The Development of Homeopathy between 1816 and 1843

Summary

Homeopathy's paradigm in the model of treating is the patient and not the disease. We homeopaths try to prescribe on the essence of the patient, the central delusion or the mental picture etcetera. Many different approaches in this respect have been developed since the early years of homeopathy. It might come as a shock to many a homeopath that Hahnemann's approach was quite different. Studying The Organon and Chronic Diseases one becomes convinced that Hahnemann's approach was that of treating the different disease forms. At some time in history this paradigm has changed, possibly with huge consequences for the development and future of homeopathy. Is the way we homeopaths treat our patients a matter of opinion or a matter of fact? Where the Organon is the book of philosophy and principles, Chronic Diseases is the reference for how to proceed in practice. It seems that the information written in the Organon and Chronic Diseases has, in the aspect of treating disease, only partially found its way into the everyday practice of the homeopath.

Key words

Hahnemann - Organon - Chronic Diseases

References

• 1 Hahnemann S. Organon. 6th ed. Leipzig; R. Haehl 1921
• 2 Hahnemann S. The Chronic Diseases. 1st ed. Dresden/Leipzig; Arnoldische Buchhandlung 1828
• 3 Hahnemann S. Gesammelte kleine Schriften. Stuttgart; Haug 2001
• 4 Handley R. In Search of the Later Hahnemann. Beaconsfield, Bucks, UK; Beaconsfield Publishers 1997