, exaggerated and one-sided speculations [...]. Yet as any novelty strongly influences minds, especially of those who are inexperienced, it is no surprise that also homeopathy, according to an innate inclination of man to believe in anything unusual and mysterious, led many people to be carried away from the true way [...]. 50

I find it redundant to regard the "Conclusions" in detail. The "Conclusions" mainly dealt with the statistics obtained from homeopathic departments at the Toulchin and St. Petersburg Military hospitals, where treatment was provided by Dr. Herrmann, as compared with the statistics obtained from allopathic departments of the same hospitals. The statistics from the St. Petersburg Military Hospital and general conclusions on the homeopathic method of treatment were submitted to the Medical Council by Dr. Giegler. These statistics cannot be interpreted in the terms of today. First of all, there were then no nosologically defined diseases; such "diseases" like consumption [chakhotka] and dropsy [vodianaia bolezn’ or vodianka] certainly could not be randomized and compared. 51 Secondly, for some obscure reason homeopathic departments were hindered from hospitalizing several groups of patients (see below), whose comparative treatment could have been especially demonstrative. The conclusion was the following:

The Medical Council repeatedly announced its opinion regarding the groundlessness and uselessness of the homeopathic method of treatment.

It is not possible for homeopathy to be permitted in military and other hospitals for the following reasons:

1. Those fulminating diseases that attack suddenly, like apoplexy, paralysis, malignant fevers and Cholera indica demand especially urgent and energetic medical help, which is not possible by homeopathy.
2. Concussions of the brain, intracranial hemorrhages, indomitable bleedings from lungs, womb, bladder and other internal organs, demanding urgent help, cannot be treated with the homeopathic method.
3. Strong inflammations of brain, lungs, stomach, intestines, liver, womb, urinary organs and other important internal organs, cannot be healed with homeopathy, except the easiest grade of inflammation, which sometimes pass over without any treatment.
4. Gastric, bilious and septic inflammations also require long-term treatment, not compatible with the homeopathic theory.
5. Such external diseases like contusions, dislocations, bones’ fractures, injuries of soft tissues, bullet and other wounds [...], strangulations of hernias, prolapsus of internal organs, curvatures of joints [...] and many other diseases fall outside the range of homeopathic treatment.
6. Bones’ excrescencies, muscle tumors [...] and cancer cannot be treated with homeopathy.
7. Scurvy, chronic rheumatic pains, different kinds of dropsy and consumption, are treated in the hospitals with allopathy; homeopathy cannot be applied at all.
8. Venereal disease [i.e., syphilis] in its many varieties [...] is being treated by homeopaths, but the results of this treatment are rather unfavorable.
9. In different eruptions, both acute and chronic [...] the homeopathic method of treatment is irrelevant and useless.

When excluding these important and dangerous [...] diseases, only mild feverish and inflammatory diseases, which pass by themselves by keeping to the right diet, the right mode of life and cleanness of body [...], remain.52

Thus, in its conclusions the Medical Council mainly demonstrated its total ignorance and lack of belief in homeopathy, and the absolute unacceptability of the practice of homeopathy. It also remains obscure who informed the Medical Council regarding the impossibility to treat all the above mentioned diseases with homeopathy. In any case, I have not been able to find any connection between the results of Dr. Herrmann’s treatment and these conclusions, also because it was not mentioned which diseases he treated. The opinion of Dr. Giegler concerning "similar diseases" and the comparison of the mortality rates can hardly be considered to be fair in the light of his definitely biased attitude toward homeopathy.

The Medical Council considers its duty to remark that [...] some doctors appointed by the local administration to serve in military and other hospitals, do apply homeopathy without being permitted to do so by the Higher medical authority [i.e., Medical Council]. In order to prevent such actions, which violate the laws currently in force, the Medical Council finds it necessary to absolutely forbid homeopathic treatment in Land, Naval and Civil Hospitals both for doctors from other ministries and for staff physicians, without the permission of the medical administration Highly entrusted with managing these institutions [hospitals]. 53

The inquiry of Dr. Cherminsky was regarded in the very same spirit.

It turned out from the petition of the Podol’ and Volyn’ Temporary Military Governor and from the inquiry of Dr. Ch. [sic] attached to it, as well as from the testimony of the Bureau at the Zhitomir Military-Temporary Hospital, that Dr. Ch. treated in that hospital during a period of 24 days, 122 patients who had been suffering from different diseases [...], whilst 55 recovered, 1 died and 66 remained in treatment.

Finding nothing new and deserving attention in this method of treatment [by Dr. Cherminsky], the Medical Council considers [...] it by far similar to the expectant method which had been applied in 1829-30, in the [St. Petersburg] Military Hospital. The advantages promised by Dr. Ch. are exaggerated and impossible. [...]. These advantages over the usual method of treatment [...] have not been proven, representing only suppositions, contradicting [...] common sense. The soldiers have become incapable for military service not because of fevers or mild inflammations, the only diseases that are being treated by homeopaths, but exclusively because of severe injuries and serious diseases [...]. Since homeopaths refuse to treat external diseases as well as those listed above, one may ask what the government would do with the patients who do not fall under the homeopathic treatment? The number of those [who cannot be treated with homeopathy] represents more than a half of all patients who have been hospitalized and, according to the homeopathic laws, should remain without any [medical] support at all, falling victims of a few doctors who have lost the true way, being infatuated by their false doctrine. 54

Bojanus could not keep his indignation:

This is the opinion of the Medical Council, the assembly of scientists and authoritative men, who were appointed by the higher power to protect the people’s health: whilst suppressing its conscience, it declares that homeopathy is powerless against cholera! Thus, even those facts which had been vindicated publicly before, were unable to lead a ray of sun to their callous hearts! [...]. In order to represent this "Decision" in the true light, it will be sufficient to say that one of those who [...] approved this document, was the physician-in-ordinary Marcus, who [...] had considered homeopathy [several years before] as ‘a method ... attracting the attention of all sensible doctors’. 55

I agree with Bojanus that the above cited "Conclusion" hardly deserves to be discussed seriously. From the very beginning of the "Conclusion", the Medical Council asserts that the Hahnemann’s doctrine is nothing but "absurd speculation". All further assertions were thus adjusted to this allegation. There are no references to Dr. Herrmann or to other homeopaths, all of whom have allegedly refused to treat any diseases but "fevers and mild inflammations, which pass by themselves". The selection of the patients for homeopathic treatment also seems to be suspicious. On the one hand, no patients suffering from the most fatal diseases, like consumption and dropsy, were hospitalized in the homeopathic department. On the other hand, neither patients suffering from milder diseases, like venereal, eye and skin diseases were hospitalized in the homeopathic department. The statistical comparison was based upon assertions of Dr. Giegler, who could by no means be suspected of sympathy toward homeopathy.

The experiments of Dr. Herrmann were not left without attention in the contemporary homeopathic literature, but the facts were sometimes misrepresented. Bradford remarks:

Up to the year 1835, there were six public and formal trials of homeopathic practice undertaken by order of governments [...]:

1. At Vienna in 1828, conducted by Dr. Marenzeller
2. at Tulzyn, Russia, in 1827
3. at St. Petersburg in 1829-30 by Dr. Hermann [sic]
4. at Munich in 1830-31 by Dr. Attomyr
5. at Paris in 1834 by Dr. Andral Jr.
6. at Naples in 1835 by order of the King by a mixed commission in the hospital of La Trinité.

These were all made by allopathic physicians and were not considered by members of the homeopathic school as fairly conducted. 56

Unfortunately, Bradford failed to stick to the facts. The experiment in Toulchin was in 1829, and not in 1827. Dr. Herrmann (not Hermann) was not an allopath, and "members of the homeopathic school" never charged him for an "unfairly conducted" trial.


Baronet Yacov (James) Wylie
(1768-1854)

The Medical Council was subordinated to the Ministry of Interior and to the Military Ministry, and the latter to the State Council. The "Conclusion" would have had no real power if these institutions would have resisted it. A substitute of the Minister of Interior, Count Nicholas Novosil’tsev (1768-1838) [See : The Great Russian Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia] approved the "Conclusion" but he made an important amendment: instead of the proposed absolute prohibition of homeopathy in hospitals, he remarked that homeopathy may be used by doctors in hospitals under the responsibility of the Senior Doctor of the hospital. 57 Allopaths were more successful in the Military Ministry, where Minister Alexander I. Chernyshov (1785/86 - 1857), after having acknowledged the opinion of the Chief Military Inspector, Baronet Yacov (James) Wylie (1768-1854) [See : The Great Russian Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia], 58 prohibited homeopathy from use in military hospitals. The place of Novosil’tsev was later occupied by Count Dmitry Bludov (1785-1864) [See : The Great Russian Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia] who agreed with the opinion of the Medical Council and Baronet Wylie. 59


Count Dmitry Bludov
(1785-1864)

Henceforth, allopaths succeeded in prohibiting homeopathy in hospital practice. Yet these decisions were mere ministerial instructions, which could be changed later on. Moreover, private homeopathic practice was not influenced by these instructions. In order to forbid homeopathy entirely, the State Council had to pass a law. Consequently, it was proposed (probably, by interest groups) to the State Council to approve the "Conclusions" as a law.


Count Alexander N. Golitsyn
(1773-1844)

At this stage the situation changed because of the resistance of such members of the State Council like Minister of Education Count Alexander N. Golitsyn (1773-1844) [See : The Great Russian Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia], State Controller Alexey Khitrovo (1776-1854) and, especially, Count Nicholas Mordvinov, an influential member of the State Council, who had been for several years an ardent adherent of homeopathy, had written a brochure on homeopathy, and had supported homeopathy actively. Bojanus especially stressed that a legislative initiative was presented at the meeting when Mordvinov was absent. 60 Golitsyn and Khitrovo rejected this initiative. They insisted that a special committee including several homeopaths (Drs. Adam, Trinius and Herrmann took part) should be established. After having had several meetings, the committee worked out a report and submitted it to the State Council.

On September 26, 1833 the State Council accepted the following decisions concerning the future of homeopathy in Russia.

1. Homeopathic treatment may be applied [...] by licensed physicians only.
2. Homeopathic pharmacies in St. Petersburg and Moscow are allowed to be established. These pharmacies have to provide all provincial pharmacies and homeopathic doctors in Russia. [...].

3. The establishment of homeopathic pharmacies as well as their management, are allowed only to pharmacists licensed by the Board. [...].61

According to the rules edicted in chap. 4, homeopathic doctors were also allowed to offer homeopathic medicines from their own kits in emergency, in two closed envelopes, (one - for the patient, the other - for future investigation in case of the patient’s death). 62

4. Homeopathic doctors are allowed to prescribe homeopathic medicines to be obtained from allopathic pharmacies [...] if these medicines are prepared there.

5. The price for homeopathic medicines shall be defined according to the Apothecary Rates.

6. Reports on the action of homeopathic treatment should be presented monthly to the Physikat and Medical Office [Meditsinskaia Kontora] in the main cities, and to the Medical Boards [Vrachebnye upravy] in the districts [gubernii] [...].

7. The Physikat, Medical Office and Medical Boards are allowed to invite homeopathic doctors to be consulted regarding matters concerning homeopathy.

8. The supervision for carrying out these instructions, the help of the Physikat and Medical Office in the main cities and the Medical Boards in districts, should be enforced. [...]. 63

I do not find it necessary for the present study to cite the critics of Bojanus on the "Decision", mainly justified. 64 The most important thing is that homeopathy received its official status within Russian medicine. Later the "Decision" was often misinterpreted by Russian homeopaths who considered that the hospital practice of homeopathy is prohibited according to this document. Yet this point of view is doubtless wrong. The "Decision" prohibited nothing. Homeopathic treatment in hospitals was prohibited by the "Conclusion" of the Medical Council, whilst the "Decision" made no difference between out- and in-patient treatments. Moreover, even the "Conclusion" left homeopathy the possibility to enter hospitals, if allowed by the higher authorities.

Bojanus considered that this rather benevolent "Decision" was accepted thanks to Tsar Nicholas I, although he found no documents justifying this involvement, but only contemporary rumors. 65



Next

History of Homeopathy in Russian Empire

The history of homeopathy in the Russian Empire
until World War I,
As compared with other European countries and the USA:
similarities and discrepancies
by Alexander Kotok, M.D.
On-line version of the Ph.D. thesis improved and enlarged
due to a special grant of the Pierre Schmidt foundation.




1.2.2 The Cholera years

The events of the early 1830s won homeopathy new and very important adherents from among the nobility.

[When] the Medical Council was discussing the methods of protecting medicine from the heresy [i.e., homeopathy], a terrible scourge occurred in Russia. For a long time there had been rumors about some unknown disease, rapidly advancing to our frontiers from the East. [...]. This was Cholera asiatica, Cholera morbus - a disease about which physicians had had no idea, whilst people were dying in thousands. 22

These were indeed terrible events, which developed in 1830-31. The Russian Empire was the first European country faced with and cruelly attacked by an epidemic disease whose origins, causes and possible methods of treatment were absolutely unknown. Never before had both Russian medicine and the Russian government found themselves to be so powerless.

The first pandemic began in Russia in 1823 and reached its greatest intensity in 1830 and 1831. When the peak of the epidemic passed, more than a quarter of a million of the Tsar’s subjects had died, and the overall mortality among those stricken stood just below 50 per cent.

The cholera’s influence, if not its immediate effect, permeated the Russian system: recruiting for the army stopped, interior commerce came to a standstill, and quarantine regulations strait-jacketed the nation. The people became restive; riots and rebellions broke out; and the international crises of 1830-31, found the Russian economy and military so hampered in their effectiveness that Chernyshev
[See : The Great Russian Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia], then Minister of War, wrote to General Dibich [See : The Great Russian Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia] that the cholera ‘places us in such a situation as never before existed’. 23


General Alexander Chernyshev
(1786-1857)



Count Ivan Dibich
(1785-1831)

Neither Russian nor any other medicine had something real to propose against this disease. On the contrary, the methods of contemporary treatment worsened the chances to recover.

The misfortune was that when the most distinctive symptoms appeared, and the disease could infallibly be recognized, death was not far away. Nevertheless, the symptomatology produced the treatment, and Russian physicians were told to administer large doses of calomel and opium to control the spasmodic conditions, to bleed extensively if the cases were caught in the early stages, and to use warm baths and clothing together with frictions and counter-irritants on the skin to counteract circulation’s failure and the deadly decline of vital powers. Where improvement could be seen, carbonate of magnesia or cold-drawn castor oil were recommended to provide a gentle laxative action. 24

It is not a surprise that all the physicians’ efforts were met with great hostility, whilst physicians themselves were treated as poisoners. 25


Semen KORSAKOV
(1788-1853)

Russian landlords sought any available medicines to help their peasants. Some Russian landlords used homeopathic drugs and reportedly found them especially helpful. One should stress the role of the Russian landlord Semen Korsakov (1788-1853), 26 probably the one single Russian whose name has been known to the researchers of the history of world homeopathy, for his invention of his own system of making homeopathic dilutions.

The biographical sketch of Semen Korsakov and the list of his writings may be found in rather detailed form in the paper by Vasily Deriker "Po povodu cholery. Materialy dlia istorii gomeopatii v Rossii" (Regarding cholera. Documents on the history of homeopathy in Russia) which had been published in "Zhurnal gomeopaticheskogo lecheniia", 1865, 6.
This paper and later was reproduced almost in whole with some additions in the book of Bojanus. 27 I shall limit myself to several main points. From his young age Semen Korsakov became distinguished for his participation in the St. Petersburg people’s volunteer corps in 1812-13 (he took part in the battles of Berezina and Polotsk, then in the siege of Danzig, and was awarded the order "pour le mérite militaire" by the King of Prussia).

After the war he started working as a statistician in the Ministry of Interior. According to Bojanus, this job did not require his constant presence at his workplace. He thus had enough time to be interested in other affairs, medicine for example. Till 1829, he had tried allopathy. Nevertheless, after having been treated homeopathically by his relative called L’vov, a landlord of the Saratov province, for rheumatism, he turned to homeopathy. "When he recognized the truth, he considered it to be his duty [...] to support the spread of homeopathy within the wide public both by word and by deed".28

Admiral Nicholas Mordvinov
Admiral Nicholas Mordvinov
(1754-1845)

During many years Korsakov treated his peasants and all those who came from the neighboring areas with homeopathy. He also tried to spread homeopathy among his relatives and friends. In 1830 and 1847, during the epidemics of cholera, he occupied a post of district inspector over local cholera hospitals, collecting the statistics on different methods of treatment of cholera, including, of course, the homeopathic one. Probably, he was the person who first told Admiral Nicholas Mordvinov (1754-1845), an uncle of him and a member of the State Council, about this new treatment.

The statistics dealing with homeopathic treatment of cholera in Russia during the epidemic of 1830, were received both from the landlords who treated their peasants with homeopathic medicines and from homeopathic physicians. These landlords either had started practicing homeopathy before the epidemic (L’vov and Korsakov) or had been attracted to practice it during the epidemic by Drs. Adam and Herrmann.

Admiral Mordvinov united the statistics he got from different regions of Russia where lay homeopathic treatment of cholera was provided during 1830-31. According to these statistics, from among 1273 persons who had been treated with homeopathic medicines, 1192 recovered and 108 died (i.e., the mortality rate was about 11%). 29 Bojanus does not report the statistics obtained from physicians. Leary refers to Korsakov (but without mentioning details of the source) who cited Dr. Goldeberg (probably Goldenberg?); the latter "treated 1274 cases with a 6% mortality in Orenburg in Russia".

30 Leary refers also to an article by Francis Black, where the statistics of Dr. Seider of Vyshny Volochok were published. According to these, the homeopathic treatment provided 30,2% mortality, whilst the allopathic one provided 74.2% mortality and the mortality rate for non-treated patients was 67.3%.31 According to another source cited by Leary, the "homeopathic" mortality rate in Russia in general was 22%. 32 Thus, the mortality rate provided by the homeopathic treatment fluctuated according to different statistics from 6% to 30.2%, much lower than 60-90% of the allopathic mortality rates reported from different Russian cities. 33

Bojanus refers to the letters sent to Korsakov by his noble friends:

‘Veratrum is the specific medicine against this disease. I lost no choleric patient, whilst many recovered’ (landlord Tulinov from the Tambov province); [...].

‘When cholera appeared in our locality, I became a doctor. Homeopathy brought me real glory. In the nearby-situated villages I treated 480 persons, 364 recovered completely and some others will probably become well. [...] Not only landlords but also doctors are coming to ask me for instructions and medicines. [...]. My wife is preparing powders for whole days’ (landlord A. L’vov, Balashev district, Saratov province in June 1831).

‘There is one educated lady, living in Saratov. [...]. After having read Hahnemann’s and of his followers’ works, she dedicated herself to homeopathy. She has had such a success [...] that she has attracted the attention of many local physicians [...]. This woman treated cholera with excellent results (landlord D. I. Adam). 34

A daughter of Admiral Nicholas Mordvinov, Countess N. N. Mordvinova wrote in her memoirs:

By the time of the cholera’s appearance in Moscow in 1830, we had already known from the letters of our [relatives] L’vovs and Korsakovs from the Moscow and Saratov provinces that homeopathic treatment of this epidemic is especially useful. They treated their own peasants and many others from the suburbs. Some of the neighbors followed their example. This successful treatment filled the peasants with confidence, they were turning to us continuously for help. The landlords were making rounds in the localities to visit patients, whilst their wives were preparing the medicines according to the homeopathic system. 35

Nevertheless, homeopathy was entirely neglected by the representatives of the regular medical profession, who not only had had nothing to propose against the fatal malady but also put obstacles to the use of homeopathy. Admiral Mordvinov wrote to Korsakov on July 1, 1831:

While the cholera is killing a lot of people, there has been a struggle between the old medicine and the new one, and the former [i.e., allopathy] has made all efforts to stop the successes of the latter [i.e., homeopathy]. [...]. Although the cholera is violent, the intrigues of doctors of the old school - powerful, as their number prevails - have not allowed the delivery of homeopathic medicines. Herrmann wrote me that he was forced to stop using homeopathic medicines in a hospital, as all the patients he got were already agonizing, having received earlier allopathic treatment. 36

Four months later Mordvinov wrote to Korsakov again:

It has been reported in France that homeopathic medicines were reportedly used against cholera in Russia, and were found to have no influence on this disease. This lie is the result of the local doctors, who trembled when only hearing the word ‘homeopathy’. One should demonstrate the vileness of this statement. I am collecting evidences of the successful treatment provided with homeopathic medicines in order to publish them in all metropolitan cities of Europe. 37

Nobleman D. Adam of Moscow wrote to Korsakov: "Here, in Moscow, homeopathy has been actively persecuted. Homeopathic doctors have practiced stealthily in order not to become a subject of the mockeries of allopaths...". 38

While comparing the results of the homeopathic and the allopathic treatment at that period of cholera in different countries, one may assert that homeopathy was doubtless preferable not only over "scientific" allopathy (with its bloodlettings, calomel and purgatives), but also over mere non-treatment. Allopaths in Russia (and in other countries as we shall see later) had neither understanding of the essence of the disease nor any reliable medicine. Nevertheless, they tried to blackmail and discredit homeopathic treatment.

It was also in 1831, that one doctor who had earlier converted to homeopathy, became entirely and ardently zealous after he saw its advantages in the treatment of cholera. This was the Polish physician Valenty Cherminsky (1800-1860), who graduated from Vilna University in 1821. He had studied homeopathy and treated, reportedly, 39 with great success in Zhitomir (Ukraine) during the epidemic of cholera in 1830-31. Having then already been for several years a devoted adherent to homeopathy, Dr. Cherminsky practiced in the department to which he was attached, exclusively with homeopathy, using his own medicines and not requiring any drugs from the hospital. During a period of 24 days (after that Dr. Cherminsky fell ill and could not continue), 122 patients were received, 55 of them recovered, 1 died and 66 remained to be treated.

The [previous] four-years-long homeopathic experience of Dr. Cherminsky led him to conclude that this new therapy, apart from [its main] direct benefit, is also able to render service in an economic aspect. The many millions which are spent on treating and managing patients by the allopathic method, could be decreased drastically when treating with homeopathy. Furthermore, the number of those soldiers who are unfit for military service after having been treated by regular medicine, would be reduced [if they would be treated with homeopathy]. Being infatuated with the thought of common welfare, he decided to inform the government [about his thoughts]... 40

In October 1831 Cherminsky turned to the Minister of War (Count Chernyshev) with a private project stressing that the expected benefit from homeopathy is enormous both in the saving of finances and in the provision of cheap, mild, fast and reliable treatment. Moreover, Cherminsky wrote that he was prepared to accept a management of a hospital of 100 beds, using only his own homeopathic drugs.

History of Homeopathy


History of Homeopathy

One of the most prominent proponents of vitalism who deserves special mention was the Renaissance physician Paracelsus (1493-1541).

Paracelsus subscribed to many of the same principles as the modern founder of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann.

Vienna physician Anton Freiherr von Störck (1731-1803) and English doctor John Brown (1735-1788) also anticipated the work of Samuel Hahnemann.

Theory of disease in the 18th century


In Hahnemann's day, the conventional theory of disease was based on the four humours. Mainstream medicine focused on restoring the balance in the humours, either by attempting to remove an excess (by such methods as bloodletting and purging, laxatives, enemas and nauseous substances that made patients vomit) or by suppressing symptoms, such as by lowering the body temperature of patients who were feverish. By contrast, Hahnemann promoted an immaterial, vitalistic view of disease, that is, that diseases had spiritual, rather than physical causes.

Vitalism was a part of mainstream science in the 18th century. In the twentieth century, medicine discarded vitalism in favour of the germ theory of disease, following the work of Louis Pasteur, Alexander Fleming, Joseph Lister and many others. Modern medicine sees bacteria and viruses as the causes of many diseases, but Kent and some modern homeopaths regard them as effects, not causes, of disease. Others have adapted to the views of modern medicine by referring to disturbances in, and stimulation of, the immune system, rather than the vital force.

Birth of the modern theory of homeopathy


Samuel Hahnemann conceived of homeopathy while translating the Materia Medica (1789) of the "Scottish Hippocrates" William Cullen into German. On reading that Cinchona bark (which contains quinine) was effective because it was bitter, Hahnemann felt this implausible because other substances were as bitter but had no therapeutic value. To understand the effects of Cinchona bark, he decided to take it himself, and saw that his reactions were similar to the symptoms of the disease it was used to treat. At least one writer has suggested that Hahnemann was hypersensitive to quinine, and that he may have had an allergic reaction.

Yet, this experiment by Hahnemann was by no means unique, as others before him had tried the same approach. For example, Anton von Störck (1731-1803), "in the 1760’s, who advocated treatment by cautious use of poisons." Indeed, Hahnemann had studied briefly in Vienna (1777) where Störck eventually became head of the University. The proving idea had also been recommended by the great Swiss medical botanist, Albrecht von Haller, (1708-77), who Hahnemann admired, and whose Materia Medica he translated in 1806. It might be said the proving experiment came to Hahnemann from several previous sources.

He adopted a reclusive lifestyle while residing in Koethen and his new inclination towards metaphysical pursuits may explain his sudden adoption of [olfaction] (inhaling the remedy), which he continued to use until his death in Paris in 1843. Olfaction might derive from Arabian medicine and the art of perfumery.

The first such homeopathic repertory was George Jahr's "Repertory", published in 1835.

Hahnemann tested many substances commonly used as medicines in his time, such as antimony and rhubarb, and also poisons like arsenic, mercury and belladonna. Hahnemann recorded his first provings of 27 preparations in his book Fragmenta de viribus in 1805. Later, Hahnemann published Materia Medica Pura, which contained provings of a further 65 preparations. He was most heavily engaged in proving in the 1790s and early 1800s, but he never abandoned these experiments. Hahnemann was involved in another phase of proving in preparation for the publication of his books, "Miasm Theory" and "The Chronic Diseases, their Peculiar Nature and their Homœopathic Cure". Miasma Theory and The Chronic Diseases were published in 1828 and contained provings of 48 further preparations.[citation needed]James Kent's Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica (1905) lists 217 remedies, and new substances are continually added to contemporary versions. Homeopathy uses many animal, plant, mineral, and synthetic substances. Examples include natrum muriaticum (sodium chloride or table salt), lachesis muta (the venom of the bushmaster snake), opium, and thyroidinum (thyroid hormone).


The term "homeopathy" was coined by Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann (1755–1843) and first appeared in print in 1807,although he began outlining his theories of 'medical similars' in a series of articles and monographs in 1796.Hahnemann's main opus was the book, The Organon of Medicine. Hahnemann published six editions of this work between 1810 and 1842.

For Hahnemann, the whole body and spirit was the focus of therapy, not just localised disease. Hahnemann spent a lot of time with his patients, asking them not only about their symptoms or illness, but also about their daily lives. This gentle approach contrasted with the violent forms of heroic medicine common at the time, which included techniques such as bleeding as a matter of course.

Nearly as important as Hahnemann to the development of homeopathy was James Tyler Kent (1849 – 1921). Kent's influence in the USA was limited, but in the UK, his ideas became the homeopathic orthodoxy by the end of the First World War. His most important contribution may be his repertory, which is still used today. Kent's attempt to rescue an idealized pure homeopathy from what he saw as its degenerate mongrel forms was authoritarian, as he sought to re-emphasize the metaphysical and clinical aspects of Hahnemann's teachings, in particular:

i.)insistence on the core doctrines of miasm and vital force;
ii.)emphasis on case totality rather than rote prescribing for 'named diseases'
iii.)emphasis on psychological symptoms (to supplement physical pathology) in prescribing; and
iv.)regular use of very high potencies.
v.)Influenced by Swedenborgianism, Kent reputedly emphasized 'spiritual factors' as the root cause of disease.

"...for it goes to the very primitive wrong of the human race, the very first sickness of the human race that is the spiritual sickness... which in turn laid the foundation for other diseases."


Homeopathy history around the world


There are estimated to be more than 100,000 practitioners of homeopathy worldwide, with an estimated 500 million people receiving treatment. More than 12,000 medical doctors and licensed health care practitioners administer homeopathic treatment in the UK, France, and Germany. Homeopathy was regulated by the European Union in 2001, by Directive 2001/83/EC.

Britain


Homeopathy was first established in Britain by Dr Frederick Quin around 1827, though two Italian homeopathic doctors (Drs Romani and Roberta) had been employed two years previously by the Earl of Shrewsbury based at Alton Towers in North Staffordshire; however, they soon returned to Naples as they could not tolerate the cool damp English climate. Homeopathy in the UK quickly became popular with the aristocracy, and Quin counted among his patients, the Dukes of Edinburgh and Beaufort and the Duchess of Cambridge.

At its peak in the 1870s Britain had numerous homeopathic dispensaries and small hospitals as well as large busy hospitals in Liverpool, Birmingham, Glasgow, London and Bristol, almost exclusively funded and run by members of the local gentry.

In Britain, homeopathic remedies are sold over the counter. Today Britain has five homeopathic hospitals, funded by the National Health Service, which together with many regional clinics make free homeopathic treatment available on the health service. Homeopathy is not practised by most of the medical profession, but it enjoys support from the Prince of Wales and many other members of the royal family.

The largest organisation of homeopaths in Britain, the Society of Homeopaths, was founded in 1978 and has been growing steadily since then; it now has 1300 members, an increasing proportion of whom are women. Homeopaths in Britain are represented by the Faculty of Homeopathy, incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1950, and based in London.

India


Homeopathy arrived in India with Dr John Martin Honigberger (1795-1869) in Lahore, in 1829-30,and is officially recognized. "The first doctor who brought homeopathy to India was Dr. Martin Honigburger, who first came to the Punjab...in 1829." India has the largest homeopathic infrastructure in the world, with 300,000 qualified homeopaths, 180 colleges, 7500 government clinics, and 307 hospitals. The Association of Qualified Homoeopaths in India (IHK) is the largest of its kind.

USA


Homeopathy was first practiced in the USA by Dr Hans Burch Gram in 1825 and rapidly gained popularity, partly because the lack of availability of conventional medicine, and partly due to the efforts of Dr Constantine Hering, who immigrated to the US in 1833, and was later called "the father of American homeopathy". By the early 1840s homeopathy enjoyed considerable influence and prestige, and in the period 1880 - 1900 reached the height of its popularity. Use of homeopathy has since declined in the US, and as of 2002 about 1.7% of people polled reported having sought homeopathic treatment.

Waning of popularity


In the 1930s homeopathy's popularity waned, especially in the USA and Europe, due in part due to advances in conventional medicine, skepticism, and the active advocacy against homeopathy by the American Medical Association. This led to the closure of virtually all medical schools teaching alternative medicine in the USA.

Homeopathy reached a peak of popularity in 1865–1885 and thereafter declined due partly to recognition by the establishment of the dangers of large doses of drugs and bleeding, and via dissent between different schools of homeopathy. The Carnegie Foundation issued the Flexner Report sponsored by the American Medical Association in 1910 that supported conventional medical schools while condemning homeopathic schools.

The Federation of State Medical Boards voluntarily agreed to base its accreditation policies for all medical schools on academic standards determined by the AMA's Council on Medical Education. Consequently, the CME's decisions "came to have the force of law." By the 1930s, the combined efforts of state licensing boards, philanthropic foundations, and the AMA's CME resulted in the eradication of America's proprietary medical colleges including homeopathic schools.

Classical versus non-classical homeopathy


Hahnemann's formulation of homeopathy is often referred to as classical homeopathy. Classical homeopaths use one remedy at a time, and base their prescription also on incidental or constitutional symptoms. However, homeopathic remedies are often used both by practitioners and by the public based on formulations marketed for specific medical conditions. Some formulations use a 'shotgun' approach of the most commonly indicated single remedies in mixture form, while others, such as those by Heel and Reckeweg, are proprietary mixtures marketed for specific diagnostic criteria based on various systems. Many members of the public are unfamiliar with classical homeopathy, and equate these practices with homeopathy; others are familiar with the classical approach but regard these as legitimate variants; while others consider it a misuse of the term. Use of non-classical approaches is confined mainly to places where over-the-counter preparations are popular and where many doctors use natural medicines in a conventional clinical setting.