Our Master Hahnemann was one among few outstanding medical men who thought about health in a different manner. He was trained in the traditional way from the famous Medical schools in Leipzig, Vienna, and Erlangen Etc. Soon after he started practice, he understood the barbarity of the medical practice of his time. He could not make compromise with his conscience and thus he had to stop practice. He has not yet been an established practitioner by way of his financial income to support his large family. Still, with a really heavy heart, he took such a hard decision.
As an outcome of his life thereafter, spent wholly for studies, researches and practice we got the great revolutionary system of Medicine-Homoeopathy. The lawlessness in medical practice, apparently principled on contraries, mixtures, strong and multiple doses, signatures etc., was very much in vogue creating only chaos in the field. His dedicated thinking and constant verification with pure reasoning resulted in the promulgation of the Nature’s Method of Cure based on the Theory of Vital Force. As he desired, the medical practice became a principled one with the fundamentals of Similimum, Minimum, and Single etc. His ever novel and unique experimental methods of Proving and Dynamisation gave the substantial evidence for his assertions. As a culmination of all his theories, he gave to the world his Theory of Chronic Diseases.
Great truths are born not in the laboratories outside but in the laboratories of the mind. The same was the case with the True Science of Healing. It was born in the mind of Dr. Hahnemann. The fact that the ancient masters of Ayurveda in the East and Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine in the West, were aware of this Method of Cure helps us to resolve that it is the nature’s method of cure. All the fundamental theories enunciated by Dr. Hahnemann were different from what were scientifically accepted by the world. The Medical Establishment of his time did not digest many of them. So, naturally he got no approval from them.
Now, after the lapse of more than 200 years, many of the conclusions of Hahnemann are being approved by the scientific world. Still, Homoeopathy is not recognized in the whole world. When the Material Scientists will reach to his conclusions in the near or distant future, they will have to make compromises to accept as truths the facts that are not material also. Any authentic search for truth in the field of Health has to result in what Hahnemann enunciated, because Health can never be the subject matter of Material Science. The greatest folly with the Modern Medicine, even today, is that it is obstinate to accept health as any other branch of material science only, and is not ready to approve facts that are not material.
There is no wonder that the principle of Similimum did not fascinate the minds of his contemporaries. It may be a matter of destiny that this great truth to be revealed to the world, in a systematic manner, through the genius of Dr. Hahnemann and that our generation to be taken seriously to the study of his principles for the betterment of Humanity, which is groping in darkness, as far as the fundamentals of Health is concerned.
Dr. Samuel Hahnemann did not sit idle with his new inventions. He spent his whole life on spreading this new line of thinking. But, all what he said and wrote were quite different and revolutionary ideas and naturally, he did not have the fortune to witness his principles being accepted by the world before his limited mundane existence came to an end.
Surprisingly enough, his theories were not fully understood even by his own disciples. The in depth understanding of his thoughts demanded a philosophical outlook which very few among his followers were gifted with. This fact Dr. Hahnemann was aware of. So he failed to organize his disciples to form themselves into a uniform commercial community spreading his new theories across the nations and to force the Medical scientists of the period to think differently on health. Since all what he described were mainly pertaining to Philosophy and Art and less of Material Science, such a massive popularization was practically difficult also.
We may be surprised to find how rapidly the latest ‘Art of Living’ of Sri Sri Ravisanker, of India, based on much feebler foundation when compared to Homoeopathy, could reach about 160 countries in the world. The existence of an organized set up for popularization makes the difference. The fact that Homoeopathy is not only an Art and Science, but also mainly a Philosophy opened the floodgate for individual explanations and modifications by every follower of Homoeopathy after the death of Hahnemann. This total lawlessness again slowed down the spread of Homoeopathy and an organized move for it almost impossible.
‘Slow and steady wins the race’. Since we do not have a machinery to expedite the acceptance of Homoeopathy by the world, we will have to be satisfied with this dictum. The outlook of the world is concrete with materialism. The hallmark of the time is commercial. Only because, Homoeopathy is a natural truth we cannot expect that the world should accept it, as such, immediately. At the same time, it is not enough to be consoled as, all what we can do is to understand well what Hahnemann meant and to practice as he wished us to. As missionaries of truth, every Homoeopath has the divine vocation to popularize Homoeopathy, as far as he can, for the benevolence of the Humanity. This involves, first of all, a great deal of thinking differently on health matters and coming closer to the mind of Dr. Hahnemann.
The barbarity of Medical Practice is not over by the time of Hahnemann. Lawlessness in the field of Medicine continues even today subjecting the innocent lives of the fellow human beings to several experimentations and researches ultimately bringing only hardships and greater sufferings. The final word about Health remains still with the Allopaths, which we know is not always right. The infection theory led the generation to so many faulty conclusions and kept them in constant panic of all tiny creations like virus, bacteria etc. ignoring the host aspect totally. With the same mode of frightening, the Pharmaceuticals sold vaccines to poor ignorant people, after the virulence of the infecting organism got faded. They do not allow the body to get fevers or to bring out eruptions. They teach you that fevers are dangerous. They ask you to suppress eruptions with externals. They tell you that the symptoms are the diseases and removal of symptoms is treatment.
A Homoeopath who proclaims to be the follower of Dr. Hahnemann should become well versed in his Theory of Chronic Diseases. Homoeopaths only are given the vision about the fundamental causes of Diseases as Miasms. Homoeopaths only are given the wisdom to understand the totality of a man just as we understand a ‘Bush’, not only as the stem, branches and leaves- the parts visible-above the earth level, but also as comprising of its roots-the essential parts below the earth level. Only because we cannot see the parts beneath the ground, we cannot conclude that the ‘Root’ is nonexistent. The Miasmatic Theory gave us the knowledge about the fundamental causes of Diseases.
This theory was not only different from what was held by the Allopaths, but also it was different from the preliminary Homoeopathy earlier taught by Dr. Hahnemann himself. That is why he wrote on his theory of Chronic Miasms as: “May they do better with the great discovery, herewith presented to them. And if they should not treat this discovery any better – well, then a more conscientious and intelligent posterity will alone have the advantage to be obtained by a faithful, punctual observance of the teaching, here laid down, of being able to deliver mankind from the numberless torments which have rested upon the poor sick owing to the numberless tedious diseases, even as far back as history extends. This great boon had not been put within their reach, by what Homoeopathy had taught hitherto.” The challenge before the younger generation of Homoeopaths is to be true to the principles of Homoeopathy and to organize methods to spread its message in the universe because it means thinking about Health differently and involves a great deal of boldness.
The tragedy with the followers of Hahnemann is that they have not properly understood him and hence they are neither here nor there as far as their practice is concerned. There is justification for any method of practice, whether it is using mother tinctures, patents or even Allopathic Drugs, or, multiple dose, frequent repetitions or alternations.
Let us take the case of Indian Homoeopathy. It is a part of National Health Plan and enjoys patronage of the Government. In spite of that the Homoeopathic Profession of the country made a very poor show by their performance. The two autonomous institutions with us- CCRH and CCH have not made any remarkable results. The quality of the practitioners has not made any significant impression in the Indian Community or in the ruling government. Students are still attracted to it not because of its Philosophical magnitude, but because of its social acceptance as a Medical profession, which has not yet lost its glamour, and as a system of Medicine recognized by the Government. Naturally, the students undergo their training and follow the syllabus imposed on them without knowing their implications for their future practice.
The stalwarts of Homoeopathy who were given with the duty of developing syllabus for the training of the Homoeopathic practitioners of the country failed to think differently about Homoeopathic Education. They could not fully understand the mind of Dr. Hahnemann. As a result they almost copied the training methods adopted by the Medical Council of India with slight modifications here and there. Instead of conceiving about an integral approach they almost compartmentalized subjects into Homoeopathic and non-Homoeopathic. Naturally, the textbooks adopted by MCI were followed in the Homoeopathic Colleges also. Teachers from the Allopathic Medical Colleges were the experts of those so called Non-homoeopathic subjects. While prescribing minimum standards of education, by the CCH, there are several unnecessary items in the list, copied from the MCI list, without understanding their necessity for a Homoeopathic Practitioner. Students of Homoeopathic Colleges were at par with their counterparts in the Allopathic Medical Colleges. Nobody gave them a training to be different as a Homoeopath- to conceive of every subject in a different manner, a Homoeopathic approach, as Hahnemann wished.
Now, after about thirty years of post CCH period, we are reaping the results of such training. Not even 5 % of the qualified Doctors in the country treat the patient in disease. Majority treats the disease in the patient. Very often they had to witness the fact that the unqualified lot who had no institutional training in any Medical subject, having thorough knowledge about the Philosophy, Materia Medica and Repertorization, outshine them in the field of practice. The qualified young practitioner easily turns to Allopathic Practice when they fail to understand the essence of Homoeopathy as entirely different from Allopathy. They raise the argument that they had the basic training in all Medical Subjects almost at par with their Allopathic counterparts. They demand legal approval for using Allopathic drugs in their medical practice.
The time is matured enough to have such ill-trained individuals at the helm of affairs not only in various states, but also in the National Decision making bodies like CCRH, CCH etc. The tragedy is that such misplaced individuals at the top of CCH, reaching the position in the age of thirties, having no concept about Homoeopathic Philosophy, but at the same time, expert in playing all such dirty politics as to stick to such positions for ten or fifteen years, dictate rules for the Homoeopathic training in this country. Their only desire is to make money, position and fame. They are the owners or promoters of Pharmaceuticals or Private colleges. Nobody can imagine how much influence they can exert on the ruling governments. The Pharmaceuticals make the new Philosophy of Homoeopathy in our country. They have their own Homoeopathy. Misusing the office of the President, Vice President etc. they organize Seminars on ‘Combinations’ in recognized colleges only to promote the sale of their patented products and misguide the younger generation with their own Homoeopathy, entirely different from what is taught in the colleges. As the President, one writes columns in the Newspapers and advertises his patents. The private colleges, in order to get the undue favours from the CCH, have to become the laboratories of these Pharmaceuticals. The teachers prescribe and the collegiate pharmacies dispense these non-homoeopathic specifics through the outpatients. The total number of patients treated in those private colleges adds figures in the number of patients on whom that particular company carried out clinical trials Finally, when such persons jump to new ventures like opening of Homoeopathic colleges through crooked means, using their influence as heads of such bodies, claim “He has treated more than a million patients.” in the prospectus of such colleges. Even the worst situation is allegedly developed that, for getting recognition for a college, an order for medicines worth lakhs should be placed with the person who heads both the CCH and his pharmaceuticals simultaneously.
The greatest tragedy, the country is going to face is that such misplaced individuals gather momentum and with like minded individuals, influence those decision making departments of the government and make new policies. These formulated Governmental policies are again going to make the end of classical Homoeopathy in the country. In the name of ‘Integration of ISM&H and National Health Care Programmes and Delivery Systems’, The National Policy on Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy-2002 recommends policies that are going to be detrimental to the interests of Homoeopathy and Homoeopaths of the Country. The Policy of Homoeopathy formulated and approved by the department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy gives sanction to the state governments to form such legislations as to give permission to Homoeopaths to use Modern Medicines in emergencies. The suggestion by the President of the CCH to start a 6-months short course in Homoeopathy for the Modern Medicine Graduates, once aborted by the efforts of Dr. Ravi M.Nair and Dr. C.J.Varghese, two members of CCH from Kerala, is expected to be coming up again with the blessing of the Government, to be implemented in this country. This time, the whole pressure is jointly exerted by the Pharmaceuticals headed by the half-baked Homoeopaths as explained above. See the confession of the Department of ISM&H “The Modern Pharmaceutical Industry has influenced health policy and health care systems the world over and India is no exception,” Because they know very well that the 6-months trained fellows can turn to be good agents for the sale of their patent products. The selling of the specifics, combinations, patents etc. in the name of Homoeopathy crosses all leaps and bounds in the country. It is high time that the sincere lovers of Homoeopathy in this land to come together to fight for the reestablishment of the fundamental principles of Homoeopathy for the benefit of the Humanity.
Like octopus, these individuals exert their influences in all the possible fields. Take the case of the National Homoeopathic Organizations like HMAI. The very same individuals as heads of CCH are the main Office bearers of the organization. They sell their patent products through its seminars and congresses. They sponsor such expensive events of the organization and spend money for the publication of their national as well as state level journals, which are flooded with the wonderful achievements of cure with their patent products. In the CCH, the President and General Secretary of HMAI, who are also members of CCH, are made to bring resolutions against the Government, when the government was bringing amendments to the Homoeopathy Central Council Act 1973 in the Parliament, under which, the CCH really exists. CCH takes many inordinate decisions in favour of HMAI. If the H MAI plans to organize a Seminar or National Congress, a committee meeting like Executive Committee or even the General Council meeting will be held near the date and venue of such programme and thus the TA/DA of the participants, guests and faculties will be met by the CCH. As a member of the CCH, if I am going to describe the irregularities and misdeeds of the office bearers, there will be no end. Nobody knows how speedily, Homoeopathy will be disfigured and buried by these selfish Homoeopaths themselves.
To treat the cancer that has proliferated the body of Homoeopathy, at least in this late stage, I have the following suggestions. I have narrated the happenings in the national level with the intention of making every serious minded Homoeopath of the country aware of them and warning about the possible extinction of Homoeopathy in future if not interfered as is done by 51 Members of Parliament who in a joint delegation demanded the Union Health Minister and the Prime Minister of India to appoint a statutory Inquiry Commission to inquire the irregularities taking place in CCH. This shameful situation for the Homoeopathic Community arose because the timely warning by few members like me to the President of CCH to be cautious was totally ignored and quite defiantly continued with the same misdeeds, ending in forgetting all norms and morality. In my opinion, all these happened because the responsible individuals failed to understand the essence of Homoeopathy and to experience the effectiveness of the fundamental teachings of Hahnemann in practice. Let us together try to keep burning the torch of Classical Homoeopathy in India which alone makes it different from the existing Medical Systems of the country.
We in Kerala are blessed with a principled organization- the Institution of Homoeopaths Kerala. When the founder individuals saw the preliminary symptoms of such malignancy in the National level, we decided to make a precautionary surgery. We got disconnected from the National Body of HMAI, of which I was the State Joint Secretary at that time, and decided to formulate a separate State level organization. For the last sixteen years in spite of several tribulations, we could make a principled existence and do a lot of activities for the betterment of not only Homoeopaths but also for nurturing scientific Homoeopathy in this state. There may be shortcomings. Still, with the available resources, we could stick to higher principles of Homoeopathy.
Not a single member of IHK is practicing Allopathy. In spite of some pressures from very few of the members even, the office-bearers of IHK could stick to the strong decision of not promoting the patent products of the Pharmaceuticals. If at any instance, Government decides to give the Homoeopaths permission to practice Allopathy, IHK will be the first to oppose such a move. IHK will vehemently oppose any such move from the part of the Central Government as to allow the Allopaths to practice Homoeopathy after a short Course. IHK has tried to give maximum importance to the Continuing Medical Education programmes, fully knowing that the training one gets from the colleges is not adequate and is only partially going to help him in practice. IHK, having about 52 units in Kerala is conducting monthly classes in every unit. It has District level and Zonal level seminars. IHK has conducted its 48th State Scientific Seminar at Kozhikode in December 2002..
Many of my readers will be astonished if I suggest that if we want to show to the country that we have got something different from other systems of medicine to contribute to its Health Care, the first thing what we want to do is to project the fundamental principles of Homoeopathy. Knowing well the limitations of our institutional training, we should all take genuine efforts to improve ourselves through true CME programmes. Only because we are institutionally trained, please do not think that we are all practicing Homoeopathy, as it should be practiced. We should not allow the development of a situation where total lawlessness prevails in the field of Homoeopathic Practice. Whenever we are justifying the use of Patent- preparations, take it from me; it is because we have not yet known the fundamentals of Homoeopathic Practice. There should be greater stress on Hahnemann’s theory of Chronic Miasms, the most fundamental and unique theory of Homoeopathy. Homoeopaths are not destined to follow the Allopaths but called to be different by thinking differently on Health.
Dr. C.J.Varghese
Member, Central Council of Homoeopathy,