Cause of rise and fall of Homeopathy in USA

Author : Nirjhar Adhikary

The following is the cause of Rise of Homoeopathy in U.S.A
The deep hatred (an extremely strong feeling of dislike) of people against the method of treatment by Orthodox school (Allopathy) with profuse blood-letting, leeches, blisters, huge doses of mineral drugs.

–Homoeopathy entered into the U.S.A at a time, when the people of that country were more afraid of treatment of Orthodox school, than of the disease & consequently, they tried by all means to evade that treatment.

Popular publication like ‘Hering’s Domestic Physician’, ‘Humpherey’s Domestic kit with a guide book’, carried Homoeopathy to every Household.  From these, the intelligent house-wives & mothers found that they could successfully treat many minor ailments of the members of their family.

The economic factor & the sweet test of medicine of course played a considerable role in its popularity.

Soon the elite circles – Lawyers, Legislators, Literary men, Pressmen – all became convinced to the rationality, scientificity & dependability of homoeopathy as a true curative system of medicine. And turned into strong fight for that.

Through the same process, even many an honest & intelligent stalwart of orthodox school became attracted by the principle of homoeopathy. And converted to Homoeopathy.

These facts of good will of Homoeopathy inspire the rich people to donate huge sums of money for establishing so many big homoeopathic teaching institutions & hospitals.

—- Like this way “ homoeopathy enjoyed its greatest influence & success in the two decades (10years) following the Civil War. Its Power was sufficient to sway not only local boards of health & city councils but also State legislatures & even at times the federal government. During these decades the Homoeopaths & their system Scored many successes, both Medical & political,  (Divided Legacy, Vol. III, p. 285)

The following is the cause of Fall of Homoeopathy in U.S.A
The ‘LOWS’ who 1st entered in the arena of homoeopathy 1830’s .. & turned into sweeping majority by 1870’s in all the fields of homoeopathy (ei- literary, educational, institutional, professional fields & ect). Even the ‘American Institute of Homoeopathy which 1st started with an essential objective of maintaining the purity of Homoeopathy became captured by ‘LOWS’

After taking power Activities of ‘LOWS’ –

Departure from the Law of similia – These practitioners maintained that law of similar was not only one possible rule for finding the remedy & that other existed which were equally valid . (Ibid p. 353)

— When germ theory of disease came into vogue, many considered it an additional reason for Abandoning the ‘law of similia’  (Ibid p. 354)

Rejection of the ‘law of single remedy’ – the ‘LOWS’ finally rejected Hahnemann’s rule that only one Medicine was to be administered at a time. Combining several medicines in one prescription. If anyone feels guilty of such practice would be expelled.

Reject the theory of ‘Vital Force’ – The ‘LOWS’ reject this back bone of Homoeopathy, & said ‘We reject the assumption of a life principle as an unscientific theory (Ibid p. 356)

It is quite easily imaginable what was the outcome, when these “LOWS’ captured all the Homoeopathic teaching Institutions & hospitals by their democratic majority. Every years hundreds of pseudo homeopaths created by these revisionist teaching.

Now a day the same malpractice is spreading like a spider net. Very few Homoeopaths till trying to hold the cardinal principles, the dynamic theories of Hahnemann & trying their best to use that knowledge in their practice.  When they are abolished the Homoeopathy will be history.