About Homoeopathy

/About Homoeopathy
about

Homoeopathy- the new therapeutic science found by German physician Dr Samuel Hahnemann in the year 1790 which now stands as the second most popular healing art and the first one among the alternative systems of therapeutics. It is obvious by the number of patients who rely upon this system worldwide. Homoeopathy is both science and a philosophy which is bound by nature’s laws and the basic principle “Like cures likes”

The founder of Homoeopathy Dr Christian Frederick Samuel Hahnemann who was a post graduate in medicine, a multi linguist, a scholar and a teacher started practice of medicine for a certain period and quit from that by opposing some cruel method of treatments Viz, bloodletting, Leeching, Cauterization etc which were prevailed at that time. After quitting from the medical profession he continued his career as a translator of books of different languages. While doing so he happened to see a book of materia medica written by Dr William Cullen. In that book it was mentioned that the medicine Quina (Cinchona bark) cures malaria due the bitter principle. Hahnemann was not ready to accept Dr Cullen’s version and thought why other bitter substances or medicine not curing malaria. He himself swallowed Quina a considerable quantity which produced an illness similar to malaria. It was quite startling to him and the same experiment he made with his friends and relatives and almost all of them produced an illness similar to malaria.

The above experiment was considered as the first drug proving of Homoeopathy and the birth of Homoeopathy. Dr Hahnemann then started experiments with many medicines in repeated doses at many people of different categories and came to the conclusion as a medicine or substance which produces disease in a healthy human being has the ability to cure the illness of a similar nature. He then defined Homoeopathy as Homoeo which means similar and pathos means suffering

Homoeopathy in India

Homoeopathy was recognized and patronized first in India in the year 1839 by the king of Punjab province Ranjith Sing whose chronic illness was successfully treated by a French traveler and the disciple of Dr Hahnemann, Dr John Martin Honigberger .Afterwards Homoeopathic dispensaries and hospitals were opened by doctors at Calcutta, Banaras, Allahabad, Manglore, Kakkinada and Mumbai and thus Homoeopathy started flourishing.

As first time the Bangal Government in the year 1943 started a curriculum for the academic developments and studies. In the year 1952 the Central Minister for Health Smt Rajkumari Amrith Kaur Constituted an adhoc committee under the chairmanship of the Health Secretary and this development paved the way for the constitution of a Central council for Ayurveda and Homoeopathy. An individual council for Homoeopathy –Central Council of Homoeopathy came in to existence in the year 1973 which regulates and controls Homoeopathic education throughout the country and turned as the policy making body of Homoeopathy. A separate department has been constituted under the Health ministry in 1995 and later in 2003 the name of the Department has been finalized as AYUSH.

Homoeopathy in Kerala

The credit of introducing Homoeopathy in Kerala rests with the Christian missionary in the beginning of 20th century. The Thiruvithamcore King Sri Mulam Thirunal was highly impressed upon the effective control and management of the dreadful Cholera epidemic outbreak by Homoeopathy which affected south Travancore by Homoeopathy in the year 1920.Thereafter this therapeutic system got formal recognition by a motion brought by Dr MN Pillai, member of Sri Moolam Prajasabha in the year 1928.

Homoeopathy was included in the Medical Practitioners bill of 1943 and after the formation of Kerala state by uniting Travancore and Cochin, a Medical Practitioners Act was legislated and equal importance was given to Homoeopathy with other systems of Therapeutics. During the period of Sri EMS Namboothirippad as Chief minister in the year 1958 Dr AR Menon, the Health minister took earnest efforts to start Government Homoeopathic Dispensaries and the first one was started at Thiruvananthapuram in the year 1958 and at the same year at Kottayam Kurichy, The Athurasramam Homoeo medical college was started functioning by framing a four and a half year Diploma course .First Homoeo pathic Medical college by the Government was started at Calicut in the year 1975 with the Degree Course of five and a half year duration which was the first of its kind in Asia .Government Homoeopathic medical college at Thiruvananthapuram was started in the year 1983.

The Kerala Government as its policy of starting Government Homoeo Dispensaries at all panchayaths like other systems which came in to existence in the year 1968 and turned historical as it was the first of its kind in India. The Directorate of Homoeopathy came in to existence in 1973 with the purpose of propagating Homoeopathy, Proper care for public service including preventive measures. At present various special projects in a multifaceted manner are launched to make the utilization of this system and its service among the public.

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