Preserving the Story of Homeopathy 

By Mark Land, M.S., RAC-US, AAHP President 

While preparing for this issue, I thought about rigor in historical reporting. Many of us are aware of the risks associated with biased reporting. Historians have some basic principles to minimize the risk of bias. However, even in the face of these tools, historical analysis runs the risk of bias on the part of the analyst. Why do I make an issue of bias in historical reporting? Because in homeopathy and medical history in general, we are generally evaluating issues over the course of multiple generations. This means that context and primary documents can be lost to time risking both reporting and analytical bias. Enjoy the nuances embedded within the articles in this issue. 

In this issue Jay Yasgar writes an article on the life and work of Sammuel Hahnemann founder of homeopathy. Jay’s article is a brief synopsis when one considers Hahnemann’s life of 88 years and work revolutionizing medicine. This article makes my point that much is lost over the course of 200 years. Hahnemann lived and worked throughout Germany, being forced to move multiple times due to harassment from colleagues. His second marriage to a young aristocratic French socialite galvanized homeopathy into the medical fabric of France for the next 150 years. There is a great deal to be said of context—personal, societal, and professional. Take advantage of books on Hahnemann’s life and work to learn more about those things that helped shape homeopathy as we know it today. 

Similarly, we publish this month a brief article on the Hahnemann monument in Washington D.C. The article is rich in details of the monument itself but also gives insight into the effort to build it. All of this is interesting and may be a bridge to those who may never see the monument in person. The process to realize the monument took 19 years, including multiple presidential administrations and donations from 12,000 homeopathic physicians. It was a groundbreaking accomplishment considering that it was the first monument of its type (nonmilitary) erected in Washington D.C. I can recall the rededication in 2000. It was a sunny but blustery day. Not only did Dr. Chase make a presentation on the Monument but so did Dr. Jennifer Jacobs, who at the time was preparing to become the president of the American Institute of Homeopathy. I can remember thinking to myself that this was probably much the same as it was in 1900 when Dr. McClellan’s Hahnemann monument was originally dedicated. 

Finally, we offer a quick introduction of a history of homeopathic pharmacy in the United States by Jay Borneman. Take the time to read through Jay’s account of the underpinnings and development of homeopathy in the United States. It is hosted on AAHP’s website for your convenience. 

Mark your calendars for an AAHP webinar on June 10 at noon by FDA’s Francis Godwin on GMP enforcement and Eric Foxman presenting a 20-year retrospective on the subject.