SUPPLEMENT 113
THE HELPLESSNESS OF THE ALLOPATHIC PHYSICIANS IN THE FACE OF CHOLERA
Dr. Gross to hahnemann, his ‘dearest friend”:
If only we had a little more time just now, we shout have the best opportunity of snubbing those the allopathies. These fellows use camphor everywhere, and because they mix some additional things with it, they call it their own invention, and the Government treat us in a childish manner. They flow us with suggestions and proposals, which I consider hardly worthy reading. only recently the recommended for our benefit a specific mode of treatment, which a Dr. N. N. is said to have invented in polen, and he is said to have treated his patients with enormous doses of Henbane and Camphor. We can hardly understand how it was that the patients did not die from the effects of Henbane, if Camphor did not render this admixture harmless. But the clever gentlemen do not know that, and they call this hotch-potch their invasion, the great asses!
The Medical Officer of Health, Beumelburg, of Press Holland,
wrote on the 17th 1831, to Hahnemann:
Very esteemed Colleague,
The cholera morbus from the East Indies, which is so terribly fatal, went from Persia over to Russia, and has unfortunately spread to Prussia, that is to the commercial city of Danzig, about fifteen miles from here they say through a Russian ship that came into their harbour, and the disease has already claimed about 500 victims. I have just heard that traces of this devastating illness have appeared in Elbin., which is three miles from here.
Our very high-minded Monarch, who cares so tenderly for his subjects, has taken a great interest in the matter, and has had the patients treated at his own expense. In the distinct of Pruss Holland eight physicians have been appointed for this purpose, of whom I am one. Everyone of us had a quantity of remedies sent into the house by a travelling apothecary, of which I enclose a list as a joke (thirty-nine medicines are given- R.H.). The local physician know of no definite method which can be employed with certainty against this terrible disease, and the remedies and instructions are so different and contradictory, that no one knows which ought to be chosen. From the medical Board in Konigsberg, for the diagnosis and treatment of it. Also a directing physician supplanted by that of another medical man in the same town, a dr. leo, who advocates a remedy and procedure by means of which he asserts, he has cured the larger number of patients.
After Beumelburg has communicated the details of this mode or procedure, he continues his letter as follows:
First of all please advise me how I am to protect myself from infection; secondly, suggest a homoeopathic specific remedy, by means of which the infectious fuel can be quickly antidoted and destroyed in the system with certainty, and how the treatment is to be carried out even about and cause of infection the local physicians have as no definite opinion. Some say that cholera is spread through the air, others say that it is contagious, and that it can only spread by means of direct personal contact.
Dr. Christoph Adolph Buhle, Inspector of the Zoological Royal Cabinet of the Friedrich’s University, of Halle, wrote on the 17th of January, `1832, to Hahnemann:
It (cholera appeared here on Friday, January 6th approximately, and has as reported elsewhere, claimed most victims at the outset. Our physicians at first argued with each other when it really was cholera or not. But now they from the 6th to the 18th of January, 1`05 people have been taken ill with it, 49 have died, 7 have recovered, and 49 are still under treatment It this heaven sent gift, Camphor, is so effective, how can they commit such a sin by postponing its use? If we too should be hit by this misfortune, I and mine shall only be treated in accordance with your instructions.
Dr. Schmit of Prague, October Ist 1831:
The few homoeopaths in Vienna are doing well, they lose few patients, it is said hardly any; but the allopaths instead, send almost all into the next world. A few of the chief doctors had the misfortune to be unable to save any, and they made themselves ill in the end, or went into the country so that they might not be continually writings death certificates. People say to each other: “Do not fetch a doctor if you get cholera, otherwise you will be sacrificed; treat yourselves if you want to be saved.” From higher circles comes the advice not to have an old physician but a Homoeopath, or at least a young allopath because these are less prejudiced against using Camphor. The whole garrison of Vienna carries small copper plates, and so does the larger part of the population.
Kussmaul described in his “Reminiscences of the young days of an old physician “page (page 413)(, how allopaths still treat cholera patients in there old way by venesection:
My teacher Pfeufer, and many physicians saw at that time, the reason for the fatal course of cholera, in the thickening of the blood on account of the enormous loss of fluid from the discharges, He therefore recommended venesection to thin the blood. I followed this advice and the two poor fellows died soon after we left. These were the only two cases of venesection I performed in all my life against cholera.
SUPPLEMENT 114
AGAINST HAHNEMANN’S WRITINGS ABOUT CHOLERA I. REPRESENTATION TO THE DUKE.
I hand over herewith to your Serene Highness, in accordance with the highest orders in other places, the pamphlet written by Hofrath Dr. Hahnemann, and sent in here by the Censure Commission. If in paragraphs 4 and 5 sub. a; and para.6, sub.b.c, and d, the parts underlined were omitted, it seems to one that a permission for printing could be given without hesitation; the distribution might even prove useful, as the prohibitions ordered by the high authorities against which many an uncalled for objection has been raised- are recommended,. and the people are made more careful by the warning against contagion.
A complete prohibition against printing it here might induce the author all the more, to have this piece printed elsewhere, where he might not be refused, and then-what could not be completely avoided-a private distribution here might be more harmful.
Otherwise, if the aforesaid Hahnemann, seems to overdo or misuse the great freedom conceded to him by Your Serene Highness, which is counter to all the medical regulations, it might appear necessary that he should be warned by a rescript from the higher police authorities, and be referred to his rights.
More successful still- cause in this way he would not be embittered I consider, would be to send him a kind letter from the Ducal cabinet, in which his efforts for suffering humanity in regard cholera, should be recognized and mentioned as praiseworthy, but in which he should be made to understand very definitely that he must avoid all communications, which have as an object, the rousing of animosity among the allopaths, who, for the present, could not be dispensed with. He should still more avoid opposition to police regulations and the authority of the State. He could do just as much by invectives against the established regulations as through new arrangements and changes unauthorized by the police. Otherwise we might be forced to withdraw the privileges granted to him, in the use of which he will otherwise be protected in every way.
Submitting this opinion to the judgment of Your Serene Highness,
I remain, in deepest submissiveness,
AUG. V. BEHR.
Cothen, the 21st of October, `1831.
2. THE DUKE TO HAHNEMANN
My authorities have reported to me how the local Master- Butcher Kayser, who on account of the cholera has been appointed on the local Commission of this capital, has been called to you in his capacity as District Supervisor, and has received from you a bottle containing spirits of Camphor, and a similar one with globules, together with instructions that in the event of cases of cholera he might make use of them in accordance with our verbal instructions in his district. Also you are said to have called to you other citizens who have been appointed District supervisors, and without anh other motive for it, have handed out to them the same medicines, and enjoined on them as a duty, to make use of these remedies in their district in accordance with your verbal instructions. Not withstanding my acknowledgment and appreciation of your keen endeavor, which is so well known to me, to procure help and tranquillity for your fellow citizens through the results of your scientific investigations, and though you are been making sacrifices yourself for it, yet I must point out to you, how in view of the existing Administration of the medical police in my Duchy, your mode of procedure, as mentioned above, in no way agrees with those laws, wherefore I wish that you should not extend the privileges accorded to you in your medical practice beyond their limits, as only then can you expect to be protected by them, I also wish that when expounding your method of treating cholera, In leaflets and other public notifications, you would avoid exclamations against the allopathic physicians, as science can hardly be helped, and the public might easily be given an opportunity, under the present anxious circumstances, of unlawful agitations.
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