This system of medicine was founded by Dr. Samuel Halmemann in the latter part of
the 18th century. It is based on the principle "SIMILIA SIMILIBUS CURENTAR" which
literally means
like cures like. This means that substances, which produce
a certain set of symptoms in a healthy individual cure the same set of symptoms
in a diseased individual.
Medicines are made from plants, animals, chemical compounds etc. These drugs are
tested on normal healthy individuals in crude doses and the changes they bring about
are noted. These are then used to cure the same symptoms in a diseased individual
- but in very minute doses.
The medicines used are prepared by the method of potentization. By this, the material
quantity of the drug is reduced but the curative quality of the drug is enhanced.
Therefore the amount of medicine given is very very small but its curative powers
are manifold.
When treating a patient homoeopathically, the person is treated as a whole, not
just the disease. Therefore, when managing a person homoeopathically, apart from
the totality of the disease, the totality of the person as an individual are of
equal importance. Elaborate details are taken into account- his build, appetite,
thirst, food likes/dislikes, bowel habits, menstrual history (in case of females),
sleep, dreams, are all taken into account. Also of prime importance is the mental
make-up of the patient. The nature of the patient, sensitivity, fears, phobias,
moods are all taken into account. In fact these details form the base from which
the remedy is selected.
Therefore, two people suffering from the same disease but with different mental
& physical disposition will require different remedies to cure the same disease.
Homoeopathy therefore treats the individual who is diseased not the disease in the
individual.
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Last updated on 15-12-2000
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