World Homoeopathy Day 2022: Know History & Significance Of Homoeopathy, & This Year's Theme

The day is celebrated every year on the occasion of the birthday of German physician Dr Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann. This year, April 10 marks the 267th birth anniversary of Hahnemann.

Homoeopathic medicines | Getty Images

New Delhi: World Homoeopathy Day is observed every year on April 10 to acknowledge the contribution and importance of homoeopathy to the world of medicine. 

The day is celebrated every year on the occasion of the birthday of German physician Dr Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann. This year, April 10 marks the 267th birth anniversary of Dr Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann.

History Of Homoeopathy

Dr Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann was a German physician, and the founder of the system of therapeutics known as homoeopathy. He studied medicine at Leipzig and Vienna, and obtained his M.D. degree at Erlangen in 1779. 

Hahnemann settled in Dresden in 1784 after practising in various places. 

In 1790, Hahnemann was translating William Cullen's Lectures on the Materia Medica into German. Cullen, who was also called the Scottish Hippocrates, had given an explanation about why Cinchona bark was useful in intermittent fever. Cinchona bark contains quinine, which is a medicine used to treat malaria.

It was while translating the Materia Medica that Hahnemann was struck by the fact that the symptoms  produced by quinine on the healthy body were similar to those of the disordered states that quinine was used to cure. 

Hahnemann experimented with the effects of Cinchona bark on himself. He observed that Cinchona intake resulted in the occurrence of a condition simulating intermittent fevers. 

The physician also experimented with substances commonly used in medicines at that time, including Antimony and Rhubarb. He also used poisons such as Arsenic and Belladonna. He observed that every substance he took produced distinct symptoms.

These observations led Hahnemann to assert the theory that "likes are cured by likes," or "similia similibus curantur." This means that diseases are cured or should be treated by those drugs that produce symptoms similar to the diseases in healthy persons, according to Britannica. 

The physician promoted his principle in a paper published in 1796. 

Hahnemann was convinced that drugs in small doses effectively exerted their curative powers. Therefore, four years later, he advanced his doctrine of the medicines "potentiation of dynamization." 

By 1810, he had completed his chief work, "Organon der rationellen Heilkunst", which means "Organon of Rational Medicine." 

This work contains an exposition of his system, which he called Homöopathie, or homoeopathy. 

Another work of Hahnemann, Regime Arzneimittellehre, 6 vol., which means "Pure Pharmacology", and was completed in 1811, detailed the symptoms produced by "proving" a large number of drugs. In other words, the physician systemically administered the drugs to healthy subjects. 

In 1835, Hahnemann moved to Paris, where he practised medicine with great popularity until his death.

Significance Of Homoeopathy In India

Homoeopathy was introduced in India approximately two centuries ago. It is one of the most popular therapeutic systems in India, and is a part of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) services.

Of all the AYUSH colleges, 35.8 per cent are academic homoeopathic institutes. 

The Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, aims to promote and conduct high quality research programs and projects in fundamental and applied aspects that contribute towards the development of homoeopathy globally. 

The Government of India has made sustained efforts for growth and development of homoeopathy and other traditional systems of medicine. 

As many as 235 hospitals and 8117 dispensaries run by state governments and municipal bodies, Central Government Health Scheme, labour ministry, and railway ministry, provide healthcare services in homoeopathy. In order to carry out necessary architectural correction in the basic health care delivery system in the country, the Government of India launched the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the strategy of which is to mainstream the Indian systems of medicine and homoeopathy.

World Homoeopathy Day 2022: Theme

This year's theme for World Homoeopathy Day is "People's Choice for Wellness". On the occasion of World Homoeopathy Day, the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, National Commission for Homoeopathy, and National Institute of Homoeopathy are organising a two-day scientific convention in New Delhi, under the aegis of the Union Ministry of AYUSH. 

The convention was inaugurated on April 9 by Union Minister of AYUSH, Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, along with the Union Minister of State for AYUSH Dr Mahendrabhai Munjpara. 

The scientific convention aims to build the capacity and skills of homoeopathic educators, researchers, practitioners, and students, the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy said on its website. This will enhance the availability, accessibility, and quality of homoeopathic treatment.

The first day of the scientific convention witnessed the participation of several resource persons from India and abroad.

The interactions at the convention are aimed at creating an environment of learning for qualitative transformation of homoeopathy in India. 

"Together, we need to make Homoeopathy the first choice of treatment and wellness for people," the council said.

The convention is also an opportunity to review the achievements made in the field of homoeopathy so far, and to formulate future strategies for the development of the therapeutics system. 

The scientific convention aims to enhance the acceptability of homoeopathy by the public, and to give insights to a future roadmap for the advancement of homoeopathy as the first choice for people's wellness.