CLARKE JH, Homoeopathy Explained - Classical Homeopathy Online

and Sulphur – these are homoeopathic medicines.” And my readers will be right so far –
and only so far. “Homoeopathic remedies” may be defined for ordinary purposes as
“Medicines used by homoeopaths”; and every one of the remedies named above comes
under this definition. But a number of these remedies are also used by allopaths; and,
therefore, by the same process of reasoning it would be correct to describe these as
allopathic remedies also.
Strictly speaking, a medicine is neither allopathic nor homoeopathic in itself, but only in
its use – the same remedy s either one or the other according as it is prescribed in a case
of disease. For example, it is just as true to say that Opium is an allopathic medicine as it
is to say that it is a homoeopathic medicine. One of the well-known effects of Opium
(when taken, for instance, to deaden the sufferings of neuralgia) is that, among other
effects, it causes constipation; when, therefore, it is given to cure a patient of constipation
it is a homeopathic remedy. On the other hand, when it is given to a patient suffering
from diarrhoea, to check the diarrhoea, it is an allopathic, or, rather, to be perfectly
accurate, an antipathic remedy.
There is a sense in which some remedies are peculiar to homoeopathy, having been
introduced to medicine through the homoeopathic provings, and having been used almost
exclusively by homoeopaths. Pulsatilla, Sepia, Silica, and Thuja may be named as
examples of these. But homoeopathy claims the whole realm of drug action as its rightful
property, awaiting its service for homoeopathic use. It is only necessary that the positive
effects of a drug shall be known, for homoeopaths to be able to make their own peculiar
use of it. The constipation-causing action of Opium is a positive effect, which a
homoeopath may make use of for curing cases of constipation. This is the homoeopathic
or negative effect, as it has been called.
But we have not even yet exhausted the reply to our query – What are homoeopathic
medicines? We have arrived at this answer – “Homoeopathic medicines are medicines
which can be used homoeopathically.” But then comes this further consideration – Are
there not special homoeopathic chemists? And if the question whether a medicine is
homoeopathic or not is only one of use, why cannot any chemist supply the same
remedies for both schools?
The answer to this very proper query is, that remedies need to be differently prepared
when used in different ways. Going back to our example of Opium, the homeopath who
wished to cure a case of constipation would not give it in the same way, or in the same
form, as an allopath would, who gave it to relieve pain. Hahnemann soon found out that
patients were infinitely more sensitive to the remedies which were homoeopathically
related to their cases than they were to other remedies. Therefore he was compelled to
reduce the quantities very much below the ordinary dosage current in his day. He gave
single drops, or half drops, of the original tinctures, where the dosage in the books was
set down as teaspoonfuls. Then he found that even these apparently minute doses were
too great in many cases, and thus he was led to invent his method of attenuating
remedies, which I have described in another chapter, and to discover the powers of
infinitesimal quantities.
Hence arises a new definition for the term “Homoeopathic medicines” – Homoeopathic
medicines are medicines which have been specially prepared for homoeopathic use. Their
preparation needs special skill, and herein lies the necessity for a separate class of trained
chemists to supply the wants of homoeopathic doctors.