IS HOMOEOPATHY IN DANGER?


Many of them are but old gags in new clothing. The original assaults against homoeopathy were extremely bitter; but these gave increased energy to its advocates to fight harder for the principle. Really, the more it was assailed by its enemies, the more it denounced barbarous and unscientific practices of the age, in which it was universally victorious.


From the standpoint of certain people, the answer is yes. From a careful study and analysis of homoeopathic literature and history the above answer seems hasty.

For the sake of argument, however, let us notice, briefly, the advocates of this danger. First, there are people who think it in danger because they are glad to think so. This class you will find among the thoughtless, the prejudiced, those who have been misinformed, and among the poorly educated or the ignorant practitioners. There are many men and women who are unable to think on any line but the grossest materialistic, and who have never used a sufficient amount of grey matter to solve even the simplest problems of life. They have not been taught to think logically nor reason accurately, for such a task is too painful for them.

They say homoeopathy is in danger of extinction because they fail to see the difference between an opinion and a principle. Second. Some would be glad to believe it in danger, but they are afraid it would jeopardize their business and standing in society. You will find this class among certain physicians who practise in homoeopathic neighborhoods, and, who, for commercial reasons, would contribute to the danger if it were not for the reason given. They are cautious in their statements, except under certain favorable conditions when they throw out their insinuations against the principle and its adherents, and cast aspersion on the noble healing art.

Third. There are a great many people who accept caricature for argument, ridicule for reason and rhetoric for logic, and accepting these, cry from the house tops that there is nothing to the system, for it is a system of foibles, the outgrowth of morbid imaginings, the obsession of hallucinations, and unworthy the consideration of scientific thinkers. As it has done no harm except to the vendors and practitioners of barbaric medicines, these hallucinated beings, trained in the gift of rhetorical climaxis, cry loud and long, AWAY WITH YOUR SUGAR PILLS AND POWDERS, we want none of it; and, unfortunately for them, they do not get it, for they prefer to die in their sins rather than live in truth.

Then, there is the fourth class which does not come out into the open, but secretly, consciously or unconsciously, seeks to undermine the faith of those who believe in homoeopathy. this class is found in the parlor, club room, lodge room, in certain charitable organizations and among certain lobbyists who are always seeking laws that will enhance their own hobbies and befuddle the minds of the people. These have a spine similar to that of the jelly fist. a spineless individual in any vocation soon falls by the wayside and is forgotten. They belong to the DESTRUCTIVE rather than the CONSTRUCTIVE type of thinkers.

Fifth. The greatest advocates of the so-called scientific teaching of medicine which is opposed to the principles of homoeopathy are found among our college professors, members of the official state boards and local, national and international societies. They assert that they are broad-minded in all things scientific, and all the while are trying to show that homoeopathy is full of errors.

Why, in their broad-mindedness, do they not sometimes mention the errors found in certain so-called scientific circles, and compare them, judiciously and honestly, with the so-called errors of homoeopathy. They are too prejudiced to be manly, too ignorant to be judicious. They employ their time in planning campaigns of health, which, in fact, are campaigns seeking authority to compel the public to submit to their nefarious and unscrupulous methods of prophylaxis and treatment of disease.

Some of these men are learned, some are brilliant, but all dangerous, and must be watched at all times and under all circumstances, for some of them, like Satan, are capable of deceiving the very elect.

I desire now to present six reasons why homoeopathy is not in danger: 1. Because of its history. Homoeopathy has triumphantly survived the acid test for more than one hundred years. The present attacks against homoeopathy are not new. Many of them are but old gags in new clothing. The original assaults against homoeopathy were extremely bitter; but these gave increased energy to its advocates to fight harder for the principle. Really, the more it was assailed by its enemies, the more it denounced barbarous and unscientific practices of the age, in which it was universally victorious.

Its uncompromising demands for purity in practice demanded the consenting thought of the public. It was not by legal force or legislative effort that it won its way into hearts of a thinking public. No sooner was homoeopathy promulgated than it met the hatred and opposition of the professional world. Men tried to stamp it out and destroy it, but they failed. Please study the life of Hahnemann and his contemporaries.

These are no new arguments against homoeopathy, for in the bitterness of past opposition every conceivable argument was used and failed. Both space and time forbid the mention of some of these arguments so well known to all of you.

2. Homoeopathy meets and satisfies the deepest needs of man.It has an answer to every cry of the human soul, a balm for every wound, a remedy for every disease, a supply for every need.

[a] The first need is healing from an innate, inherent producing miasm. The human family is in the grip of a death producing element, and unable to break away from it.

Homoeopathy can stay the ravages of this element and where practiced in its purity, unhindered, can curb its ravages and add years of health and happiness to mankind.

[b] It gives a comfort in sickness, even in incurable cases, neither known nor found elsewhere. Man of knowledge, of learning, of reason, will not sacrifice this hope in exchange for things hopeless.

3. Homoeopathy is not in danger, because there is nothing else to take its place. Homoeopathy, correctly interpreted, contains all the truth necessary for the healing of the sick.

The Organon, that masterly work on the science and art of healing the sick, has no equal. Last year, a book reviewer made a statement in the Medical World to the effect that the Organon was out of date, full of errors and unscientific. I challenged him to show me a book which contains as much or more truth of the healing art, more scientific in its teachings and deductions than the Organon, but to date have not heard a word from this critic as to the acceptance of my challenge, neither do I look for such an acceptance.

4. Homoeopathy is not in danger because it has a hold on the intelligence of the public which cannot be shaken; it has the confidence and affection of the wisest and best of men and women. The confidence of those who know and employ homoeopathy cannot be overthrown. THOSE WHO KNOW IT BEST LOVE IT MOST. In the minds of the educated and intelligent superficiality and empiricism create distrust, while a deep, thorough and accurate knowledge creates love and confidence. Those who opposed Hahnemann most and flung at him the bitterest invectives have gone into oblivion, but Hahnemann lives. The knowledge of, and confidence in homoeopathy as witnessed in the unprejudiced and in the intelligent public sustains it.

5. Homoeopathy is not in danger because it is truth. Truth is indestructible. If the word homoeopathy and all homoeopathic literature were erased from all languages and cast into the depths of the sea or destroyed in a bonfire, this truth would rise again band be proclaimed by someone, for there is no power on earth that could or would banish such a truth from mankind.

6. Homoeopathy is not in danger because an honest and earnest searcher after truth can learn to a certainty for himself that it is truth. Think of those, who, like St.Paul, marshalled all their forces to destroy the church, and upon a thorough study of it, in spite of innate prejudice, became converts to it and its most ardent advocates. Its truths and principles will stand while opinions fail and fall. Because of its universal application, and the sacred trust with which it has endowed us, it demands our most careful thought and stimulates our profoundest faith. AURORA, ILL.

DISCUSSION.

DR.ROBERTS: This paper must have left Dr. Diensts office the day before he was stricken, and it is probably the very last thing he did.

DR.FARR: I feel honored to be asked to read this paper, because all of us who have listened to Dr.Dienst or read his writings have been impressed with him as a man who has the good of homoeopathy so strongly at heart that if this is his last paper, it is going to be worth while.

DR. ROYAL: I have enjoyed the paper, and recall a little visit, or coincidence, if you please, with George Sidelitz of St. Louis. We were discussing practically this same subject: Is homoeopathy in danger? Sidelitz said, “Yes, organized homoeopathy is in danger, but real homoeopathy which is truth, can never die, for Truth crushed to earth shall rise again. “It seemed for a time that truth was crushed. Is there anything we can do so that the truth can rise a little more rapidly than it could without our assistance? I would like a suggestion along that line.

George E. Dienst