The history of homeopathy begins with the discoveries of its founder Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), a German physician.

1. Hi st or y of
Homoeopat hi c Phar macy
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2. Treatment of diseases of that time based on –
Mere speculation,
Inhuman torture to the patient, &
Use of large & heroic doses
led Master Samuel Hahnemann to make extensive
study on the doses to use drugs judiciously which
ultimately set the foundation of Homoeopathic
Pharmacy.
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3. New Preparation of Mercury
In 1789 the treatise ‘On Syphilis’ described
• Preparation of soluble mercury known today by
Hahnemann’s soluble mercury
• Novel views related to syphilis
• Dose of mercury (remarkably small) to be given
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4. Revelation of Curative Power of Drug
• In 1790 while translating a treatise on materia medica by
Dr William Cullen of Edinberg Hahnemann
discovered fever-producing property of Cinchona bark
• He had an inference that the pathogenetic effect of
medicines could give the key to their therapeutic powers
• Hahnemann continued his experiment to unveil latent
curative power of drug for next 6 yrs
• He published Part I of Pharmaceutical Lexicon in 1793,
& its Part II in 1795
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5. Check in Progress of Hom. Pharmacy
1. Hahnemann wrote “Essay on a New Principle for
Ascertaining the Curative Powers of Drugs” in 1796 in
Hufeland’s Journal & expressed that the medicines
having capacity of producing similar affection in the
healthy body should be employed.
2. He himself started dispensing medicines to be taken
singly & alone & abandoned the complicated medication
of ordinary practice
3. Due to jealousy of the then apothecaries & their allies
Hahnemann was prohibited from dispensing his own
simple medicines
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6. Emergence of Infinitesimal Dose
• In 1801 “On the Cure & Prevention of Scarlet fever”,
Hahnemann brought forward an unusual mode of
preparing medicines of infinitesimal doses, & of the
dynamization theory
• In 1806 he published ‘Medicine of Experience’ which
later became ‘Organon of Rational System of Medicine’
in 1810 & further changed to ‘Organon of Medicine’
wherein he framed the guidelines on homoeopathic
pharmaceutics
• More details incorporated later in ‘Chronic disease’ &
‘Materia Medica Pura’
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7. New way of Drug Administration
Hahnemann directed to administer medicine in minimum
dose. He mixed a drop of medicine with starch, milk sugar,
or a sugar globule & administered
In 1813 Hahnemann introduced globules & laid a globule
imbibed with the dilution upon the tongue & allowed to
Melt
Thus he conceived the proposition of dispensing very
minimum dose of medicine by use of non-medicinal
substances
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8. Medicine in Dynamic form
• In 1828 ‘Theory of Dynamization’ came into lime light in
Volume I of Chronic Disease’
• In 1833 Principles of Potentization laid down in 5th edn
of Organon of Medicine. In 1842 in 6th edn of Organon
of Medicine Hahnemann standardized the process of
succussion with 10 strokes.
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9. Different Scales of Potentization
• Hahnemann prepared potencies in ‘Centesimal Scale’
with drug & vehicle in 1:99 ratio
• Between 1833 & 1836 Constantine Hering introduced
‘Decimal Scale’ with drug & vehicle in 1:9 ratio
• Hering also introduced Single Vial Method against
Hahnemann’s Multiple Vial Method
• In 1842 Hahnemann introduced ‘Fifty Millesimal Scale’
with drug & vehicle in 1:50000 ratio
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10. More work on Potentization
• In 1850 Dr Mure of Paris invented a machine for
triturating hard substances & another machine for
succussing dilution in vacuum
• In 1852 M Weber of Paris, a hom. chemist invented
another machine for trituration, called ‘dynamizator’
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11. More work on Potentization
• Equerry Jenichen of Wismer modified the technique
of potentization & suggested that every 10 strokes would
increase the strength of medicine by 1 degree
• B Fincke of Philadelphia developed another technique
of potentization
• General Korsakoff medicated globules by sheer
contact
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12. New Source of Drug
• Hahnemann introduced ‘Imponderabilia’ in Aph.280
FN. 5th edn of Organon of Medicine
• In 1830 Hering discovered ‘Nosodes’
• In 1833 Hering introduced ‘Sarcodes’
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13. External Application
• In 1878 Dr Dyce Brown read a paper on “the use of
External Application in hom. practice”
• Later Dr Richard Hughes & many other stalwarts
endorsed Dr Brown’s view
• In 6th edn of Organon of Medicine Hahnemann
remarked in favour of External Application
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14. Improvement in Drug Preparation
In British Journal of Homoeopathy Dr Madden advised:
• To prepare Qs from plant by Percolation
• To use different strength of alcohol
• To preserve Qs in undiluted state
• To make attenuations in very small qty
• To regulate the strength of aq. dilutions in decimal
proportion
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15. Advent of New Method
• In 1876 British Homoeopathic Society generated a
new concept on the preparation of hom. medicines by
using different strength of alcohol & estimating moisture
content of drug beforehand
• In 1888 American Homoeopathic Society proposed
dry drug substances for preparing Qs & their uniform
drug strength
• In 1941 HPUS recommended 10% uniform drug
strength for all Qs except few
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16. Dr.A.B.Ram Jyothis MD (Hom)
Reader
Department of Homoeopathic Pharmacy
Athurasramam NSS Homoeopathic Medical College
Phone No: 9497053705
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