Hospital & Teaching Center


Our regenerated true homoeopathic hospital, which is already attended by several foreign physicians, will actually lay before the eyes of the world, the proof that the conscientious practise of our method does not require any assistance from the old science of maltreatment, in order to cure all that is curable, without weakening or torturing the sufferer as allopathy is unable to avoid doing….


SUPPLEMENT 144

NECESSITY FOR A HOSPITAL.

THANKS FOR BOOKS.

Dr. Rummel wrote to Hahnemann, from Merseburg March 6th, 1831 : In the name of the Homoeopathic Society I am tendering you the thanks of the members for your present of books made to them. I have mentioned your gift to the Director for this year, as well as to our good friend Stapf, and ordered them in Leipsic to see how this gift can best be capitalised, unless the books are likely to be of value in the future, when opening a Homoeopathic Clinic, in which case they will have to be stored.

Hahnemann to Boenninghausen : Cothen, March 16th, 1831.

The proposal which you have put before me in your written formulary is sensible, and it would be advisable to fill in the headings according to your and my wishes. Perhaps I would be able to manage something similar, if only I were forty years younger. But even then I would not be able to do justice to the task unless I had a homoeopathic hospital entirely at my disposal, so that I might be able to verify the many points which are contested. Because, among the available symptoms so far recorded, so far recorded, there are still many obscure points which greatly need confirmation and revision. Who would wish to draw positive results from these in their present state? It is a marvel that so much that is true has been evolved through the few people whom I could, by an effort, induce to undertake provings, and who at the same time did not have equally good capacities for observation. Have pity on the great maiden science! One single individual could not possibly put it in its final form, thousands are needed for it, as also helpful channels, such as a well organised hospital, the most indispensable help of all for this purpose, yet in spite of their united longings the homoeopaths have not hitherto had the good fortune to receive this concession from any Sovereign.

In order to render the available material really useful to the physicians, your repertory, compiled with untold labour, would indeed be of great use to the world if you could make up your mind to issue it in print. You would render invaluable services to the homoeopathic physicians, who have neither the time nor the intellect to compile anything similar for themselves. I would urge you not to let your great modesty deter you from this. I ask you in the name of suffering humanity. Cothen, April 24th, 1831. If we only had a homoeopathic hospital, under State protection, with a teacher attached to it, who could instruct students in the practice of homoeopathy, the rapid propagation of our science, as well as a solid education for the young homoeopaths of the future, would be assured. The little fund of 3,000 thalers we have for it, is lying dormant. But who knows how wonderful God’s ways may be for bringing things about.

COLLECTION FOR THE HOSPITAL OF LEIPSIC.

Dr. Rummel to Hahnemann: Merseburg, March 22nd, 1832.

I have not yet announced the receipt of the ducat which I have added to the fund; it will be published in the “Zeitung fur Homoeopathie.” Slowly the capital continues to grow, and the slow thinking and ill advised Government will give us time to collect more, because at present I hardly think that we should obtain permission, even if we had sufficient money for the erection of a Clinic. Foreign countries will have to come first- as this seems to be the case at Lyons-before we slow Germans decide to give recognition to your discovery.

Ernst Georg von Brunnow wrote to Hahnemann: Dresden, November 4th, 1832. It is very gratifying to think that at last the great undertaking of a homoeopathic hospital at Leipsic is coming to life. I am convinced that the homoeopathically thinking public will take a lively interest in this important event, and will support it to the best of their abilities. I have already received in Dresden from several people the provisional promise of yearly subscription. I am only awaiting the Statutes of the homoeopathic Society in order to solicit a fair number of friends and acquaintances to become members. Undoubtedly we have to thank the noble Minister von Lindenau for the concession that a homoeopathic hospital may be founded by the homoeopathic physicians of Leipsic. Dr. Clarus may be very indignant about it. Heaven grant that the first experiments may be crowned with success, and instill due respect into our scoffing opponents. I hear that Dr. Schweikert is to be the Director of the new clinic.

SUPPLEMENT 145

OPENING OF THE LEIPSIC HOSPITAL.

Dr. Moritz Muller to Hahnemann: Leipsic, January 25th, 1833. Dear Sir,

In September or October you expressed a wish to distribute to the public yourself, some copies of the appeals for contributions to the Homoeopathic Hospital. I have, therefore, asked the bookseller Schumann to send you the quantity required, and hope that the wording of it will meet with your approval. It is drawn up for all classes of society, and therefore not only for those who know homoeopathy, and this may bring us a larger circle of contributors.

The hospital was opened by Schweikert on the 22nd inst; yesterday and to-day we admitted the first two patients. We still need the confirmation of the Council, which has been obstructed by Clarus, the Medical Officer of Health.

Schweikert did not accept the post of Director, and Franz, whom I had thought of, was too ill, and as no other candidate was forthcoming, I found myself, for a two-fold reason, unwillingly forced to undertake the management of the hospital. At Schweikert’s recommendation we took Seidel as assistant physician, since Langhammer has shown no desire for this post. With the request that you may further continue your interest in the hospital. I am, yours faithfully, Dr. MORITZ MuLLER.

Dr. Rapou, of Lyon, wrote from Leipsic to Hahnemann at Kothen, on December 22nd, 1832 :

I shall not find as much help, in Leipsic, towards my homoeopathic education as I expected, unless Dr. Schweikert undertakes the management of the hospital, and this be soon opened, which I do not think is quite certain. As I do not understand German I cannot get into communication with the homoeopathic physicians, none of whom knows French, with the exceptions of Dr. Franz who is too ill to teach others. I am told that, in the hospital at Munich, two wards are reserved as a homoeopathic Clinic. This clinic is managed by Prof. Ringbeil or Prof. Roth, one of your most recommended pupils. If that be so, I would prefer that city which I know better than any of the others, especially as Professor Ringbeil speaks French very well

Hahnemann remarked on the letter : “He must learn German in Leipsic, and then come here.’

Rapou who was present at the opening of the Institution, gave an account of it in the “Histoire de la Doctrine Medicale Homoeopathique,” Vol.2.

A dispensary which was open daily was connected with the hospital, and all the homoeopaths of Leipsic gave their time and services to support this new undertaking. This unselfish zeal promised to bring forth brilliant results, and all those who held the same views in Germany were eagerly awaiting the results of this experiment.

SUPPLEMENT 146

HAHNEMANN AGAINST THE LEIPSIC HOSPITAL.

Hahnemann wrote to Dr. Gerstel of Brunn in Mahren (copied from the original in the possession of the late Dr. Blackley, of London) : Cothen, June 21st, 1833.

I still hold your Bill of Exchange for the Institution at Leipsic, because I know you have only sent it for the promotion of a good cause; this was not at all the case under Moritz- Muller, and I hope for a better management. Now it seems that Schweikert is to take it over, and as soon as I am certain of it I shall send your Bill to him. S.HAHNEMANN.

The homoeopaths of Magdeburg did not hand over the contributions collected until, in April, they had ascertained through a special deputation that the Institution was fairly well conducted. Otherwise spite of circumstances, Dr. Muller said that “generous contributions of money” were flowing in.

SUPPLEMENT 147

ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE MANAGEMENT OF THE LEIPSIC HOSPITAL.

Dr. Moritz Muller reported in his explanatory writing, “Contributions to the history of homoeopathy, ” Leipsic, 1837, page 48, that on April 10th, 1833, at the appointed meeting of Directors of the Society of Homoeopathic Physicians, a combined vote was agreed upon by both members of the Directorate, Muhlenbein and Hartlaub, senr., of Brunswick : in which it was stated :

The Leipsic men wanted to predominate and use other people’s money for that purpose; they were aiming at splendour and financial gain. Those who had been accused by Hahnemann made an amalgamation of homoeopathy and allopathy. Hahnemann had certainly not acted without a reason ( with his Tageblatt Article-R.H.]. They were in need of rebuke. The Directors were giving banquets. Five people (among them a young physician from Bremen, who had visited the Leipsic Hospital for a few weeks) had brought them sad reports of Clinic, for one thing, they were taking no notes of the cases, and the managing physicians showed great indecision in prescribing. They therefore exhort the Board of Management of the Central Society, to take strong measures.

Richard Haehl
Richard M Haehl 1873 - 1932 MD, a German orthodox physician from Stuttgart and Kirchheim who converted to homeopathy, travelled to America to study homeopathy at the Hahnemann College of Philadelphia, to become the biographer of Samuel Hahnemann, and the Secretary of the German Homeopathic Society, the Hahnemannia.

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