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TWO ZEROS FROM Dr. HAHNEMANN *
(*Though this article has been published in many
journals over the years, it is as relevant today as it
was yesterday; hence it is published as a tribute to Dr.
Hahnemann)
This anecdote Dr. Jahr related one day at a meeting of
the Homoeopathic Society at Liege, in November 1835.
“Having finished my medical studies” he said, “I
traveled in Germany to complete my education. I arrived
one evening t a villa whose proprietor invited me to
partake of his hospitality.”
“He was a very rich man, and though he had been invalid
for many years, he did not neglect to do honors of his
wine cellar with much pride.”
“When he learned of my profession, he said with some
warmth, ‘I shall take good care not to compliment you on
that account; I have a son, but I would rather make a
hangman of him than a doctor.’ Seeing I was struck dumb
with this abrupt remark, he added, ‘Listen, young man;
you are traveling for your improvement, well! I will
give you a lesson which you may turn to some account.”
“I
have been ill for more than twenty years. In the
beginning of my illness, I applied to two celebrated
doctors who could not agree about my complaint;
therefore I neither took the medicine of one nor the
other. I then began to travel about and consulted not
only celebrated men in the faculty, but also many of
lesser known; yet I have never been able to find two who
agreed, both to the nature of the malady and of the
treatment. After much fatigue and expense I returned
home, convinced that medicine so far from being a
science, and was vile trade.”
“Upon the whole, however, I gained something by it, and
I will give you half the profits.’ Saying this, he took
up a large book, like those used in counting houses.
‘The pages of this enormous folio’ he said, opening it,
‘are divided into three columns. The first contains the
names of the doctors consulted in different countries
where I traveled; the second the opinions they formed of
my complaint; the third the prescriptions and advice I
received. The total of each of these columns is as
follows: 477 doctors; 313 different opinions; 832
prescriptions, containing 1897 different medicines.”
“You see,’ he continued, ‘I have spared neither pains
nor money. Had I found three doctors of the same opinion
I would have submitted to their treatment, but I have
not been so fortunate. That I was not soon tired is
proved by this register. It has been kept day by day
with most scrupulous care. And now, what do you think of
medicines and doctors? Oh, what a face! Would you be so
good,’ said he, presenting me with a pen, ‘to add to my
precious collection?’ “
“I
felt no inclination, but simply asked him if the name of
Hahnemann figured in this novel martyrology, ‘Of course,
of course; look at No. 301’. I looked and read as
follows: name of the malady, 0; name of the remedy, 0. I
asked the explanation of these zeroes, the singular old
gentleman answered: ‘This is by far the most rational
and logical of the consultations. “As the name of the
disease does not concern me”, said Hahnemann, “I wrote
zero; and as the name of medicine is none of your
business, I wrote zero; the cure is the only question.”
I would have followed this man’s prescription, but
unfortunately he was alone in his opinion, and I wanted
three.’
“After a few moments, I asked him if, notwithstanding
his fruitless efforts, he would like to make a last
trial, of which I guaranteed the result. ‘You will
find,’ I said, not three; but a great many more doctors
agreed.’ Notwithstanding his incredulity, he consented
to my proposition, by way of amusement, and for the
pleasure of adding a few pages to his big book.
“We drew up a description of the complaint, and sent it
to thirty three homoeopathic doctors of different
countries, each letter containing a fee. I then took
leave of my host.”
“A
short time ago he sent me a cask of Rhenish wine of 1820
and wrote, saying ‘I have found twenty-two doctors
agreed: it is more than I dared to hope. I have
therefore followed the treatment of one who lives
nearest to my home. I sent you a cask of excellent wine,
lest I should drink too much of it myself, and that am
I, thanks to you and homoeopathy, converted to medicine,
and reconciled to the doctors.”
Comments
from Dr. Dhiraj Nanda
We
see from above that out of thirty-three doctors
twenty-two agreed. In other words, two-third or a
healthy 66.66% doctors agreed. Is that the scenario
today?
The answer is definitely not. Today, ten different
homoeopaths come out with ten different remedies for the
same patient. Whereas we all know that there can be
one and only one similimum for the same patient. |
