HAHNEMANN – A TRIBUTE ON HIS 250^TH BIRTHDAY, 10 APRIL, 2005

(On this occasion a bronze bust of Hahnemann was erected in the ‘Vidivelli’ hospital, Tharuvai, Tirunelveli.)

Homœopathy alone has a recorded history, all verifiable.  Of all the great discoverers in the realm of Science, the Life and achievements of this extraordinary Man, are without precedent in the history of Sciences, medical Science in particular.

            Homœopathy is the only methodology for Medicine that was conceived after rigorous tests upon the living human body (and Mind), including that of the founder himself, and brought forth fully formed from one human brain and that while continuing to grow and develop has remained essentially intact for over two hundred years.  It is also to the glory of HAHNEMANN that he saw the spread of this New Science of Healing World-over during his lifetime itself. 

            There is no other Profession that we know of in which those who carry on its work are content and even proud to acknowledge their greatest achievements as mere footnotes to the books he wrote and the principles he enunciated so long ago, (e.g. HERING, KENT, et al).  The Law of Similars, the Vital Force, the harmonious function of the individual as the hallmark of health, the symptom picture, the remedy proving, the single, similar drug in the minimum dose, etc. are all still as fresh and as timeless today as they were first enunciated by HAHNEMANN.  The Provings, the indications, never grow old or unusable.  

            It is also unique of HAHNEMANN that in every application of the homœopathic Medicine for healing the concept of the Vital Force, the dynamic states of Illness and Wellness are involved thus the theory or Philosophy can be experienced in its manifestation and in actual application.  HAHNEMANN therefore rightly called Homœopathic Medicine as Practical Therapeutics – Heilkunde der Erfahrung. 

            Homœopathy is both a Philosophy and a Method and also indeed a Way of Life.  It is because of this that in spite of very strong assaults and criticisms, Homœopathy has not only survived but growing further! While the Natural Sciences keep evolving and new discoveries come up Homœopathy too keeps evolving and  keeps apace with them, but remains firmly grounded in its Principles.  There have been, and there are, attempts to reconcile the basics like the single remedy but they have not succeeded only because of the fact that the principles are practicable.  We owe all these to one man, Samuel HAHNEMANN who became enlightened in the true sense of the word with his Peruvian bark experiment.  When he announced to the world, after years of repeated experiments upon himself, his discovery in his Essay in 1796 “On a new Principle for ascertaining the Curative Power of Drugs”, the scientific world was shaken indeed.  In this and in his later writings there was not much of opposition from his colleagues but it was the Apothecaries, the Pharmacists who took up arms against HAHNEMANN.  As for his colleagues he challenged that they themselves repeat the experiments as he did, and if at every step his findings were not corroborated, he may be exposed.  It is a matter of recorded history that almost everyone who experimented as HAHNEMANN told them to, became staunch followers of HAHNEMANN! That it requires great courage to refute centuries-established ideas, based on conviction from repeated verifications to throw up such challenges must be pointed out.  That was Samuel HAHNEMANN who was far, far ahead of his times.  He had a much larger vision.  He converted substances, Matter into pure energy, potent, and put it to use against sufferings. 

            HAHNEMANN was unsparing of those who claiming to be his followers swerve from the path; such he called as “half homœopaths”.  Against those persons he “raised his voice and warned the world against such treachery.”

            It has been criticized, even in recent times, that HAHNEMANN was dogmatic, fanatical and that we should now be more liberal!  These are the Trojan horses in our midst.  They have not studied the history.  If Samuel HAHNEMANN and his ‘true disciples’ had not been ‘fanatical’ Homœopathy would have long ago been high-jacked, by the dominant seductive Medicine.  History tells us that it was due to the liberalism and the entry of the ‘half-homœopaths’ into the fold that Homœopathy which was at the heights of glory in the USA during the end 19^th century slided down rapidly within the next 10-15 years.  We are happy that there is a great renaissance now and soon the glory too would be back. 

            We rededicate ourselves toward such a state.  To inspire us constantly lest we swerve I dedicate this Bust of our Master Samuel HAHNEMANN today, his 250^th birthday.  Samuel HAHNEMANN is a ‘Yuga Purusha’, a ‘Man of the Millennium’.