| Of all the natural medicines, none is | | | | with medicine. He suspected that the |
| more divisive than homeopathy. Many | | | | accepted therapies of bloodletting, |
| chemists, biologists and physicians are | | | | mercury overdoses and other popular |
| quick to dismiss this 200 year-old | | | | treatments were, in fact, doing more |
| system of natural healing as nothing but | | | | harm than good. He soon abandoned his |
| absolute quackery and in many countries | | | | orthodox medical career to devote |
| around the world, just calling yourself | | | | himself full-time to the studies that |
| a homeopath can result in imprisonment. | | | | would eventually give us the branch of |
| But millions of lay people and thousands | | | | natural healing that Dr. Hahnemann |
| of educated, competent health care | | | | coined "homeopathy".Unlike his |
| professionals from all walks of life | | | | mainstream contemporaries, who |
| believe completely in the healing power | | | | experimented only on sick people and |
| of this controversial system of natural | | | | laboratory animals, Dr. Hahnemann gave |
| healing.Homeopathy is so popular in | | | | his experimental remedies to healthy |
| Europe that over 30% of the family | | | | adults to study their reactions under |
| practitioners in France prescribe | | | | real-life conditions. Dr. Hahnemann |
| homeopathic remedies and more than 40% | | | | noticed that healthy people receiving |
| of England's doctors regularly refer | | | | extremely small amounts of certain |
| patients to homeopaths. Here in the | | | | medications exhibited many of the same |
| U.S., homeopathy is enjoying something | | | | symptoms the medications were supposed |
| of a renaissance, as well. Though | | | | to eliminate. He called his discovery |
| homeopathy is considerably less | | | | the "Law of Similars" and it is this law |
| well-known here, a growing number of | | | | upon which the rest of homeopathy is |
| Americans are turning to homeopathy for | | | | built. Even modern mainstream practices |
| help with everything from AIDS to the | | | | like immunization and radiation owe |
| common cold.Based on the use of | | | | their widespread acceptance to this |
| extremely dilute preparations known as | | | | first law of homeopathy.His discovery of |
| "remedies", homeopathy grew from the | | | | the Law of Similars was the fuse that |
| meticulous research of an 18th century | | | | ignited the rest of Dr. Hahnemann's |
| German physician named Samuel Hahnemann. | | | | research. This research, the results of |
| At the height of his career, Dr. | | | | which were compiled into exhaustive |
| Hahnemann was the personal physician to | | | | volumes he called "provings", has been |
| the German royal family and the author | | | | continually updated by other homeopaths |
| of one of the most respected chemistry | | | | ever since.Lisa Barger is a traditional |
| texts of the time. But despite his | | | | naturopath specializing in natural |
| personal and professional successes, Dr. | | | | health education. To learn more about |
| Hahnemann grew increasingly dissatisfied | | | | Ms. |