The basic principles of homeopathy: the law of similars

The whole system is based mainly upon the principle that the cure of a disease is accomplished by drugs that are capable of producing, in a healthy individual, similar symptoms (suffering) to those of the disease to be treated. For instance, it is well known that Belladonna causes mydriasis, ie enlargement of the pupil. In a case of mydriasis, the homeopathic doctor will prescribe Belladonna in a highly diluted potency to bring the pupil to its normal state. Another example is Digitalis, widely used by orthodox medicine to reduce tachycardia, ie excessive rapidity in the action of the heart. In homeopathy, Digitalis in high potency will be indicated in some cases of bradycardia, where the pulse rate is very slow. This principle was expressed by Hahnemann with the Latin motto

"Similia Similibus Curentur. " "Let similars be treated with similars. " Hahnemann maintained that this is a basic law of cure.

The idea was mentioned originally by Hippocrates, but it had also been expressed by Paracelsus and others.

The provings

To ascertain the curative virtues of the drugs Hahnemann suggested that they should be "proved" upon healthy persons - that is to say, they should be taken by individuals of both sexes in gradually increasing doses, but not beyond the subtoxic levels. The manifestations of drug action thus produced were carefully recorded. This record of "drug-symptoms, " the signs and symptoms produced on relatively healthy organisms, after being verified by repetition on many "provers, " and combined with the toxicological effects of some of the drugs that were known through the then existing medical literature, constitutes the distinguishing feature of a voluminous homeopathic pharmacopoeoa called "Materia Medica".

The main theories of Hahnemann

Based on the "Law of Similars" and the provings of the drugs upon human organisms, Hahnemann proceeded to develop an entire medical system. He published his theories for the first time in his main book "Organon of the Art of healing" in 1810. In 294 Aphorisms he expounds the principles of his System of Medicine. He later published his "Materia Medica Pura, " in which he included all the drugs that he himself and his followers had proved upon themselves and others. He also published his "Chronic Diseases" in which he claimed that all chronic diseases were the result of suppressed skin eruptions, suppressed syphillis and suppressed gonorrhea.. He considered that these three groups of diseases - when wrongly treated - remained within the organism in an altered form, eventually manifesting themselves as chronic diseases. He called them the miasms of Psora, Syphillis and Sycosis ( by sycosis he meant the gonorrheal miasm).

Hahnemann was strongly criticised for these theories, even by some of his own followers, who though they abandoned this idea as useless still practiced homeopathy. Some essential points of Homeopathic theories that complement "the Law of Similars" are :

That there are no diseases as such, but only diseased individuals.
That the indicated remedy should fit the symptoms of each individual case read more