The Basics of Homoeopathy

Homoeopathy is a Greek derivation. ‘Homoeos’ means ‘Similar’ and ‘Pathos’ means ‘suffering’. Homoeopathy is a system of internal medicine or medicinal therapeutics based on the principle “Similia Similibus Curantur”- ‘let likes be cured by likes’; which means that a substance which causes the symptoms of a disease in healthy people would have the power to cure similar symptoms in sick people. This principle of homoeopathy is based on nature’s observation “Like cures like”.

Homoeopathy was discovered in 1796 by the great physician Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, a famous chemist and excellent philologist, a native of Germany, born in Meissen on April 10, 1755 and died in Paris on July 2, 1843. The Homoeopathic system of medicine concerns the discovery, the study, the preparation and administration of remedies agents with a vitalistic, holistic, individualistic approach to persons in the health, disease, and its cure.

The Discovery Of Homoeopathy

In 1790, Hahnemann was translating Cullen’s Materia Medica from English to German. His attention was arrested by the remark of the author that cinchona bark cured malaria because of its bitterness and tonic effect on the stomach. This explanation did not satisfy Hahnemann and caused a curiosity for search of truth. Testing the positive action of cinchona bark on his own body, Hahnemann ingested 4 drachms of cinchona bark juice twice a day for a few days. To his great astonishment he was attacked by the symptoms very similar to argue or malarial fever. He conducted similar experiments upon himself and on others with other medicines whose curative actions on certain diseases have been established.

He found that in the healthy person the medicine produces symptoms very similar to what they have cured in diseased individuals. 

After 6 years, in the year 1796, he published in Hufeland’s Journal, his “Essay on the new principle for ascertaining the curative powers of drugs and examination of some previous principles.”– first public announcement of the new principle of homoeopathy.

At this time Hahnemann recognised the importance of the concept of similitude which later he was to pronounce in Latin Similia Similibus Curentur (let likes be cured by likes). This became the homoeopathic therapeutic rule of cure by likes.

Afterwards, Hahnemann adopted a process in which he administered potentized medicinal substances in a systematic way to the healthy human beings over a period of days, and recorded the symptoms produced by them. This process is known as ‘Drug Proving’ in homoeopathy. The symptoms obtained through drug proving are matched with the similar symptoms presented by the patient, which helps in the cure of the ailments of the patient.

The medicinal substances employed for drug proving and for the cure of natural diseases in the patient are in ‘potentized’ (a process by which the inherited dormant dynamic curative power of drugs is aroused or increased through the process of trituration and succussion) form.

Later, Hahnemann published his ideas and experiences in his book called the ORGANON OF MEDICINE

The Organon Of Medicine, by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann

(The Magnum Opus of Hahnemann)

This book was published in 6 editions. The first edition of this book appeared in 1810 and the last edition was written in 1842 (which was published in 1921, after the death of Hahnemann)

The title of the first edition of the book was ‘Organon of the Rational Healing Art’ but from the second edition onwards to the fifth one, its title was changed to ‘Organon of the Healing Art’. Robert Ellias Dudgeon changed the title of the fifth edition of this book from ‘Organon of the Healing Art’ to ‘Organon of Medicine’ while translation. Ever since then, this book is known by the name of Organon of Medicine.

The fundamental concepts which Hahnemann wrote in this book hold true even today. The subsequent stalwarts have been able to confirm and reconfirm principles which Hahnemann gave in his Organon of Medicine. Every serious study of homeopathy even today begins with a study of the Organon.

The book has been arranged in a very concise, concrete, but thorough and accurate manner in so many aphorisms (§). Though each section can be explained separately but they are closely related to each other expressing a chain of thoughts. Some of the sections also have footnotes. 

HOW DO HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES WORK?

(MODUS OPERANDI OF HOMOEOPATHIC CURE)

In §28 of his ‘Organon of Medicine’, Hahnemann advises not to attach much importance to explain scientifically how homoeopathic cure takes place. 

But as our scientific mind is not satisfied without some intellectual interpretation of the fact, Hahnemann offers a most probable explanation of the mechanism of cure by homoeopathic remedy in §29; by using inductive logic and pragmatic philosophy.

What occurs when homoeopathic medicine is used in a disease is as follows:

1. When a medicine is administered on the basis of accurate similarity of symptoms, it affects the morbidly deranged dynamic vital force through the medium of sentient faculty of the nerves found in the mucosa of the oral cavity (oral route), nose (olfaction) and thus produces (due to the primary action of medicine) a similar but stronger disease against the existing one.
2. The new similar artificial disease is always stronger than the natural disease as it is produced by medicine. 

The medicinal diseases are always stronger in strength than natural diseases because of the following reasons:

1. Medicines act unconditionally 

1. They act at all times 
2. They act under all circumstances
3. They act on every individual

2. Regulation of dose is in our control
3. Medicines prevent diseases
4. Medicines can cure, palliate and suppress natural diseases
5. The disease makes the person hypersensitive or very much susceptible to the influence of similar medicine. Because of this increased susceptibility minute dose of the medicine is sufficiently superior to overpower the disease.

3. Now, we know from the Nature’s law of cure as stated in §26 of ‘Organon of Medicine’ that, “A weaker dynamic affection is permanently extinguished in the living organism by a stronger one, if the latter (whilst differing in kind) is very similar to the former in its manifestations.” As per this law, the natural disease will be removed permanently by the stronger similar medicinal disease, which will occupy precisely the same place of the former. 
4. After this there is only one disease in the system namely the medicinal disease. So, the vital force is now only medicinally diseased.
5. The instinctive vital force, which is now merely medicinally diseased (though in a stronger degree) is compelled to direct an increased amount of energy. But as there is similar relation between drug and disease- the vital force indifferentiates itself and employs its increased energy to extinct the medicinal disease.
6. On the other hand, the medicinal disease gradually becomes weaker and weaker due to the following reasons:

1. Minuteness of the dose of the medicine 
2. Shorter and fixed duration of action of the medicinal agent

7. As the medicinal disease is growing weaker and weaker, finally a time will come when the vital force will overcome the medicinal disease. Now the vital force is free from both the natural disease as well as the medicinal disease and enabled to carry on healthily the vital operations of the organism. Thus, heath is restored.
8. The natural disease gets removed by the primary action of the administered medicine and the substituted artificial (medicinal) one is removed by the secondary curative action of the vital force.

In homoeopathic cure, on account of extraordinary minuteness of the medicine the vital force has to exert very little effort for the extinction of medicinal disease, which is very transient, slight and disappears spontaneously.

The modus operandi of homoeopathic cure can be depicted through the following illustration:

Preparation of Homoeopathic Medicines

In homoeopathy, the substances from plant, animal and mineral kingdoms are potentised and used as medicines- for drug proving, as well as for the treatment and cure of the sick individuals. These are potentized by the method of Potentisation.

Potentisation is a mathematico-mechanical process by virtue of which the inherited dormant dynamic curative power of drugs is aroused or increased by modifying drug strength or drug power to dynamic power through simultaneous and successive process of dilution and friction in definite order.

In homeopathy, drugs are potentized principally by two processes:

1. Succussion: It is a process of potentisation of medicinal substances which are soluble in liquid vehicle (particularly in alcohol) by downward friction (strokes). This process is used in case of soluble substances.
2. Trituration: it is an ideal physical, mathematical process of potentisation by which preparation of medicine takes place by the use of solid vehicle i.e. sugar of milk, by grinding in definite order according to pharmacopoeia. This process is used in case of insoluble substances.

By the processes of potentisation, the medicinal substances are potentized and ‘potencies’ are obtained as the products of potentisation.

Homoeopathic Potencies: The power in medicinal substances which is derived by the grades of medicinal power as developed by the process of dynamization are called homoeopathic potencies in different grades. They are the results of a series of successive dilution followed by trituration or succussion. [Potency: Potentia= power in the sense of ability, capacity]

The Effects of Potentisation are:

1. Quantitative reduction but qualitative increment of therapeutic activity.
2. Increase in potential energy- determined by different scales
3. Elimination of toxic products
4. Gaining of the maximum potential energy or dynamic power 

Master Hahnemann in the preface to the 5^th volume of his book ‘Chronic diseases’ defines:

“Homeopathic dynamization are processes by which the medicinal properties, which are latent in natural substances while in their crude state, become aroused and then become enabled to act in an almost spiritual manner in our life; i.e. in our sensible and irritable fibre. This development of properties of crude natural substances (dynamization) takes place, in the case of dry substances by means of trituration in a mortar, but in the case of fluid substances by means of shaking or succussion, which is also a trituration.”

The doctrine of drug-dynamisation was introduced into homoeopathy through the 5^th edition of Organon of Medicine, published in 1833.

There are three scales of potentisation in homoeopathy: Centesimal scale, Decimal scale and 50 millesimal scale

• Scales for Trituration: 

1. Centesimal scale
2. Decimal scale

• Scales for Succussion

1. Centesimal scale
2. Decimal scale
3. 50 millesimal scale

The Decimal Scale

• Inventor: this scale was introduced by Dr Constantine Hering. Vehsemeier gave a more detailed description of this scale in 1836.
• Principle: This scale is based on the principle that first potency should contain 1/10^th part of the original drug and each succeeding potency should contain 1/10^th part of the previous potency.
• Designation: The decimal potency is denoted by suffixing the letter ‘X’ to the number indicating the potency i.e. the first potency is 1X, the second potency is 2X and so on.

The Centesimal Scale

• Inventor: this scale was introduced by the founder of homoeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann, in 5^th edition of ‘Organon of Medicine’ (1833) in §270.
• Principle: This scale is based on the principle that first potency should contain 1/100^th part of the original drug and each succeeding potency should contain 1/100^th part of the preceding potency. One part by volume or weight of drug or previous potency + ninety-nine parts by volume weight of vehicle (– generally, dispensing alcohol). 
• Designation: This scale is denoted by simply affixing the numericals after the name of the drug, e.g., Apis mel 6 and Apis mel 3 denotes 6^th and 3^rd centesimal potency of Apis mel. These may be denoted by 6C or 3C also. Some of these potency strengths are designated by Roman numericals such as: 1000 as M or 1M, 10000 as 10M etc.

The Fifty Millesimal Scale

• This scale was introduced in the 6^th edition of Organon of Medicine in §270. The name of this potency was not given by Master Hahnemann but by Dr. Pierre Schmidt of Geneva, Hahnemann himself termed this new method as ‘Renewed dynamization’(§161). 
• Dr. Pierre Schmidt named these potencies as ‘fifty-millesimal potencies’ because of the fact that the material part of the medicine was said to be decreased by 50,000 times for each degree of dynamization.
• Designation

1. In India and Bangladesh, it is designated as 0/1, 0/2, 0/3, 0/4 and M/1, M/2, M/3, M/4 etc.
2. In western world it is designated as 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0 etc.
3. Master Hahnemann used to write 0/1, 0/2 etc.

• It is better if we write LM/1, LM/2, LM/3, etc. Here ‘L’ stands for 50 and ‘M’ for Millesimal. The potency of this scale may be denoted by using the simple Roman numbers as I, II, III, IV, etc.
• The numerator ‘0’ representing symbolically the poppy-sized globule employed in each dynamization, as distinct from the drop of medicine utilised in the centesimal scale
• In this scale, the potencies are continued upto thirtieth potency and each potency contains 1/50000 part of the previous potency

The Three Basic Principles Governing The Administration of Medicines in Homoeopathy

Three basic principles govern the administration of medicines in homoeopathy:

1. LAW OF SIMILIA
2. LAW OF SIMPLEX
3. LAW OF MINIMUM

These principles are intimately related to each other to form a complete whole of the theory and practice of homoeopathy.

1. LAW OF SIMILIA

This law tells that the medicine should be employed on the basis of similarity of symptoms (let likes be cured by likes). It means that for a given condition of illness the applied medicine must have the power to produce similar symptoms (in the healthy persons during drug proving).

Hahnemann has explained the concept of similitude through various examples in his ‘Organon of Medicine’. In aphorism 26 of this book, he explains it through nature’s law of cure. In this he describes “homoeopathy is derived from nature”. In the footnote to this aphorism, Hahnemann has explained the concept of similitude through various examples.

The Law of Similia in History of Medicine:

The principle of Similia has been observed by Hippocrates: in his Corpus Hippocraticus (400 BC) he described two methods for treating the sick humanity, through– (i) Similia (ii) Contraria

After that unfortunately similia has been neglected in medical practice and law of contraria got more place.

One of the most important propagators of law of contraria was Galen. After that one of the epochal personalities in history of medicine is Paracelsus who denounced teaching of Galen and started searching in favour of similia in which he gives finding of similia through Doctrine of Signature. 

2. LAW OF SIMPLEX (single remedy – pure in its entity)

According to this law, only one single, simple medicinal substance is to be administered in a given case at a time.

Whatever the number of symptoms or number of diseases, they are all nothing but only a reflection of the internally deranged state of the dynamic vital force (vital force: the dynamic spirit which maintains our health). The purpose with medicine is to excite this vital force which is single. For this we need a single known dynamic power which will be achieved with single dynamized remedy.

3. LAW OF MINIMUM

Under this principle, medicine is given to the patients in very minute dose.

The minute dose means that the quantity of the medicine should be a minimum amount which is sufficient to excite the vital force of sick person, in the slightly higher force than the existing disease force. This has been explained by Hahnemann through the Nature’s law of cure given in §26 in his book ‘Organon of Medicine’.

In aphorism 26 Hahnemann writes:

A weaker dynamic affection is permanently extinguished in the living organism by a stronger one, if the latter (whilst differing in kind) is very similar to the former in its manifestations.

Here he talks about three points necessary for cure:

1. Similar in manifestation
2. Different in kind 
3. Stronger in power (in minimum dose)

• Lower limit of minimum: slightly higher than the disease force
• Higher because only then two similar manifestations can play the phenomenon of annihilating the weaker one. It relates to the importance of dose (§275).

Thus, Hahnemann tells that for a permanent cure to take place, a similar medicine should be administered in a dose which is minute in quantity yet stronger in power than the natural disease so as to extinguish the natural disease permanently.

Hahnemann was the first to use minimum doses of the medicines, prepared according to his own methods. To minimize the doses, he diluted and dynamized (by the process of succussion) his remedies which made them more efficacious and penetrating in action. The minimum dose concept thus led to the discovery of a more practical process called potentisation.

He also demonstrated that the quantity of drug required is inversely proportional to its similarity with the symptoms of the patient.

Advantages of Minimum Dose

1. Minimum dose ensures that no damage occurs to any vital organ of the body, thereby preventing any risk of drug effects or drug addiction.
2. The law of minimum dose can be ascertained by the Arndt-Schulz law which lays down that small doses stimulate, medium doses paralyze and large doses kill. It is thus considered that, the action of small and very large doses of the same substance on living matter is not the same. 
3. Minimum dose avoids unwanted aggravation of any kind
4. When taken in minimum quantity, the dynamic action of a drug produces uncommon, peculiar, strange, rare and other distinguished symptoms
5. The finest quality of action of a remedy used for cure purposes can be well determined in minimal doses.
6. To maintain the similarity of the sequence of the drug and the disease, minimal dose is necessary.
7. According to Fincke, the law of quantity states, “The quality of the action of homoeopathic remedy is determined by its quantity in inverse ratio.”
8. Law of least action formulated by the French mathematician Maupertius also fortifies the fact, stating, “The quantity of action necessary to affect any changes in nature is the least possible. The decisive amount is always a minimum, an infinitesimal.”

Thus, in an ideal homoeopathic prescription only one remedy is given at a time, which can correspond perfectly to the symptom picture of the patient, in a minimum dose.