Samuel Hahnemann - explains why the classical method is best to use

Let's look at the type of man that Hahnemann was and why he was unique - not only in these times but those times, too - and how he lived and died to help alleviate human suffering and, more importantly, answers: Why Classical?

The above link is a wonderful example of the type of boy that Hahnemann was and the principles he grew up with.

At the age of 12 Hahnemann could speak four languages fluently, and his teacher in ancient languages allowed Hahnemann to teach the rudiments of the Greek language to his younger pupils.

The following is a quote taken from the above link and witten (although via translation) by Hahnamann.

There was nothing noteworthy respecting me at school, except that Master Muller, my teacher in ancient languages and German composition, who besides living a great deal for the world and me, was rector of the Meissen private school, and scarcely has had his equal in industry and honesty, loved me as his own child and allowed me liberties in the way of study, which I am thankful for to this day, and which had a perceptible influence upon my subsequent studies.

In my twelfth year he entrusted to me to impact to others the rudiments of the Greek language. Moreover, in his private classes with his boarders and myself, he listened attentively and lovingly to my critical exposition of the old writers, and often preferred my meaning to his own.

I had free access to him at all times of the day, and in many respects was given the preference in public to many others ; and, nevertheless, which is very strange, my fellow pupils loved me. All this together speaks volumes in praise of a Saxony private school.

Hahnemann was aged 21 when the Governor of Transylvania, Baron von Bruckenthal, invited him to go with him to Hermanstadt as family physician and custodian of his important library.

It was during the quiet, scholarly days, in the secluded library at Hermanstadt, that he acquired that extensive and diverse knowledge of ancient literature, and of occult sciences, of which he afterwards proved himself to be a master, and with which he astonished the scientific world.

I arranged and catalogued his matchless collection of ancient coins as well as his vast library, practiced medicine in this populous city for a year and nine months and then departed, although very unwillingly, from these honorable people to receive at Erlangen the degree of doctor of medicine, which I was then able to do from my own attainments.

When he left Hermanstadt, at the age of twenty two years, he was master of Greek, Latin, English, Italian, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic, Spanish, German, and some smattering of Chaldaic.

In the spring of 1779 he left the Baron to go to the University of Erlangen where, on 10th August same year, he received the honorable title of Doctor of Medicine. (aged 24).

A wonderful chapter indicating Hahnemann's knowledge of chemistry and his translations thereof.

It was agony for me to walk always in darkness, with no other light than that which could be derived from books, when I had to heal the sick, and to prescribe, according to such or such an hypothesis concerning diseases, substances which owed their place in the Materia Medica to an arbitrary decision.

I could not conscientiously treat the unknown morbid conditions of my suffering brethren by these unknown medicines, which being very active substances, may (unless applied with the most rigorous exactness, which the physician cannot exercise, because their peculiar effects have not yet been examined) so easily occasion death, or produce new affections and chronic maladies, often more difficult to remove than the original disease.

To become, thus the murderer or the tormentor of my brethren was to me an idea so frightful and overwhelming, that soon after my marriage, I renounced the practice of medicine, that I might no longer incur the risk of doing injury, and I engaged exclusively in chemistry, and in literary occupations.

Let it be borne in mind that he was a thoroughly well-posted physician, skilled both in theory and practice, better read in the various notions of the medical books of the time than most of his fellows.

Besides, his position as "Stadtphysikus" was an influential one (Burnett's "Ecce Medicus," p. 13 ).

In Germany the pharmaceutical chemists are under the control and supervision of a medical officer called the ," Stadtphysikus," who must necessarily be a well-posted medical man. He visits the chemists shops and drug stores of his neighborhood at stated intervals to inspect the drugs.

The fact of his holding this position is proof enough of his ability as a physician. He was also a surgeon ; his treatment of necrosis by scraping the bone proves that. He was a prominent physician of the time, and yet we find him honestly saying, so little confidence had he in the prevailing methods, that most of his patients would have done as well without his aid.

The inconsistencies and fallacies of the day fell so far below his ideal of a possible healing art that be was loath to continue in practice. He had dear ones depending upon his labors, and big position as health officer gave him a certain means of support, and on the other hand, he was a conscientious man, and remembered the teachings of his good father, never to accept anything in science until it had been proven to be true by investigation.

After some time of doubt his honesty won the battle, and he resolved to investigate for himself ; to discover if God had not indeed given some certain law by means of which the diseases of mankind could be cured with certainty.

It was in this year, too, that Hahnemann happened upon the beginnings of what was to become the new Law of Medicine (Homoeopathy), when translating Dr. Cullen's Materia Medica. To read more about this www.homeoint.org/books4/bradford/chapter11.htm

Finally, during the year 1791, Hahnemann received honors from two important societies. He was elected a member of the Oekonomiscbe Gesellsehaft of Leipzig, and also Fellow of the Academy of Sciences of Mayence.

His discoveries in chemistry, and his wonderful knowledge of medical subjects were attracting the attention of the scientific men of his time.

From the above link (chapter) onwards details Hahnemann's research and his work, leading to the following findings:

Every powerful medicinal substance produces in the human body a kind of peculiar disease; the more powerful the medicine, the more peculiar, marked and violent the disease.

We should imitate nature which sometimes cures a chronic disease by super adding another, and employ in the (especially chronic) disease we wish to cure that medicine which is able to produce another very similar artificial disease, and the former will be cured ; similia similibus.

Why keep to Hahnemann's teachings?