June 1st, 1794.
Dear friend,
I have stuck here at Gottingen and shall probably not get any farther, but stay here. The upsetting of the carriage at Muhlhausen, of which you have probably heard, and in which we nearly lost our lives (to heal all our wounds we had to remain eight days in Muhlhausen ), has shattered my wife’s health so much and the children have become so afraid of driving, that it is becoming impossible for me to come any further-at least without probable danger to the health of my family in general, and especially of the suckling baby-boy. The driver who overturned us is one of the most careless and dangerous men I have ever known. I hope no one else will suffer through him.
The following letter is probably connected with the former; it has no date or address. In any case, it belongs to this travelling period :
I should be very glad if I could out through you how much a driver with four horses and a very roomy carriage requires a day, without my having to trouble about fodder. If I can agree with the man and like the carriage, which I do not know beforehand, and if the cost for the day is cheap, I might (if I wish) use him until I get there. But I cannot decide on a definite length of road nor define the number of days. It must be understood that in any case his return does not concern me. On an average I drive not more than 4 or 5 miles a day, and I decide my plans each day in order to be free to make just such a short journey as I like.
At the time when Hahnemann was staying in Gottingen we learn some details from the reminiscences of Dr. Christian Heinrich Pfaff, who was born in Stuttgart in 1773 and died at Kiel in 1852. ( Erich Epstein, ” Physician’s Memoirs,” Berlin, 1923.) He states that he was staying in Gottingen from the autumn of 1793 until the autumn of 1974. At that time dysentery had been prevalent there, but of a catarrhal and not of a serious type, and which was easily cured with Opium tincture and Vinum stibiatum. He then proceeds:
This brings me to my acquaintance with the then famous Hahnemann, the man whom the homoeopaths highly honour as the reformer of practical medicine. He arrived in Gottingen in a kind of emigrant’s carriage, together with his numerous family. I knew him first through meeting him at the Lying-in hospital. He gave me the impression of being a Herrnhuter and a mystic, and his mysticism betrayed itself in the habit he had of always having the shutters down in his front room. I called on him several and he did not then say anything about homoeopathy, but expected to cure through the chemical properties of medicines. One of his sickened with dysentery, and Hahnemann hoped to fight the enemy through the antiseptic properties of charcoal; but the illness became worse, and as I could assure him from my experience of many cases I had treated that my method had been efficient, he gave the patient over to me and happily I cured him.
Pfaff has probably written his recollections from memory, and it is possible that he ascribed more of the mystic element to Hahnemann than was justifiable, since homoeopathy is considered a mystic method of healing. From these recollections we also gather that Hahnemann occupied himself at the time with activities which were far removed from his field of operation, as he visited the lying-in-hospital. It shows further that Hahnemann at that time had not a clear vision of the Law of Similars, but practised on the lines of chemical ideas, against which he fought so strongly later on. Another indication that he had not quite broken his connection with the old school is the fact he let Pfaff treat his child.
SUPPLEMENT 30
A LETTER FROM PYRMONT.
Best friend,
As I have to write to Gotha to-day, I will fulfil my obligation and thank you for your trouble with the auction matters, etc. As the thing with the mechanical model took too long I had to have one made according to my own idea, as I wanted it very much. Another would be superfluous. I thank you very heartily for your trouble.
As I am still corresponding with Mr.Zeiss, and have an account with him, would you be so good as to pay him out 3 thaler and 10gr. against assignment?
To-day the post forces me to break off with a well-meant VALE. HAHNEMANN.
Pyrmont,
January 10th, 1795.
Councillor Becker, of Gotha.
SUPPLEMENT 31
LETTER FROM BRUNSWICK. Sir,
I notify herewith most submissively that I have sold my house and garden ( to Herrn von Heym Sollingen ) and pray that you will withdraw the day for the auction sale.
With fullest esteem I am, Sir, most obediently,
Dr.SAM HAHNEMANN.
Brunswick, June 21st, 1796.
To Secretary Wittmann.
SUPPLEMENT 32
LETTER FROM KoNIGSLUTTER.
Dearest friend (to Councillor Becker of Gotha),
I am sending a small advertisement for the cost of which as well as the postage, the tailor Ruger of Gotha will willingly pay you.
Through your National paper you have so happily filled a need in influencing German morality. that every friend of the good and noble ought to thank you heartily.
My family, ten souls strong, sends greeting to your household, and is longing to receive good news from you, as well
as
Your admirer and old friend,
SAMUEL HAHNEMANN.
My kind regards to Dr. Hennicke and friend Schlichtegroll.
Konigslutter, October 14th, 1797.
Writing from Konigslutter, he gives in the “Reichsanzeiger” (No. 249, October 26th, 1797) medical information on a previous enquiry :
Supposing that the patient is convinced there is no creeping fever present, the mode of living must first be altered; then means must be used which will remove the cough and expectoration. Oily, slimy and sweet medicines are of no use. Poppy juice acts only as a palliative. With these medicines the tendency to cough is increased, although when first taken they give relief, and in this way are deceptive.
This observation shows that Hahnemann already then went his own way and was not afraid of declaring it openly, in opposition to the majority of his colleagues.
That he enjoyed widespread recognition in medical circles is proved by the following letter to Hahnemann from K.B. Stadtgerichsarzt Dr. Preu :
Nurnberg, February 1st, 1832.
Thirty-four years ago when you were still living at Konigslutter (1796-1799-R.h.) I was not able to resist the pleasure of visiting you. I was then a young doctor travelling in order to become acquainted with the man, who had then already made himself useful to humanity in many ways : and I have never forgotten the words with which you, highly esteemed man, bade farewell to a young disciple of the art, who to his great joy thought he noticed that you had not remained indifferent to him. The golden words were : ” Remain faithful to the Art.” I promised then and have until now kept my promise.
SUPPLEMENT 33
HAHNEMANN ATTEMPTS TO RETURN TO GOTHA AS PHYSICIAN
TO THE DUKE. From Dr. Bernhard Schuchardt, Gen. Regierungs and Obermedizinalrat in Gotha, “Letters of Hahnemann to a patient, ” Tubingen, 1886, Publisher, H. Laupp.
My dear X,
To-day I make you my confidant. Kindly give the enclosed letter to the Minister Von Frankenberg Sylvius Friedrich Ludwig von Frankenberg, born 1728, died 1815. Minister of State in Gotha. if he still alive, if Zigesar August Friedrich Karl von Zigesar, born 1746, died 1813. Geheimrat and Kanzler in Gotha. is in his place give it to him, but before doing so have the goodness to write the name of the present. First Minister in Latin characters on the envelope in the blank space. I was not quite sure if Frankenberg were still living, otherwise I should have written his name myself. I am applying in this letter for Dr.Buchner’s Friedrich Buchner at Gotha, Court Counsellor and Physician to the Duke of Gotha. Died February, 1799. Post with the Duke, and would like to return to Gotha in that capacity, for I have always preferred Gotha to Brunswick. But I should have no possible excuse for changing my abode unless I get an appointment of this kind.
Do not let anyone know a word of all this, so that no intrigues may be set on foot, which otherwise would certainly happen. But how will you contrive to get this letter immediately and without fail into Frankenberg’s hands? As it is the news of Buchner’s death reached me a week later than it should have done, so I must not now lose any time.
Forgive me for the trouble I am putting you to, and with best wishes I remain,
Yours most devoted servant,
Dr. HAHNEMANN.
March 14th, 1799.
SUPPLEMENT 34
COMPLAINTS AND RESOLVE.
In the “Reichsanz” No. 272 of November 22nd, 1799, we read under the above heading :
Dear Public! One would hardly credit that there are people who, knowing that I am a private gentleman living on what I have made through the right use of my time, would yet overburden me from time to time with letters, many of which are not stamped and therefore fall as a burden on my purse, and partly contain such requests as will occupy my thought and split up my precious time, while it never seems to occur to these inconsiderate correspondents to send any adequate remuneration for my time and my efforts which are calculated to be useful to them.
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