Homoeopathy is quite a recent form of medicinal science, unlike Ayurveda which is an ancient science. Around 500 million worldwide and 100 million people in India are homoeopathy users. However, there are still few common misconceptions regarding the healing time, age group and questions like whether homoeopathic medicine works for all diseases or not.
Developed by Dr Samuel Hahnemann, Homoeopathy is a system of medicine that germinated two centuries ago. It is based on the principle of “let like be cured by like” or Similia Similibus Curentur. Homoeopathy thus believes that a particular substance that causes symptoms of a disease in a healthy person can cure the same disease affecting an ill person.
The baby steps of homoeopathy in India
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has acknowledged Homoeopathy as the second largest system of medicine thriving and supporting patients in different parts of the world.
The journey of homoeopathy in India can be traced back to the times when a German physician and geologist came to India with his officials for some investigations. Armed with basic knowledge of homoeopathy, he used to distribute homoeopathic medicines for free to the locals in Kolkata.
Another westerner, Dr Honigberger, studied medicine, precisely homoeopathy, in Paris and continued his practice here in India. One of the stories that anchored the position of homoeopathy in India is about Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh was cured with the homoeopathic medicines and was immensely impressed with the efficacy of the doctor and his practice. This incident was also one of the leading causes of the introduction of homoeopathy in India. After many such foreign practitioners, we had our very own Indian doctor, the “
er of Indian Homoeopathy” Dr Rajendra Lal Dutta. His is a fascinating case where a patient fell in love for the medical system that cured his disease. For some chronic disease, Dr Rajendra Lal Dutta was treated with homoeopathy. When the medicines cured his condition, he gradually developed an interest in homoeopathy. This was when Dr Rajendra Lal Dutta chose homoeopathy as a medicinal practice.
Dr Mahendra Lal Sirkar, another pioneer of Indian Homoeopathy, was initially an allopathic doctor. When he met Dr Rajendra Lal Dutta, through various analysis, he slowly started understanding the strengths of homoeopathy. He shifted his practice from allopathy into homoeopathy after that.
Dr Pratap Chandra Majumdar, along with three other renowned doctors, established the first Homoeopathic college in India in the year 1881. It is now knowns as 'Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital’. It was around 1940s when the Homoeopathic Enquiry Committee was set up by the Government of India to undertake a survey related to the existing facilities and the need for the training institutions.
Along with the two pioneers of Homoeopathy in India, many able doctors in the northern and southern India expanded the system of medicine. In less than two centuries, we witness homoeopathy growing leaps and bound in the country.
Homoeopathy – from drug preparation to treatment
The method of drug preparation in homoeopathy is called “potentisation”. The liquid obtained is then mixed with those white globules, which are easy to consume. Homoeopathy, as a treatment, involves a personal, friendly approach while tackling patients concerns. Focusing on the person-centric approach, Homoeopathy is concerned with understanding the history and deep-rooted cause of the issue.
The very fact that homoeopathic medicines can be consumed during the course intake of other drugs makes it a flexible pathy. Homoeopathy has done excellent work in treating many diseases proving to be effective in curing both acute and chronic illnesses. What makes it even more approachable is its efficiency in treating patients from toddlers to the geriatric group.
Everybody is unique, and so is every human psyche! Along with analysing history, homoeopaths are keen on understanding the psychology of the patient that may quite significantly have an impact on their illnesses. They practice by maintaining a detailed account of the patients; so before you come for your next visit, your records are already with the doctor!