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History
General information,
History
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The Greek physician Hippocrates
(4th century BC.) recognized that two methods could be helpful in
the treatment of illnesses:
For a start he applied substances which counteracted the disease
(for example by treating diarrhoea with a remedy that encouraged
constipation),
Secondly, he overcame the evil with the same evil (he employed substances
which invoked the exact symptoms displayed by the illness he was
treating in a healthy person.).
Paracelsus also came to these astonishing
conclusions and discoveries - it can therefore be said that that
homeopathy has always been known.
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| Hahnemann |
However, Samuel Christian
Friedrich Hahnemann (born 1755 in Meissen, died 1843 in Paris)
is generally recognized as the founder of homeopathy. He was a physician,
an apothecary and a chemist and an extremely cultured and educated
person. He wrote the book "Organon of Rational Medicine"
(later known as: "Organon of Medicine"). ¹) as the
foundation of all theoretical considerations
In this book Hahnemann presented his fundamental principles of homeopathy
in almost 300 paragraphs (together with the pertinent remarks),
without sparing criticism of methods hitherto employed in the
medicinal, allopathic and palliative cures at this time"
¹.
The term homeopathy is derived from the Greek words homolog = similar
and pathetic = condition or suffering. In Greek Organon signifies
"tool".
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| Definition of health and
disease according to Hahnemann |
"In a healthy individual the spiritual
"vigor vitea "(vital force) which animates the material
body is unlimited and keeps all bodily parts in a wonderful and
harmonious condition with relation to feelings and activities, so
that our inherent and wise spirit has the freedom to use this living,
healthy tool for the higher purposes of our existence." ¹)
The homeopathic treatment comprises primarily a regulation therapy,
which triggers an impulse in the patient to strengthen the self-healing
powers in the body of the patient.
However, this also means that homeopathy can only (still) work,
if there is still something remaining that is capable of regulation
- when organs or organisms are still capable of reaction.
According to Hahnemann's, convictions there is no such thing as
an illness, there are only individuals who are ill. This also leads
to the conviction that every healing process can only proceed in
accordance with the healing laws intended by nature and also that
no person can heal beyond these laws of nature.
Every disease possesses a dynamic course - this is observed as the
procedure of the illness and not as the status of the disease, as
is customary in conventional medicine - for this reason the healing
agent must also be dynamic´. (Hahnemann defined this conception
as not being connected with the physical matter).
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| Law of Similars |
"Similia similibus curentur"
("Similar can be healed by the application of similar")
is one of the guiding principles of Hahnemann's teachings. He wrote
in the Organon: "Select a remedy to ensure a gentle, rapid,
sure and permanent healing in every case of illness, a remedy which
can cause a similar ailment as it ought to heal." ¹)
The Law/ Principle of Similars also states that a substance, which
invokes specific symptoms in a healthy person will heal similar
symptoms in a sick person. Thus, for healing purposes, the remedy
that will invoke the symptoms, which most resemble the symptoms
to be treated, in a healthy person must be sought and found. The
more accurate the clinical picture (= the status of the disease
in the individual concerned) and the drug picture (= mode of action
of the drug in the organism) harmonize, the more promising the homeopathic
treatment will be.
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Raw materials,
Potentisation,
Potency
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Homeopathic medicines are remedies which
are produced exclusively in accordance with homeopathic principles
and processing techniques. All criteria relating to such production
principles are legally stipulated in the homeopathic "Arzneibuch"
(HAB) (book of medical remedies). Hence they represent an autonomous
class of medicinal products seen from both the pharmaceutical and
the pharmacological aspect.
As raw materials for the homeopathic remedies, plants, animals
are employed (respectively parts or secretes from these materials)
and minerals. Even pathogens are employed; this is described as
the Nosode therapy.
Hahnemann discovered that specific methods of dilution and vigorous
shaking res. stroking reduced the toxicological characteristics
of materials on the one hand; on the other hand this also reinforced
- potencized the effectiveness in the healing process in accordance
with the Law of Similars.
Some substances will not become active until they are subjected
to potencizing.
There are two different, recognized possibilities to potencize a
medicinal substance the Decimal and the Centesimal dilution (potencing);
in accordance the medical remedies are designated as D res. C. In
the case of a D3-potencing for example 3 times 1 part of the previous
dilution is mixed with 9 parts of the carrier (ethanol water mixture
res. lactose) are weighed, succussed. res. stroked; in the case
of a C3 remedy this would be a dilution comprising 3 times 1 part
of the previous dilution with 99 parts of the carrier respectively.
No intermediate stage may be left out.
Potencies comprising dilutions and stroking up to D6 are classified
as low potencies, from D7 to D12 are classified
as medium potencies and remedies above
D13 are classified as high potencies.
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Drug test and inspection
Drug pictures
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Hahnemann proceeded in accordance with the following steps: first
he determined the reaction of individual substances on healthy
persons. In the second phase he tested the corresponding effect
of the homeopathic remedy on the diseased individual
In the drug study and test the reaction of the individual
substances on the healthy organism is investigated. The description
of the substances comprises not only physical symptoms but also
symptoms at an emotional and mental level. The toxicology is one
sector of the investigation of medicinal substances by means of
a drug study which is concerned with the toxicological effects.
The drug picture is created from all the knowledge and
information obtained, which then forms the foundation for the
application of the specific substance in the homeopathic treatment.
All drug pictures are summarized in the medical
teachings, "Materia Medica".
To simplify the search for the appropriate similar, the cardinal
symptom is determined for the individual remedy from the pertinent
drug picture which can be useful in the initial orientation. However,
the other symptoms must also be observed in all cases.
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| Homeopathic healing |
Homeopathy will not only heal the symptoms
of the disease, but will also initiate a holistic healing process
as a causal therapy, in order to eliminate
the entire clinical picture if possible. The essential point is
the restoration of balance in the organism and thus to put he individual
into the position where he is able to heal himself.
Homeopathy therefore serves as an activation
of the power of self healing. This also explains why the
patient also requires some patience in the course of a homeopathic
treatment in some cases. (This point is often difficult to convey
to the owner of the animal...).
Homeopathic remedies can be classified in the following groups
with relation to their effectiveness:
Organotropic homeopathic remedies:
These remedies have a reaction on a specific organic system or
on a specific tissue
Functiotropic homeopathic remedies:
These remedies have a differential effect on several organic systems
Personotropic homeopathic remedies:
These remedies have a reaction on the entire organism and are
therefore defined as constitutional remedies
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| Basic prerequisites for
the successful homeopathic therapy of animals |
Homeopathy is holistically oriented. Body, soul and spirit are
seen as one entity. Therefore the entire living conditions must
be taken into account in the course of the therapy in order in
order to find out the appropriate individual path of healing.
In the case of small animals or farmyard animals, the way the
animals are kept must also be taken into consideration. "In
a system in which animals are subjected to stress, overcrowding,
bad ventilation and air circulation , the effectiveness of the
homeopathic therapy will irrefutably also be diminished. (...)
The mere application of medical remedies, whether this is within
the scope of conventional therapy e.g. antibiotics or within the
scope of alternative therapy e.g. homeopathic remedies without
taking the feeding, the management, the way the animals are kept,
technique and hygiene will result in short-term and palliative
treatment results." ²)
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Footnotes
¹) Samuel Hahnemann, Organon der Heilkunst (Organon Of Medicine)
Organon original, Barthel&Barthel Verlag, 6. edition 1994
²) (Dr. med. vet. Ernst-P. Andresen, "George MacLeod's homöopathische
Behandlung der Schweinekrankheiten",
(The Treatment of Pigs by Homeopathy)
Sonntag Verlag, 1997)
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