Just as the Saviour was intent on spreading His heavenly truths through chosen men more and more; in the same way you will surely wish, Sir, that the great discovery which the present age and posterity owe to your profound researches, may be employed by your initiated pupils in a beneficent way and from what I know of Hornburg, it appears to me that he is a chosen vessel for homoeopathy. To see him sink under the persecutions of the allopathic obscurantists, must therefore, grieve anyone who is interested in the welfare of humanity. DR. JUR. ECKENBERG, Lawyer, Reichstrasse, No.433.
Leipsic, December 17th, 1831.
ON THE DEATH OF HORNBURG.
Dr. C. G. Franz to Hahnemann.
Leipsic, February `12th, 1834.
My friend Hornburg died on the 4th inst. from the effects of purulent phthisis. He could not be persuaded at all to accept anybody’s advice, although nine months ago I tried to persuade him to ask for your advice, but he treated himself until the Christmas holidays. Since November I went to see him regularly twice a week and made suggestions, which however he very rarely followed. His death has upset me very much in body and soul, and I had to visit him several times a day, for no one troubled much about him except Hauboldt, nor did he want to be bothered with anyone else however little he followed by advice. I feel his death all the more deeply, as for the last twenty years he has been my friend. I lose in him a faithful and like-minded defender of pure homoeopathy where there are eternal dissensions among the long homoeopaths. We all, as a sign that we honoured him accompanied him to his grave, and I even- you may judge from that the condition of my health-made a little speech at the grave, of which I enclose a copy, as also of the obituary notice which I wrote for the Leipsic Ztg,., where however the censor omitted parts, and Clarus (the medical officer of Health) was very angry, and is said to have stated, that he would now persecute all the unqualified men more than ever.
Now I am the only one remaining of your older pupils.
Words spoken at the burial of my friend Hornburg, who died on the 4th of February:
FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.
Who of us would have thought a year ago, or even six months ago, that I who seemed already the certain prey of death, would be accompanying my friend, who was then still so strong, on his last journey. And so does death pass by the great head of the old man, who has lived his life, and destroys the fresh young life-so it passes by pale infirmity, for blooming health-spares the poor, satiated with sorrow, and takes the rich, who live without a care, and only for their enjoyment-(Pallida more aequo pulsat pede regum turres pauperumque tabernas ( From Horace, where the verse reads: “Mors aequo pulsate pede pauperum tabernas regumque turres.”
(The hand (foot) of death knocks equally at the cottage of the poor, and at the castles of Kings.).
Over every head hovers the sword of Damocles, the certain scythe.
Well for him who has closed his accounts, and has worked while it was day. Our friend has completed his work honesty and unselfishly. Our art and science was everything to him, to which he gladly brought sacrifices, and to which he even fell as a sacrifice! Let us imitate him in this. Let our art be always our end and aim, and may he be branded who misuses it for his own ends. Even if our endeavors take their origin from different starting points, let them always be directed to a true purpose, and we shall unitedly join hands at the goal.
Yes, let us pledge ourselves to unity here at the grave of our friend, and from his resting-place will spring forth the palm, which will hold us all under its protecting shade.
Peace be to his ashes!
Obituary notice for Mr. Carl Hornburg: (Leips. :”Ztg.” of February 6th 1934).
You fought for light and truth regardless of the consequences. That which you recognized (as the pure medical science), you practised openly and faithfully, only treating the straight path. Your eagerness often carried you too far, and your life became a fight against arrogance, professional pride, and literary aristocracy (You fell a sacrifice to petty vindictiveness, which always likes to wreak the splendours of its power on the defenceless- your life was poisoned by years of insults). You sought in vain it here on earth. Rest now after a storm-tossed life, and awaken to a freer work beyond, to which fate has called you so early.
Signatures : Drescher, Franz, Gutmann, Hartmann, Hauboldt, Lux
(The parts in parenthesis were suppressed by the censor. (See also the life history of Hornburg in Chapter 27.)
SUPPLEMENT 110
MR. WEICHSEL, ATTORNEY OF LAW, TO HAHNEMANN.
Magdeburg, June 21st, 1833.
Unfortunately when they knew for certain that Rummel was due to arrive soon, a furious newspaper controversy commenced here. After having circulated many lies for some time past, they came forward in the papers for the first time on the 10th inst., with the well known mathematical problem (concerning the homoeopathic high dilutions-R. H..) in (No. 132 of) the local newspaper. To prevent our cause from being reticulated, and prejudice from arising which might become dangerous, or at least hinder the progress of the new method of treatment, I was forced (as there was no one else here who could take up the controversy), to strongly protect your teaching and correct the general opinion on the subject. It has continued in this way ever since. with, with thrust and county-thrust The essays signed F. F. W., as well as the evidence concerning homoeopathy, are from me.In to- days paper there is an essay which closely attacks your honour, and among much general abuse the assertion is made, that you head received treatment from an allopathic physician during your recent illness. It says: “In the throes of death the great homoeopath has recently had willing recourse to the true medicine; he has asked to be treated in a true medical way, or as he would call it, by allopathy.”
In my reply for to-morrow’s paper I have of course demanded a proof of this statement, apart from publishing reprints of Aegidi’s conversion, and of the writings of Peschier. Yet it would be as well if you could let me have a letter so worded, that I could have it printed if necessary, to enable me to contradict this slander as soon as possible.
On Weichsel’s letter, there is the remark in Hahnemann’s own hand writings:
23rd June, only G. Lehmann declared that my having been cured by allopathy is a lie.
Dr. Rummel then writes to Hahnemann: Magdeburg, 16th 4.34.
Here the storm against homoeopathy, and against me is raging more than ever, and yet I have won a friend in the person of Dr. Laue; the patients seeking my advice are so numerous that I have hardly time to write these lines.
Hahnemann replies to this on the 23rd of May:
I wish I could procure for you in Magdeburg, a more peaceful and comfortable life; yet in the honesty and power of mind of F. F. Weichsel, you have been given from Above a sage anchor that will not let you be wrecked, and will yet help us in Prussia to get rid of our fetters..
SUPPLEMENT III
VACILLATING BEHAVIOUR OF THE AUTHORITIES
W. Gross writes to his “intimate friend’ Hahnemann:
Juterbogk, 23.4.31.
They are extraordinary times, and the fight between the two medical parties is growing more and more violent., Who will win? We certainly, if the Governments, at least, would remain neutral.
Hahnemann to Boenninghausen:
Cothen, 16th January, 1831.
The Prussian Government is the only one, at present, which, unlike other countries, is sufficiently wise and broad-minded not to prosecute the new science, which is proving to be only beneficial; but allows it to grow quietly (under the noble silence of those in high places) until it become stronger in its growth, and then it can no longer be crushed by the orthodox faculty (as in other countries).
But already at the end of the same year Hahnemann has again to report:
Cothen, 30th November, 1831.
Berlin is very far removed from a reform in keeping with the times: prevalence of cholera. It has not been humbled by the miserable results of the present fatal quackery, which is praised as rational. I think that I was right in denouncing the same to their King, in my open letter. May God at last open the eyes of the philanthropic monarch! Have you seen the new Prussian prohibition about the dispensing of all medicines? It appears to be infamous. Cothen, December 11th, 1831 A Prussian edict has been published against Meeicinaltath Stapf, by which all homoeopathic physicians have physicians have not only been forbidden to dispense their own medicines, but they are to even to be allowed; like every other private man in the State, to possess a household medicine chest; the police are to watch over them (like criminals) also they are not to send patients with their prescriptions to one definite chemist, but the patients may have them dispensed wherever they please by no matter what scoundrel of a chemist). Is this not an eternal came for the Prussian Government formerly so wise.
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