November/December 2006 Alternative Health
Homeopathy: Like Cures Like

by Joseph Dubroff

Joseph Dubroff

Backed by 200 years of scientific and clinical studies, the homeopathic approach to health and illness is consistent with the laws of nature. Homeopathy, meaning similar suffering, was founded in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician and scientist. Homeopathy is popular in France, England, Germany, Greece, Pakistan, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. In India, there are reportedly 100,000 homeopathic physicians and more than 120 four-year homeopathic medical programs.

Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, outlined the natural law like cures like, which inspired Hahnemann in his research. Hahnemann's curiosity in the power of natural healing emerged during clinical observations he made of malaria-like symptoms in workers processing cinchona, a plant used in early centuries to treat malaria. Quinine, the modern conventional treatment for malaria, is derived from cinchona.

To understand the similarity between cinchona and malaria, Hahnemann ingested the plant and experienced the characteristic fever of malaria. He concluded that a substance, which causes symptoms in a healthy individual, could heal those same symptoms in a case of sickness.

Having rediscovered the principle of similarity, Hahnemann focused his efforts on the smallest effective dose. To his surprise, he found the more diluted a medicine, the more profound, long lasting and even curative the effects.

These two principles make homeopathy a remarkably safe and effect medicine.

Dr. Joseph Dubroff is a classical homeopath at the Northwest Homeopathic Clinic in Portland at 503-490-1524. For details on workshops, see the Calendar of Events.