HISTORY
The history of homeopathy begins with the theories of its founder Samuel
Hahnemann (1755-1843), a German physician. Hahnemann first coined the word
"homeopathy" ("homoios" in Greek means similar,
"pathos" means suffering) to refer to a pharmacological
theory he formulated - the law of similars. The "law" of
similars is the foundation of homeopathy, and it states that
Symptoms are the manifestations
of the body seeking to restore its natural healthy balance. Rather than
be suppressed, the symptoms should be viewed as indications that the
body's healing process has started. They tell us how treatment should
proceed, in as much as a substance, which causes the symptoms of an
illness, when given in a small dose, acts as a trigger to intensify the
healing processes that the body's immune system has already begun.
Beyond this, Hahneman
theorized that there was, in reality, only one disease, and that this
disease was of a spiritual, not a physical, nature. He, therefore,
concluded that the most effective medicines to provide his patients were
the most ethereal, as those would be the most likely to affect the
spiritual realm. Therefore, he developed a system of dilutions
whereby the substance he was prescribing was, for all intents and
purposes, removed from the actual medicine he gave to his patients, and
only its spiritual vibrations remained.
Hahnemann followed up
his theory with painstaking experiments on himself, his family, and a
small group of followers to find remedies. He engaged in a series of 'provings,'
as he called it -- tests that verified the action of a drug upon the
healthy body. He recorded the unusual sensations and symptoms produced as
well as any health change experienced while taking the drug. Hahnemann's
method has not changed since then.
THE ISSUES
Homeopathic remedies often contain tame’ ingredients derived from a
variety of sources including the following - which is far from an
exhaustive list: snakes (Lachesis & Naja), cockroaches (Blatta O.),
ants (Formica Rufa), beetles (Cantheris), dog spit (Lyssin), rotten meat (Pyrogenium),
and cancer tissue (Carcinosin).
Inactive
Ingredients:
Because homeopathic remedies are based on significant dilutions of the
elements they use as medicines, they are inevitably bound with fillers and
additives. Many of these ingredients pose concerns. Examples
include the following:
- Magnesium
strearate - This lubricant used in most tablets is often derived
from tame’ animals.
- Gelatin -
Vitamin E, beta carotene and other vitamins may be spray dried with a
base of gelatin for micro-encapsulation.
- Brandy -
Flower Remedies are usually mixed in a base of tame’ brandy.
Some additives are
always permissible. For example, corn starch, which allows the active
ingredient to quickly disintegrate and enter the blood stream, is
permissible. Microcrystalline cellulose and titanium dioxide (a coloring
agent) are also fine. However,
given the wide variety of potentially tame’ substances, and the obscure
names used for them, one should never take an over the counter homeopathic
remedy, unless they have verified, through a trust worthy source, that
what they are taking is tahor.