Homoeopathy is the system of treatment
based on demonstrable laws and principles, which are -
(a) The Law of Similar - It is also called the
Law of Cure. This law demonstrates that the selected remedy is able
to produce a range of symptoms in a healthy person similar to that
observed in the patient, thus leading to the principle of Similia
Similibus Curentur i.e. let likes be treated by likes. To give a
simple example the effects of peeling an onion are very similar
to the symptoms of acute cold. The remedy prepared from the red
onion, Allium cepa, is used to treat the type of cold in which the
symptoms resemble those we get from peeling onion. The principle
has been verified by millions of Homoeopaths all over the world.
(b) The Law of Single Remedy - This law directs
to choose and administer such a single remedy, which is most similar
to the symptom complex of the sick person at a time.
(c) The Law of Minimum Dose - The similar remedy
selected for a sick should be prescribed in minimum dose, so that
when administered there is no toxic effects on the body. It just
acts as a triggering and catalytic agent to stimulate and strengthen
the existing defense mechanism of the body. It does not need to
be repeated frequently.
Holistic as well as Individualistic approach in Medicine
through Homoeopathy:
This is a key point and unique to Homoeopathy. Even though it may
sound strange, Homoeopathy does not treat disease per se. A Homoeopath
does not concentrate his therapy on, say arthritis or bronchitis
or cancer. In other words he does not limit his treatment to painful
joints, inflamed bronchi or a malignant growth. Rather, he treats
all aspects mental, emotional and physical of the person who happens
to be suffering with arthritis or bronchitis or cancer. Homoeopathy
regards each patient as a unique individual, e.g. six persons with
hepatitis might get a different Homoeopathic remedy, each one aimed
at the individual’s totality of symptoms rather than at his
liver alone. The physicians’ interest is not only to alleviate
the patients’ present symptoms but also his long-term well
being.
Concept of Vital Force
Dr. Hahnemann discovered that the human body is endowed with a
force that reacts against the inimical forces, which produce disease.
It becomes deranged during illness and the best-selected Homoeopathic
remedies stimulate this failing vital force so that, as Hahnemann
said "it can again take the reins and conduct the system on
way to health".
Concept of Miasm
Psora, Syphilis and Sycosis are the three fundamental causes of
all chronic diseases that afflict the human race as discovered by
Dr. Hahnemann and called them miasms. This word is derived from
Greek word miainein meaning ‘to pollute’. Syphilis and Sycosis are the venereal and contagious chronic diseases,
whereas Psora is a non-venereal chronic disease. Psora is present
from the beginning to end of life and is the root cause of most
of the diseases.
Principle of Drug Proving
To apply drugs for therapeutic use, their curative powers should
be known. The proving of the drug is the method employed to know
these powers and is unique to Homoeopathy as they are proved on
healthy human beings. The symptoms thus known are the true record
of the curative properties of a drug or the pathogenesis of a drug.
Drug Dynamisation or Potentisation
Drugs are prepared in such a way that they retain maximum medicinal
powers without producing any toxic action on the body. It was found
experimentally by Dr. Hahnemann that when diluted drugs are powerfully
successes they develop lasting medicinal powers.
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION IN INDIA
Homoeopathy entered India in 1839 when Dr. John Martin Honigberger
was called to treat Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ruler of Punjab,
for paralysis of vocal cords and oedema. The Maharaja was relieved
of his complaints and in return received valuable rewards and later
on was made officer-in-charge of a hospital. Dr. Honigberger later
on went to Calcutta and started practice there. This royal patronage
helped the system to have its roots in India. A large number of
missionaries, amateurs in Indian civil and military service personals
practiced Homoeopathy extensively and spread this system mostly
in Bengal and South India.
RECOGNITION BY THE GOVERNMENT:
The Government of India soon after Independence did not lost time
to develop Homoeopathic System of Medicine. The setting up of Homoeopathic
Enquiry Committee in 1948, the Committee by Planning Commission
in 1951 and the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Committee in 1962 testify
to this. At the instance of the recommendation of these Committees,
the Government of India have accepted Homoeopathy as one of the
national System of Medicine and started releasing funds for its
development, during the Second five-year Plan. Some of the States
also made their own contribution to Homoeopathic Education, the
employment of Homoeopathic practitioners in health services and
regulating the practice by enacting States Acts & Rules, etc.
NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY & HOMOEOPATHY:
The National Health Policy as passed by the Indian Parliament assigns
to the Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy an important role
in the delivery of primary health care and envisages its integration
in the over all health care delivery system, specially in the preventive
and promotive aspects of health care in the context of the national
target of achieving "Health for all by 2000 AD"
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA
Homoeopathy continued to spread and by the beginning of 20th century
most of the important cities in India had Homoeopathic dispensaries.
The popularity of the system led to a mushroom growth of quacks
practicing Homoeopathy. Seeing this deplorable state of affairs,
efforts were made by the Government. It took several steps and in
1948, a Homoeopathic Enquiry Committee was set up to evolve a suitable
arrangement to regulate teaching and practice of Homoeopathy. A
Homoeopathic Advisory Committee was appointed in 1952 by the Govt.
of India and the recommendations of these committees led to passing
of a Central Act in 1973 for recognition of this system of medicine.
Homoeopathy now has been accepted as one of the National Systems
of Medicine in India.
PRESENT SET UP:
Homoeopathy in India enjoys Government support along
with the other systems of medicine because Government is of the
view that presence of all these complementary alternative systems
of therapeutics offers a much wider spectrum of curative medicine
than is available in any other country.
For Detailed Dossier on
Homoeopathy, please write to us at
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