History & Philosophy of Homeopathy Flashcards

Which Latin phrase coined by Hahnemann summarizes the core principle of homeopathy?

Answer: Similia similibus curentur

'Similia similibus curentur' — 'let likes be cured by likes' — is the foundational law Hahnemann articulated for homeopathy.

What experiment did Hahnemann conduct on himself to test the principle of similars?

Answer: A proving of cinchona bark (China)

Hahnemann ingested cinchona bark and noticed it produced malaria-like symptoms in a healthy person, which inspired his law of similars.

In which city did Hahnemann spend his most productive years writing the Organon and conducting extensive provings?

Answer: Köthen

Hahnemann lived in Köthen from 1821 to 1835, during which he refined the Organon and conducted many provings under ducal patronage.

What does the term 'potentization' refer to in homeopathic philosophy?

Answer: Serial dilution with succussion to enhance therapeutic power

Potentization is the process of serial dilution combined with vigorous shaking (succussion) that Hahnemann believed increased remedies' curative power.

Which physician first translated and promoted homeopathy in the United States during the early 19th century?

Answer: Constantine Hering

Constantine Hering introduced and championed homeopathy in the United States, earning him the title 'Father of American Homeopathy.'

What does Hering's Law of Cure state about the direction of healing?

Answer: Symptoms return in reverse chronological order, from above downward, from within outward

Hering's Law states that cure progresses from above downward, from within outward, from more vital to less vital organs, and in reverse order of appearance.

In the Organon, Hahnemann used the term 'vital force' to describe what?

Answer: The immaterial, spirit-like principle that maintains health and responds to disease

Hahnemann's 'vital force' is the spirit-like dynamis that animates the body; disease is a derangement of this force, and remedies act upon it dynamically.