Isopathy


All infectious diseases contain in their infectious matters the remedies capable of curing themselves. The principle upon which these remedial agents act he contends to be aequalia aequalibus, and the system Lux denominates Isopathy….


Antiquity of the doctrine-Met with in the writings of Dioscorides, Xenocrates. Galen, Serapion, Paulus Aegineta, Haly Abbas, Celsus, Nicander, Croll-Van Helmont hints at it Durey’s treatment of hydrophobia-Mead’s cure for vipers’ bites and scorpions’ stings-Isopathy in Hudibras-Hering introduces it into homoeopathic practice-His proposed method of curing contagious diseases-His botanical and entmological isopathy-Anticipated isopathy-Anticipated by Dr. Hornbook-Isopathic propensities of New Zealand cannibals-Hering’s chemical rescue of psorine, which continues still unrescued-Sources of his psorine-His explanation of the mode of action of morbid products-Gross becomes enamoured of isopathy-He pronounces it superior to homoeopathy- His novel blood-globules-Antiquity of blood as a remedy-Lux’s isopathy’s denunciation of it-His denial of isopathic cures-His abuse of Gross-His allusion to psorine-Helbig rejects isopathy-Rau admits the occasional utility of isopathic preparations-His theory of their mode of action-He afterwards regrets their introduction- Thoren, denounces isopathy-Dufresne considers it a brilliant discovery-M. Muller attempts to incorporate it with homoeopathy- Kammerer considers isopathy as true as homoeopathy-Veith only approves of psorine-Kurtz approves of isopathy-Genzke rejects it- Buchner condemns it -The doctrine gradually sinks into neglect-Is revived by Herrmann in a different form- The healthy organs of animals remedies for the corresponding diseased organs in man- The doctrine not new-Nor true, according to Genzke-Brutzer’s recent revival of the original isopathy- His wonderful cures examined-And found wanting-Kasemann’s homoeopathic isopathy-What are isopathic remedies?- Absurdity of Herrmann’s doctrines-Many of Hering’s nosodes must be excluded from the category of remedies-Contagious matters may have remedial powers in their corresponding diseases-A disease may be cured by an agent capable in their corresponding diseases- A disease may be cured by an agent capable of producing it-Examples of isopathic cures – Schnappauf’s Author’s, and Nogueira’s cures of small pox-Auzias and Sperino’s alleged cure of syphilis-Isopathic treatment of sheep-Cures by psorine examined-The truth there is in the doctrine-How should isopathic remedies be administered?-Author’s isopathic (?) cure of pannus-Remedial powers of morbid products- Cure of naevi-Isopathic remedies used by allopathics-Filthy allopathic remedies-Medicinae gloria.


Antiquity of the doctrine-Met with in the writings of Dioscorides, Xenocrates. Galen, Serapion, Paulus Aegineta, Haly Abbas, Celsus, Nicander, Croll-Van Helmont hints at it Durey’s treatment of hydrophobia-Mead’s cure for vipers’ bites and scorpions’ stings-Isopathy in Hudibras-Hering introduces it into homoeopathic practice-His proposed method of curing contagious diseases-His botanical and entmological isopathy-Anticipated isopathy-Anticipated by Dr. Hornbook-Isopathic propensities of New Zealand cannibals-Hering’s chemical rescue of psorine, which continues still unrescued-Sources of his psorine-His explanation of the mode of action of morbid products-Gross becomes enamoured of isopathy-He pronounces it superior to homoeopathy- His novel blood-globules-Antiquity of blood as a remedy-Lux’s isopathy’s denunciation of it-His denial of isopathic cures-His abuse of Gross-His allusion to psorine-Helbig rejects isopathy-Rau admits the occasional utility of isopathic preparations-His theory of their mode of action-He afterwards regrets their introduction- Thoren, denounces isopathy-Dufresne considers it a brilliant discovery-M. Muller attempts to incorporate it with homoeopathy- Kammerer considers isopathy as true as homoeopathy-Veith only approves of psorine-Kurtz approves of isopathy-Genzke rejects it- Buchner condemns it -The doctrine gradually sinks into neglect-Is revived by Herrmann in a different form- The healthy organs of animals remedies for the corresponding diseased organs in man- The doctrine not new-Nor true, according to Genzke-Brutzer’s recent revival of the original isopathy- His wonderful cures examined-And found wanting-Kasemann’s homoeopathic isopathy-What are isopathic remedies?- Absurdity of Herrmann’s doctrines-Many of Hering’s nosodes must be excluded from the category of remedies-Contagious matters may have remedial powers in their corresponding diseases-A disease may be cured by an agent capable in their corresponding diseases- A disease may be cured by an agent capable of producing it-Examples of isopathic cures – Schnappauf’s Author’s, and Nogueira’s cures of small pox-Auzias and Sperino’s alleged cure of syphilis-Isopathic treatment of sheep-Cures by psorine examined-The truth there is in the doctrine-How should isopathic remedies be administered?-Author’s isopathic (?) cure of pannus-Remedial powers of morbid products- Cure of naevi-Isopathic remedies used by allopathics-Filthy allopathic remedies-Medicinae gloria.


IT is difficult to fix the antiquity of the doctrine of isopathy; (Isopathy properly means the treatment of diseases by their own exciting cause, aequalia aequalibus, but, as will be seen, the term has been applied to a great variety of modes of treatment, distinguished chiefly for their absurdity where the actual isopathic principle is completely lost sight of.) in one form or another it has existed almost as long as medicine has been practiced as an art. If we search in the most ancient records of medicine we shall find traces of this system. Not to speak of the doctrine of signatures–which has already been alluded to when I spoke of the hints respecting homoeopathy previous to Hahnemann, (See Lecture I.) to which indeed more than to isopathy that doctrine more properly belongs–we find numerous passages in the ancient authors countenancing the belief in a so- called isopathic principle of therapeutics.

Thus the lungs of the fox were recommended for asthmatics by Dioscorides, Xenocrates, Galen, Serapion, Paulus Aegineta, and by many other writers, down indeed to the most modern times, for we find them still a favourite remedy for the like affection in the earlier editions of the Pharmacopoeia Londinensis.

Dioscorides and Paulus Aegineta allege that the roasted liver of a mad dog was one of the best remedies for its bite; and Xenocrates and the latter assert wolf’s liver to be a useful hepatic remedy.

The round worm in the human subject was best treated by roasted earth worms, according to Dioscorides; and the same author advised the brains of a cock to be given in hemorrhage from the meninges, whilst Galen says that the brains of a camel are a cure for epilepsy.

The scorpion’s sting was to be treated by the application of the dead scorpion to the wound, according to Haly Abbas, Celsus, and Paulus Aegineta, and this is the method of cure still adopted by the inhabitants of Morocco for the sting of that venomous insect, according to the testimony of recent travellers.

The theriac of Andromachus, which contained the bodies of vipers as a chief ingredient, was almost universally employed by the ancient for the bite of venomous serpents.

In my first lectures I adduced numerous other instances of the isopathic method of treatment, chiefly from the writings of Nicander and Xenocrates. Paracelsus also might be pressed into the service of isopathy, from some portions of his writings isolated from their context; but I showed in my first lecture that the passages which seem to countenance this doctrine have quite a different sense when read in connection with the rest of his writings. I showed, however, that his disciple, Oswald Croll, believed and taught that the sound organs of certain animals were useful in the diseases of those organs in man, a doctrine that is not wanting in defenders among the homoeopathic heretics distinguished for the eccentricity of their aberrations.

Van Helmont hints, in his obscure way, that the morbid products of diseases should be employed for their cure, which we shall find to be exactly the doctrine of a certain class of those who have distinguished themselves of late years in the isopathic field.

About two hundred years ago Dr. Durey (De stupendo et lugendo infortunio exlupo rabiente, narratio verissima. Devoniae, 1671.) revived the treatment of hydrophobia recommended by Dioscorides, of giving the liver of the rabid animal to those bitten by it. Ten persons having been bitten by a mad wolf, and nine of these having died, the wolf was captured and killed, and its liver, after being washed with wine and dried in the oven, was given to the tenth person who had been bitten. He consumed the whole liver in three days, and remained free from the disease. This case of course proves nothing in favour of the prophylactic powers of the rabid creature’s liver.

Our celebrated countryman, Dr. Richard Mead, recommended about one hundred years ago the axungia viperina, which seems to have been prepared with viper’s flesh, for the bites of these reptiles. He also speaks highly of the volatile salts of vipers as a remedy for their bites; this seems to have been merely some ammoniacal salt obtained from the viper, and was very likely not more efficacious than the eau de luce and other ammoniacal preparations that are still found to be very useful in the bites of venomous animals. Mead also advises scorpion’s oil, that is oil in which scorpions have been infused, for the sting of that insect. Butter, who wrote fifty years before Mead, alludes to this and another pretended isopathic remedy in these lines:-

R.E. Dudgeon
Robert Ellis Dudgeon 1820 – 1904 Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh in 1839, Robert Ellis Dudgeon studied in Paris and Vienna before graduating as a doctor. Robert Ellis Dudgeon then became the editor of the British Journal of Homeopathy and he held this post for forty years.
Robert Ellis Dudgeon practiced at the London Homeopathic Hospital and specialised in Optics.
Robert Ellis Dudgeon wrote Pathogenetic Cyclopaedia 1839, Cure of Pannus by Innoculation, London and Edinburgh Journal of Medical Science 1844, Hahnemann’s Organon, 1849, Lectures on the Theory & Practice of Homeopathy, 1853, Homeopathic Treatment and Prevention of Asiatic Cholera 1847, Hahnemann’s Therapeutic Hints 1847, On Subaqueous Vision, Philosophical Magazine, 1871, The Influence of Homeopathy on General Medical Practice Since the Death of Hahnemann 1874, Repertory of the Homeopathic Materia Medica, 2 vols 1878-81, The Human Eye Its Optical Construction, 1878, Hahnemann’s Materia Medica Pura, 1880, The Sphygmograph, 1882, Materia Medica: Physiological and Applied 1884, Hahnemann the Founder of Scientific Therapeutics 1882, Hahnemann’s Organon 1893 5th Edition, Prolongation of Life 1900, Hahnemann’s Lesser Writing.