Homeopathy - A Rich History
Homeopathy was founded in the late 18th century by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann. In 1796, he introduced the principle of “like cures like” the idea that a substance causing symptoms in a healthy person could, in very small doses, treat similar symptoms in someone who is ill.
Hahnemann developed his ideas while translating medical texts, including works by William Cullen. After experimenting on himself with cinchona bark (used to treat malaria), he concluded that medicines should be selected based on the symptoms they produce in healthy individuals. He called these experiments “provings.”
Homeopathy spread rapidly across Europe and to the United States during the 1800s. It gained popularity partly because conventional medical practices at the time—such as bloodletting and purging—were often harsh and risky.
In 1810, Hahnemann published his foundational work, Organon of the Art of Healing, outlining the philosophy and methodology of homeopathy. Practitioners established homeopathic hospitals, medical schools, and pharmacies throughout Europe and North America. By the late 19th century, there were dozens of homeopathic medical colleges in the U.S.