Hahnemann proposed the law of homeopathy in 1796: “Like Cures Like,” or in Latin, “Similia Similibus Curantur.” Homoeopathy is based on inductive method of reasoning.

1. PHILOSOPHY OF HOMOEOPATHY
DR SAROJ RANJIT SAWANT
M.D.(HOM)

2. HAHNEMANNIAN VIEW

3. HISTORY
• The olden day medicine was dominated
by materialistic concepts. People used to
believe that the removal of the material
cause removes the disease.
• According to the germ theory of
disease micro organisms were considered
as the cause of infectious diseases.
• The old school of medicine dealt with only
ultimate of disease..

4. HISTORY
Old fashioned system is completely based on
medicine of experience.
They used to conduct a series of experiments on
animals and came through different theories and
doctrines.
Their experimentation is not based on definite laws
or principles, their theories are ever changing or
kaleidoscopic changing every year.

5. HISTORY
Their treatment also included painful
procedures like bloodletting, leeching,
venesection, surgical removal of the
affected part etc.

6. FATHER OF HOMOEOPATHY
Dissatisfied with the mode of medication
of his time Dr. Christian Friedrich
Samuel Hahnemann created a system of
alternative medicine called Homeopathy.

7. HISTORY OF HOMOEOPATHY
Hahnemann observed that the medicine
he had been taught to practice did the
patient more harm than good.
He then gave up his practice and made his
living chiefly on translating books.

8. HISTORY OF HOMOEOPATHY
In 1790 while translating William
Cullen’s “a treatise on material medica”
he came through a line that cinchona bark
is effective in treating malaria due to its
bitterness.

9. HISTORY OF HOMOEOPATHY
Hahnemann was not satisfied with this
statement.
He experimented the drug on himself and
observed that it produced similar symptoms
like malaria.
He concluded that it would do so in any healthy
individual.
This led him to postulate a healing principle: “that
which can produce a set of symptoms in a healthy
individual, can treat a sick individual who is
manifesting a similar set of symptoms.

10. DISCOVERY OF HOMOEOPATHY
After experimenting with other drugs in
the same manner, and then clinically
practicing their results Hahnemann
proposed the law of homeopathy in 1796:
“Like Cures Like,” or in Latin, “Similia
Similibus Curantur.”

11. • HISTORY OF
APPLICATION
OF LAW

12. In the history
Hippocrates (460 –
350B.C.), regarded as the
“father of medicine,”
who authored the
Hippocratic oath, wrote,
“By similar things a
disease is produced and
through the application
of the like is cured.”

13. Aristotle
(384 –
322B.C.)
knew the
principle
as well,
and wrote,
“Often the
simile acts
upon the
simile.”

14. It was Samuel Hahnemann who
developed this natural law into a
profound and unprecedented healing
science called Homeopathy.

15. PHILOSOPHY
Homoeopathy is based on
inductive method of reasoning.

16. This inductive logic requires—
1-EXACT OBSERVATION
2-CORRECT INTERPRETATION
3-RATIONAL EXPLAINATION
4-SCIENTIFIC CONSTRUCTION

17. EXACT OBSERVATION
Hahnemann’s honest disappointment with
practice of medicine made him to quit
practice and he turned to translations.
His observation on the effect of cinchona
bark and experimentation with
medicinal substances made him
understand the ability of the drug to
produce symptoms on one hand and the
symptoms of the patient on the other.

18. CORRECT INTERPRETATION
Thorough study of the phenomenon
produced by the experiments or provings
on different groups, age, sex reduced the
probability of error in observation.

19. RATIONAL EXPLANATION
Explaining the observed facts by
referring them with known natural laws

20. SCIENTIFIC CONSTRUCTION
Putting the facts in such coordination that
system reached shall agree with reality.
He applied the principles evolved from
inductive reasoning and correlated them
with experiments he conducted

21. SCIENTIFIC CONSTRUCTION
Hahnemann discussed about principles of
homoeopathy, analysis of other modes of
treatment, qualities and duties of a
physician, proving of drugs on healthy
human beings, classification of diseases,
selection of remedy, dosage, causes of
disease and auxiliary methods of
treatment in his book ORGANON OF
MEDICINE in the form of aphorisms

22. ORGANON
The word ORGANON was derived from
Greek word ‘organum’ which means a
literary work, system of logic.
This word was first used by Greek
philosopher ARISTOTLE.
Later LORD FRANCIS BACON wrote a
book on logic ‘novum organum’.

23. PRINCIPLES OF HOMOEOPATHY
• LAW OF SIMILIA
• LAW OF SIMPLEX
• LAW OF MINIMUM
• DOCTRINE OF DRUG PROVING
• THEORY OF CHRONIC DISEASES
• THEORY OF VITAL FORCE
• DOCTRINE OF DRUG DYNAMIZATION

24. LAW OF SIMILIA :
• Homoeopathy is based on SIMILIA SIMILIBUS
CURANTUR which means likes cure like. It is
derived from Greek word ‘homoeos’ means
similar and ‘pathos’ means suffering. He
mentioned about this in § 26
• A weaker dynamic affection is permanently
extinguished in the living organism by a stronger
one, if the latter (whilst differing in kind) is very
similar to the former in its manifestations.
• And in § 29 how a homoeopathic cure takes place
as MODUS OPERANDI.

25. LAW OF SIMPLEX
• In § 272 Hahnemann states that only one
single, simple, medicinal substance should be
administered in a given case at a time.
• Remedies were proved singly
• Only one remedy similar at a time
• If more than one remedy given pure effect of
the remedy cannot be observed
• Vital force which is governing the material
body is single and dynamic.

26. LAW OF MINIMUM
Under this principle the given medicine should in a very minute dose. This
can be achieved by a process of potentisation or drug dynamisation.
In this the quantity of the medicine is decreased and the quality of the given
medicine is increased.
The advantages of minimal dose are
• To avoid unwanted aggravation
• To increase the dynamic action of the given remedy
This concept of minimal dose can also be verified by ARNDT-SCHULTZ LAW
that small doses stimulate, medium doses paralyze, and large doses kill.
Accoding to Fincke ‘the quality of the action of homoeopathic remedy is
determined by its quantity in inverse ratio’.

27. DOCTRINE OF DRUG PROVING
• Hahnemann explained about drug proving from § 105-
145.
• It is a systematic investigation of pathogenetic powers
of medicine on healthy human beings of different ages,
both sexes, and various constitutions.
• Ideal prover must be healthy, intelligent, delicate,
sensitive, lover of truth, unprejudiced.
Benefits of proving on humans-
• Subjective and mental symptoms can be understood
• We can get the pure symptoms of the drug
• Action of drug on sick person is different from healthy
person.

28. THEORY OF CHRONIC DISEASES
Hahnemann added the theory of chronic disease in
4th edition of organon.
In spite of the best homoeopathic treatment
Hahnemann observed that there was recurrence of
chronic diseases.
This led him to investigate into number of chronic
diseases and after 12 years of observation he came to a
conclusion that chronic diseases were due to chronic
miasms.
The word ‘MIASM’ was originated from Greek word
miasma which means ‘a polluting agent’.
The chronic miasms are PSORA, SYCOSIS, SYPHILIS.

29. MIASMS
• PSORA : It is the fundamental cause and
producer of innumerable number of diseases.
It is manifested externally as cutaneous
itching eruptions.
• SYPHILIS : characterized by granulation,
degeneration, and ulceration.
• SYCOSIS : characterized by
warty,cauliflower like growths on genital
region. Induration,infiltration.

30. THEORY OF VITAL FORCE
In $ 9 of organon Hahnemann said that ‘ In
the healthy condition of man, the spiritual
vital force (autocracy), the dynamis that
animates the material body (organism), rules
with unbounded sway, and retains all the
parts of the organism in admirable,
harmonious, vital operation, as regards both
sensations and functions, so that our
indwelling, reason-gifted mind can freely
employ this living, healthy instrument for the
higher purposes of our existence.’

31. THEORY OF VITAL FORCE
In § 10 Hahnemann said that The
material organism, without the vital force,
is capable of no sensation, no function, no
self preservation ;it derives all sensation
and performs all the functions of life
solely by means of the immaterial being
(the vital principle) which animates the
material organism in health and in
disease.

32. DOCTRINE OF DRUG DYNAMIZATION
By this process of dynamization medicinal properties
which are latent in natural crude substances become
awakened.
It was introduced in organon in 5th edition.
Purpose of dynamisation
• Deadly poisons rendered harmless
• Medicinally inert substances in crude state become
active
• Action of potentised medicines are deeper and longer.
• Unnecessary aggravations are avoided.

33. TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMS
 Health is a condition of life where there is harmonious play of
vital force.
 Disease is a condition of discomfort where the harmony of vital
force get disturbed and it is manifested through the material
and symptoms form the conceivable portrait of the disease.
 It is the outwardly reflected picture of the internal essence of
the disease.
 The totality of individual symptom includes location,
sensation, modalities and concomitant.
 The totality of the symptoms constitutes subjective, objective
symptoms, those enquired from bystanders.
 To ensure CURE totality of symptoms must be removed.

34. INDIVIDUALISATION
• It is a process of differentiating one from the other. According to
Hahnemann no two individuals are same. Each of them manifest
different symptoms for a similar problem. The symptoms are
divided into two main types
• COMMON : symptoms common to every one who is suffering
from similar problem
• UNCOMMON : symptoms which are peculiar, characteristic, of
a individual which help to individualize the patient.
• These uncommon symptoms play a vital role in homoeopathic
prescription and guide for the differentiation of similar cases and
remedies.

35. STUART CLOSE
VIEW

36. STUART CLOSE VIEW
Stuart close in his book “the genius of homoeopathy” said
that homoeopathy rests on following general interpretations
or fundamental laws of nature
• The laws and ways of Nature are uniform and harmonious.
• Effects follow causes in unbroken succession
• To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
• Action and reaction are ceaseless, equivalent and reciprocal
• Motion is, ceaseless and transformation continuous.
• Matter is indestructible and infinitely divisible
• Force is persistent and indestructible
• The quantity of action necessary to effect any change in nature
is the least possible

37. STUART CLOSE VIEW
He described about relation of
homoeopathy with science and art.
He said that EVERY ART HAS ITS
FOUNDATION IN SCIENCE AND
EVERY SCIENCE FINDS ITS
EXPRESSION IN ART.

38. STUART CLOSE VIEW
An artist by his inner instinct by natural force
applies principles unknowingly and
develops his own method of technique
through his experience .
Homoeopathy as an art is unknowingly a
part with all necessary rational non medical
agents like hygiene, dietics, sanitary sciences,
psycho therapy etc. These were unknowingly
a part of homoeopathy.

39. STUART CLOSE VIEW
A scientist on the other hand exactly
knows what he must do.
Based on principles with reason and logic
he applies the principles on his technique.
Homoeopathy as a science applies the
general laws of nature like inductive logic
by Bacon.
It also applies Newton's 3rd law action and
reaction are equal and opposite.

40. STUART CLOSE VIEW
ABOUT SCHOOLS OF PHILOSOPHY :
• MATERIALISM : Facts of experience must be confirmed by reality
as a material substance. This believes only in things which are seen,
tangible, physical matter.
The studies like psychology—believes reality as soul and
cosmology—believes god as absolute power denies the materialistic
theories.
• IDEALISM : Explains the whole universe, things and there
relations.
• SUBSTANTIALISM : It believes in existence of real beings. It says
that sources or underlying causes which forms ground to other
phenomenon can be material or immaterial in origin.
EX : magnets, gravity, sound etc.

41. KENTIAN
VIEW

42. KENTIAN VIEW
• According to Kent the man is the will and
understanding and the house in which he lives is the
body. Organs are not man ,man is prior to organs. It is
the man that is sick not the tissues.
• He also says that government acts as supreme power
and controls. The will and understanding being the
centre controls other functions in harmony. If the will
and understanding are disturbed it produces
functional manifestations. These when suppressed
effects the internal organs. The symptoms appear from
centre to periphery.
• He used the term ‘SIMPLE SUBSTANCE’ for vital
force.

43. H.A.ROBERTS VIEW

44. H.A.ROBERTS VIEW
• H. A. Robert explained about the
fundamental laws on which homoeopathy
is based .

45. LAW OF CURE
Similia similibus curentur
Cure takes place from above downward,
form within outward, form the more
important to the less important organ, and
in the reverse order of the onset of the
symptoms.

46. LAW OF ACTION:
Action and reaction are equal and
opposite.

47. LAW OF QUANTITY AND DOSE
The quantity of the drug required is
in inverse ratio to the similarity

48. LAW OF QUANTITY
The quantity of action necessary to effect
any change in Nature is the least possible.
The decisive amount is always a
minimum, and infinitesimal.

49. LAW OF QUALITY
The quality of the action of a
homœopathic remedy is
determined by its quantity, in
inverse ratio.

50. LAW OF USE
The dose and quantity that will
thoroughly permeate the organism and
make its essential impress upon the vital
force is that which will affect the
functional sphere of the individual.

51. LAW OF BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT:
Function creates and develops the
organ

52. LAW OF DISEASE DEVELOPMENT
Functional symptoms are produced by the
vital force in exact proportion to the
profundity of the disturbance. Functional
symptoms precede structural changes

53. LAW OF PROVING
Any drug which in its natural state affects the vital
energy but little will develop a proving only in a
high potency.
Any drug which in its natural state disturbs the
vital energy to functional manifestations
only may be proven only in a potentiated form.
Any drug which in its natural state disturbs the
vital energy to destructive manifestations should
be proven only in a potentiated form.

54. LAW OF REPETITION (for Proving):
Never repeat the dose while
symptoms are manifest from the
dose already taken.

55. LAW OF REPETITION (for Cure)
Never repeat your remedy so
long as it continues to act.

56. CONCLUSION
By this we can conclude that
homoeopathy has a strong
philosophical background and is
based on fixed principles or laws of
nature.