At this time there were also eight well-appointed Homoeopathic pharmacies in Paris. The first one was opened by Henri Petroz. In 1833 he began to prepare homoeopathic medicines and put up the prescriptions of the few physicians, and in May, 1837, he opened his pharmacy. (See “Trans. World’s Hom. Convention.” 1876, Vol. II. p. 154.)
SUPPLEMENT 182.
LETTER FROM MADAME MELANIE HAHNEMANN TO PAUL VON BALOGH.
Paul von Balogh was a homoeopathic physician in Pesth. (“Volksblatter fur Hom. Heilverfahren,” C.E. Wahrhold, 1838, Vol, iV, page 120)
Paris, August 6th, 1837, Rue de Milan, No. I.
Dear Sir,
Accept my sincere thanks for the very kind letter which you were so good as to write to me. The sentiments so well expressed by you in a language foreign to your own, but which you write like a native, have really touched my heart. I feel poignant grief at not knowing personally so distinguished a man, and one so full of zeal for our good cause, them cause of humanity; I still hope that you will pay us a visit, as did Dr. Moscovich, for whose acquaintance we are indebted to you, I do not say, as did the poor Poles: “It is too high to God and too far to France,” God is always near those who are right, and France is accessible to all courageous men who love science; and have not I, though a woman, traversed Europe in order to fetch Hahnemann to Paris?
Rest assured that the most thoughtful and tender care is bestowed upon him incessantly. He is as fresh and ruddy as a rose and as blithesome as a young bird; indeed, one might truthfully say that since he has been with me he becomes younger every year. May God give him health here, with us! I send you herewith a medal which represents him perfectly. It was designed by one of our most distinguished artists.
May you be happy and prosperous, Sir, and preserve your friendship for us! Good health and good luck to you.
MELANIE HAHNEMANN.
Dear Friend, Your friendly remembrance of me has given me great pleasure. I send you my best love, and wish you and your faithful wife every comfort in life.
Your true friend, SAMUEL HAHNEMANN.
SUPPLEMENT 183.
HAHNEMANN ON THE SECOND EDITION OF “CHRONIC DISEASES” AND THE SIXTH EDITION OF THE “ORGANON”.
To Boenninghausen.
Cothen, December 26th, 1834.
He (that is Jahr, who had been charged with the copying of “Chronic Diseases” — R.H) has cost me more than five hundred thalers. I was obliged to expend all this because of the uncertainty concerning the future of my work. So badly was I feeling.
If homoeopaths become aware that the repertories are insufficient for the finding of the best remedy in every case of disease, nevertheless they feel secure when they have such a key in hand and calm their minds with the reflection that ” with some probability” they may be able to make their own selections entirely without the original sources of information and they neither purchase nor muse the repertories. This was also Arnold’s most valid objection when he hesitated over the publication of my present work.
Paris, 18th September, 1836.
I have only own wish left which I shall probably not see fulfilled: the publication of the other parts of my ” Chronic Disease” as Arnold of Dresden, who has been my publisher for twenty-five years, has become bankrupt through his own fault, and has only been able to publish the first tow parts. At my time of life I feel that I cannot offer the other four parts to a German publisher therefore this work which has been so laborious, and contains so much, will probably be left behind to my heirs as a manuscript or withheld from posterity.
Paris, June Ist.
(Probably 1841); also dictated; written by the same feminine hand as the previous letter:
My time has been too limited to enable me to answer your kind letter sooner. I am preparing the sixth edition of the “Organon: to which I can only devote a few hours on Thursdays, as the remainder of the week is occupied in treating patients who have to come to my rooms if they are able to walk or drive, whatever their rank may be, because I consider it below the dignity o the true physician to run after people who can come to him. i only visit those that are bedridden, driving to see them, in the evening after dinner, until midnight and perhaps even later, accompanied by my dear Melanie, who has achieved wonderful perfection in the practice of our art. We take this trouble with pleasure, not for the sake of gain which we do not need (and many are ungrateful) but solely in order to procure for our art in this great capital, that esteem and privilege which it deserves. This has been achieved to some extent almost beyond our expectation.
Paris, September 24th,1842.
(dictated: the same handwriting; signature and date fairly steady but no longer as clear and definite):
The sixth edition of my “Organon” has not yet been published because at first the French translation was not in good hands, and the German text (for some reasons) cannot appear first.
My dear wife, who cares for me day and night, joints me in sending you many good wishes.
Your devoted, SAMUEL HAHNEMANN.
Paris, March 24th, 1843.
(dictated; April, according to the postmark — R.H.).
I would like to draw your attention to a sixth edition of my “Organon” which will soon, if God wills, at least appear in French, it will satisfy you in every way. It cannot be printed in German, at least not by Arnold, my old publisher, on account of my arch-enemy Trinks, who gives Arnold orders how he is to annoy me. (See preface to the third volume of the second edition of my “Chronic Diseases”) He also appears to wish to prevent, by Trinks’ order, the publishing of the book in German through another publisher. Trinks is doing this to compensate me for having cured him of hypochondria almost amounting to insanity before he was able to practice as physician in Dresden. I was treating him by letter from Cothen. He pretended, in his letter, that it was a man from Augustusburg (several miles from Dresden) for whom he was writing, whilst he did not give his name and he described to me his internal feelings of discomfort in a way that betrayed him. I cured him possibly of his physical and mental illness, but I could not cure his evil mind. i have in him a real Thersites; he tries to do all that he can think of to injure me. Only a few years ago he pushed himself into the last volume of Brockhaus’ Conversational Lexicon of present day occurrences, in which Trinks’ whole articles was obviously written for the purpose of abusing me and causing me to be suspected. He writes that I took the whole of homoeopathy from Paracelsus but have concealed it.
Hahnemann to a German Colleague; the person addressed is unknown:
Dear Colleague, Forgive me if since I left Germany I have never again troubled to waste one single word against my German slanderers and the distorters of our art. In a similar way I shall not think of them in my next edition (the sixth) of my “Organon” which will soon appear. May God keep you. Pray remember me.
Yours, SAMUEL HAHNEMANN.
Paris, 13th August 1842,
SUPPLEMENT 184
ON THE DEATH OF HAHNEMANN.
Dr. G.H.G Jahr writes in the “Allg. hom. Ztg.” 1843, Vol. 24, Page 258.
HAHNEMANN IS DEAD
Paris. June 4th (it ought to be July– R.H)
On April 10th, his birthday, I was at Hahnemann’s house for the last time, as I rarely called on account of accumulated work. About the 15th April he was taken ill with his usual Spring illness, a bronchial catarrh, which attacked him so violently that his wife would not admit anyone, so that he, was several times reported to be dead: this, however, was contradicted.
I had been intending to call, when, simultaneously with your letter I received a note from Madame Hahnemann in which she asked me to call the same day. I went immediately, with your letter addressed to him, still ion my pocket, and was at once at once admitted to Hahnemann’s bedroom. Here, think of the spectacle; instead of Hahnemann, the dear friendly old man, smiling at me, I found his wife stretched across the bed, weeping, whilst he lay cold and stiff by her side, having passed five hours before into that life where there is no strife, no sickness, and no death. Yes, dear friends, our venerable old Father Hahnemann has finished his course. A paralysis of the lungs, after six weeks’ illness, during which time he became weaker and weaker, freed his spirit from its weary frame. His mental powers remained unimpaired up to the last moment, and although his voice became more and more unintelligible yet his broken words testified to the continued clearness of his mind, and to the calm with which he anticipated his approaching end. At the very commencement he told those about him that this would be his last illness, as his frame was worn out. At first he treated himself,. and till a short time before his death he expressed his opinions relative to the remedies recommended by his wife and certain Dr. Chatran. He only really suffered just at the end from increasing oppression on the chest. When after one such attack his wife said: ” Providence surely owes you exemption from all suffering as you have relieved so many others and have suffered so many hardships in your arduous life,” he replied: “To me, why to me? Everyone in this world works according to the gifts and powers which he has received from Providence, and more or less are words used only before the judgment seat of man, not before that of Providence. Providence owes me nothing. I owe all to Providence. Yes, everything.” These words are of deep significance. Let each one ponder over them and realise that they are not only significant as an expression of Hahnemann’s character but that they are of far wider application.
Richard Haehl was also an editor and publisher of the homeopathic journal Allgemcine, and other homeopathic publications.
Haehl was responsible for saving many of the valuable artifacts of Samuel Hahnemann and retrieving the 6th edition of the Organon and publishing it in 1921.
Richard Haehl was the author of - Life and Work of Samuel Hahnemann