The California Homeopath
Journal of the California Homeopathic Medical Society

Camila Sollero Claudio Costa Carvalho & Francisco José de Freitas

History of Homeopathy

Hippocrates is considered the seminal figure in medicine because he was the first person to think of a disease as a result of natural forces and not of divine influence. The careful observation of specific symptoms to each individual as well as each person's reaction to the disease, before reaching a diagnosis, represents the essence of Hippocrates´ work. He brought us the concept of a patient´s own healing power being instrumental in choosing the appropriate treatment. Hippocrates enunciated three principles of healing: 1) the opposites: drugs against the disease, 2) the equals: give the patient a drug made from substances that cause the disease, 3) the similars: give the patient a drug with similar effects as the disease. In history, one of the best examples of similar curing similar was the use of the roots of Veratrum in the treatment of cholera. In large doses, this root is extremely poisonous causing violent evacuation and leading to severe dehydration in an identical manner to the symptoms of cholera.

Homeopathy's roots emerge from the findings, teaching and writings of Dr Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843). While translating Cullen´s Materia Medica in 1790, Hahnemann´s attention turned to the analogy between the effects of quinine and intermittent fevers. He reconnects to the Hippocratic tradition of similia similibus curentur (similar curing similar) and, based on this hypothesis, he and his students start experimenting with other products, creating a pathogenesis of several products.

Homeopathy in Brazil

Homeopathic medicine in Brazil has seen a substantial growth in its acceptance by doctors and patients across time and today is a well accepted form of medicine. It has been recognized as a medical specialty by Brazilian National Board of Medicine (CFM) since 1980. Starting in 1810 there was already talk of homeopathy in Brazil when the patriarch of independence, Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva, began corresponding with Hahnemann. Nevertheless, it only achieved real growth in 1840 with the arrival of Dr Benoit Jules Mure, a passionate advocate of homeopathy and considered its introducer into the country. Dr Benoit Jules Mure was known as Bento Mure in Brazil. Although he was a homeopathic doctor, he came to Brazil not with the intent to propagate homeopathy, but to work on a social project. He desired to build a socialist colony in the country. In the southern state of Santa Catarina he established a Sahy colony and also a homeopathic school. In this place, young doctors could learn homeopathic theory which was not taught at other medical schools in the country. Sahy colony and the homeopathic school of medicine did not last long though.  In 1843 Dr Bento Mure came to Rio de Janeiro and with another medical doctor, Vicente José Lisboa founded the Brazilian Homeopathy Institute. This institute was created to propagate homeopathic knowledge through teaching, publishing of academic research and clinical practice.

By Camila Sollero, MD

Camila Sollero Claudio Costa Carvalho

The Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro - UNIRIO
1. Homeopath, 2nd year resident, UNIRIO, MD
2. Homeopath, Professor and Head of the Department of Homeopathy and Complementary Therapy (DHTC), UNIRIO, MD, MSc