Dr. Samuel Hahnemann born at Meissen in Germany on 10th April, 1755. His father Christian Gottfried Hahnemann was porcelain painter and mother was Johana Christiane. They were not rich. Parents taught him to read and write. He was admitted in Town School in Meissen in 1767. He was a brilliant student since early childhood.. Very quickly he learned Greek and used to taught other students. But due to poverty his father sent him as an apprentice to a grocery store in Leipsic so he can earn earlier. But magister Mueller, head of the Town School and some other teacher urged his father to let him study without any fees. In 1775 he left for Leipsic with 20 thalers only. There he earned his bread by teaching German and French to a wealthy young Greek person from Jassy in Moldavia. At the age of 22 years he was well versed of several languages like Greek, Latin, English, Hebrew, Spanish and German. He used to earn from translating books in different languages. At that time, Leipsic had no hospital. So he left for Vienna where he entered the Hospital of the Brothers of Mercy. There he became a favourite student of Dr. Von Quarin. Hahnemann was the only student Dr. Quarin allowed at that time to accompany him to his private patients. While he was preparing his final examinations his hard earned savings was stolen by one of his acquaintances. He was in acute financial crisis. The Governor of Transylvania Baron Von Bruckenthal invited him on honourable terms to go to Hermannstadt with him as his family physician and the custodian of his vast library. Thus Hahnemann got another opportunity to acquire knowledge of some collateral sciences. After one year nine months he went to Erlangen. He made special studies in Botany under Royal Physician Dr. Schreber. On 10th August, 1779 Hahnemann was awarded his master's degree, M.D. from Erlangen University. His thesis papers were on 'A consideration of the etiology and therapeutics of spasmodic affection.' He began his medical practice in Hettstedt town. In 1791 he reached Dessau and at the end of the year, he accepted the post of Medical Officer in Gommern near Magdeburg. But was getting dissatisfied from the system of medicine to achieve long lasting and effective cure. The then practices in therapeutics was painful, hazardous and not completely effective to cure completely. And the principles and theories was not formed from the experiences upon the living human body. Some of such process and principles are still used in modern medicine. Discovery of Homoeopathy: (1790-1796) In 1790 Hahnemann was translating from English to German, William Cullen's A TREATISE ON MATERIA MEDICA, two volumes. Dr. Cullen was holding the chair of Materia Medica in Edinburgh University and a renowned authority of his time on the subject. According to Cullen, Cinchona cures malarial fever due to its tonic effects on stomach. Cinchona Officinalis is a plant from which Quinine, an allopathic specific drug for malaria is prepared. Hahnemann had a contradiction in mind regarding Cullen's opinion. To test the truth he sarted taking 4 drachms of cinchona bark juice twice daily and the symptoms associated with intermittent appeared in succession. It was here that Hahnemann sensed a law of cure. He understood that the effect that a substance produces on the healthy human body is the curative power by which it cures similar disease symptoms in sick persons. It was the first milestone of discovery of a new method of treatment which was later named Homoeopathy. Dr. Hahnemann pointed out to this new method of treatment to the world first in his essay titled 'An essay on a new principle for ascertaining the curative powers of drugs and some examinations of the previous principles.' published in Hufeland's Journal. He put forward his new doctrine of Similia Similibus Curenter (let like be cured by likes) in contrast to the age-old dctrine of medical science of Contraria Contrariis Curantur (opposite cures opposites). Thus 1796 is the year of birth of Homoeopathy. He called his system Homoeopathy (Homoeo = similar) in contrast to the prevailing system which he named Allopathy/ Antipathy ( allo = dissimilar, anti = opposite). He published his first book on the principles of homoeopathy Medicine of Experience in 1805 and also started practising homoeopathy. In 1810 he pubished Organon der Rationellen Heilkunde in German language, which was called Organon of Medicine in next editions. In this book he outlined and explained the principles and methods of homoeopathic system of treatment and criticized other methods of treatment, especially allopathy. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann died on 2nd July, 1843 at the age of 88 years. Rest of his life he faced numerous opposition from different journals, Appothecaries' Guild in Leipsic etc. He tolerantly endured all and continuously improved homoeopathic system of medicine logically and with long experience of treating patients all over the Europe. The benevolence of Duke Friedrich Ferdinand Anhalt- Koethen came to his rescue. The Duke invited him to live and practice in Koethen. In 1828 he published Chronic Diseases: Their Nature and Homoeopathic Cure. Hahnemann's wife Johanna Henriette, after nearly forty eight years of a happily married life, died in 1830. In 1835 a french lady, Marie Melanie De Hervilly, helped Hahnemann to be granted the right to practice homoeopathy in Paris by a Royal Decree. She became his second wife in the last phase of life. In France, Hahnemann received the reward of his years of trials, hardships, hunger, struggles and starvations. We are greatly thankful to him for helping the mankind to find real cure through his discovery of Homoeopathy. To know more about homoeopathy please read Organon of Medicine (buy at www.bjain.com) or in the link below. Bibliography: 1. Organon of Medicine by Samuel Hahnemann, corrected, re-translated & redacted by Dr. Mahendra Singh & Dr. Subhas Singh, First edition 2004
2. Hahnemann: life & work by Richard Haehl
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AuthorDr. Anindya Das, B.H.M.S. Archives
October 2018
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