In the previous article we discussed about the discovery of Homoeopathy and that there are 7 Fundamental Principles of Homoeopathy. They are as follows ~
1) Law of Similia
2) Law of Simplex (or Single)
3) Law of Minimum
4) Doctrine of Drug Proving
5) Theory of Chronic disease
6) Theory of Vital Force
7) Doctrine of Drug dynamization
Let us study these in detail, in order to catch the basic concept of homoeopathy. We shall discuss these principles in 2 articles, Principles 1,2 & 3 today and 4,5,6 & 7 in the next article.
1) LAW OF SIMILIA
Homoeopathy is a system of medicine based on the principle of
“SIMILIA SIMILIBUS CURANTUR” which means like cures like.
Homoeopathy literally means “similar suffering”
Homoes=similar and pathos= suffering
According to this principle , the choice of remedy must fundamentally be based on the similarity of symptoms of the patient and the medicine.
Homoeopathy is based on INDIVIDUALIZATION of patients. Disease always presents itself in a different manner in different individuals. No two patients can ever be the same. Thus ,in order to select a prefect medicine for an individual , we must lay stress upon the uniqueness of the person in question , rather than on the “disease” he has brought with himself, because in Homoeopathy , there are no diseases , only sick people ! Disease as we call it , is only an external manifestation of the internally ailing Vital Force! Physical symptoms are not the cause of suffering , but the effect of suffering!
When all the physical and mental symptoms of a patient along with his behaviour and personality are aggregated , we get a portrait of the person, this unique picture is matched with a medicine most similar to it , and a wholistic cure is achieved.
2) LAW OF SIMPLEX OR SINGLE
In section 272 of Organon , Dr. Hahnemann states that only one single simple medicinal substance is to be administered to a patient at a time, this is due to the following reasons ~
Homoeopathic medicines were proved singly, and thus the added effect of combinations will not give us a cure but it will be like an experiment on the patient, because the effect of more than one medicine has not been monitored nor recorded.
Only one remedy can be the MOST similar at one time.
If more than one remedy is given, the physician cannot know which medicine cured the patient. And thus future guidance is obstructed.
If more than one drug is given at a time, the synergistic action of drugs cannot be ruled out. The ingredient drugs may form lethal combinations.
Besides everything, the vital force governing the human complex, is JUST ONE, so the drug intended to correct its disharmony should also be single.
3) LAW OF MINIMUM
The accurateness of a homoeopathic prescription not only depends upon the correct prescription, but also on the correctness of the dose administered.
Homoeopathy believes in the minimum drugging of the body! The principle of minimum says that the dose of medicine should be so minute that it creates the least amount of excitement in the vital force. The emphasis on the minuteness of dose led to the discovery of a practical process of drug dynamization.
The following are the advantages of administering minimum dose ~
It prevents unwanted aggravation.
The dynamic therapeutic action of the drug is produced by the minimum amount of drug substance.
The minute dose does prevents the drug from producing any organic changes in the body and also eliminates chances of addiction.
The finest curative properties of the drug are active only in the minimum dose.
The concept of minimum dose is verified by Arndt-Schultz law, it states that “Small doses stimulate, medium doses paralyze and large doses kill.” In other words, very large dose and minute dose of the same drug have opposite actions on an organism.
- Law of least action, formulated by Maupertius, a French mathematician, says “The quantity of action necessary to affect any change in nature is the least possible; the decisive amount is always a minimum, an infinitesimal.”
That's all for today !