SUPPLEMENT 236
MADAME MELANIE HAHNEMANN PRACTISES.
(“Allg. hom. Ztg.,” 1844, Vol. 25, page 352).
The Supplement No. 15 of the “Leipziger Ztg.,” page 213, contains the following information:
Paris January 12th. The wife of the famous Dr. Hahnemann has now undertaken the practice of her deceased husband; on her visiting-cards is written:
“Madame Hahnemann, docteur en medecine homoeopathique.”
The “Allg. hom. Ztg.,” remarks on this:
This almost sounds like irony!-It is, of course, well-known that no one likes to dabble in medical treatment more gladly than the other sex, particularly old spinsters and old hags. It is well-known to the physicians throughout Europe, that one lady in Paris is a “docteur artis obstetriciae,” and her writings are considered an authority on obstetrics. It is something different for a lady docteur to be an obstetrician than to sign herself doctor of medicine-the former only renders mechanical assistance, while the latter, without having accurately studied medicine and all its branches of science, can only be a bungler! Shall we desecrate homoeopathy, to which Hahnemann had devoted the greater portion of his life, in this manner? I think that now since he is able to see everything more clearly, he may not be edified with the daring undertaking of his wife.
SUPPLEMENT 237
ACCUSATION AND CONDEMNATION OF MADAME MELANIE HAHNEMANN.
Arguments for my advocate.
By Melanie Hahnemann.
Conviction and honesty have to be respected everywhere, and when associated with science, self-denial and absolute unselfishness they are worthy of admiration.
Madame Hahnemann only attends the patients when everything else has failed; she almost always cures them, she, therefore, is like a Providence which follows despair.
The sublime is frequently very close to the ridiculous; Jeanne d’ Arc appeared ridiculous to some before she became prominent to all; and she saved France.
If propriety should forbid a woman to be a doctor, then I say that the nurses in hospitals, and sick nurses are even more improper than a lady doctor, because the latter only advises whilst the former touch, bandage and attend directly to the patient. If a woman is suitable to wash and attend sick men, then she is also suitable to prescribe what will cure them, provided she has the ability to do so.
Napoleon has several times awarded the cross of the Legion of Honour of Sister Martha, to nurses who followed the army in the battlefield, and also to women who fought valiantly in the army.
When a man is drowning, does he trouble about the sex of the hand that is saving him?
I have made my life known to my legal adviser, not that he should publish it but so that he may defend it, should anyone dare to attack it in the slightest degree; in which case I trust him on his honour that he will defend it to the uttermost because it is a blameless life.
I would be very grateful if it were possible to prove by means of a few words that the accusations of greed made against Hahnemann are altogether unjust. This can be easily proved by quoting facts; if Hahnemann had been avaricious he would not have left such a modest estate to his family. [She does not name the sum-R.H.)
Some opinions are now given.
Has medical science been more harmful than useful to humanity?-
When we have carefully weighed up the good that a handful of true sons of Aesculapius have done for humanity, and the harm that an enormous number of doctors of the medical profession have inflicted upon mankind from the beginning of medicine up to the present day, we shall undoubtedly think that it would have been of greater advantage if there had never been any physicians in this world.-Boerhaave, Just. Medorrhinum, page 401.
The recognised rules of medicine, of treating diseases by means of contrary or opposed remedies, is entirely erroneous and against sense. I am convinced that diseases will yield to such remedies which provoke a similar illness. In that way I have succeeded in removing a tendency to heartburn by small doses of sulphuric acid, in cases where a quantity of alkaline remedies had been prescribed without any result.-Dr. Stahl.
CONDEMNATION OF HAHNEMANN’S WIDOW FOR THE ILLEGAL PRACTICE OF MEDICINE.
The “Journal des Debats” of February 28th, 1847, reports (“Allg. hom. Ztg.,” 1847, Vol. 32, page 336):
Madame Hahnemann, the wife of the famous German physician and discoverer of homoeopathy, was summoned on Saturday, February 20th, to appear before the Tribunal et Chambre correctionelle, on account of illegal practice of medicine and pharmacy. She appeared, dressed entirely in black. The proceedings were opened by the Royal Procurator; the prosecution was represented by Orfila, Dean of the Medical Faculty. After a proclamation by the President, D’Herbelot, Madame Hahnemann declared that she was born in France, that her name was Marie Melanie Dervilly, and that she had received from the Homoeopathic Academy of Pennsylvania the diploma of Doctor, and that the doctors Delot and Croserio assisted her on Mondays and Fridays with her prescriptions.
The Court of Law considered that Madame Hahnemann was not entitled to practice medicine in France, as the Diploma mentioned belonged to another country, and it considered that the assistance given by the physicians was only formal, etc., and sentenced her to pay a fine of 100 francs, together with the costs, for her illegal practice of medicine and pharmacy.
The official “Gazette des Tribuneaux” described in detail the proceedings of the Court as follows (“Allg. hom. Ztg.,” 1847, Vol. 32, page 347ff.):
To-day Homoeopathy came before the Tribunal of the Police correctionelle in the person of the widow of the famous Hahnemann, the Father and Founder of the much-discussed system which has for a basis the well-known axiom, “Similia similibus.”
By reason of an accusation brought forward by the Royal Procurator, Dean of the Medical Faculty in Paris, Madame Hahnemann was summoned to appear before Chamber 8, for illegally practising medicine and pharmacy.
After the customary questions by the President, the accused declared to be Marie Melanie Dervilly, widow of Sam. Hahnemann, aged forty-five years, house-owner, resident in Paris, Rue de Clichy 48.
President: “You are accused of practising medicine and pharmacy contrary to the law, by consultations and by dispensing homoeopathic medicine; you have even had cards distributed on which you use the title of doctor.”
Mad. Hahnemann: “I have the right to put the title of `doctor of homoeopathy’ on my cards; as I really hold that diploma given to me by the Society of Homoeopathic physicians in Pennsylvania, where after Hahnemann, the physicians most skilled in this science are to be found.”
President: “But you do not possess the diploma of the medical faculty of Paris and yet you practice here in this city?”
Mme. Hahnemann: “I have not considered it advisable to obtain one from this Faculty as probably what I should have put before them they would not have considered valid.”
President: “You admit that you have practised medicine?”
Mme. Hahnemann: “I have never practised for myself; I gave advice to the homoeopathic physicians who do not know all I know, as I have dwelt so long near the source of this science.”
President: “And yet it has been asserted that you have practised.”
Mme. Hahnemann: “Always through the mediation of a physician.”
At this point witnesses were called. Madame Meunier is called first.
President: “Have you not been medically treated by Mme. Hahnemann?”
Mme. Meunier: “No, Sir, I never have; but once my friend Madame Broggi who was very dangerously ill, asked me to take a letter to Madame Hahnemann for her. After I had been admitted to her presence and had given her a detailed account of Madame Broggi’s condition at her request, she gave me two small packets for the patient.”
President: “Was Madame Hahnemann alone, or assisted by a physician when she gave you those small packets?”
Mme. Meunier: “She gave them to me without the intervention of a doctor.”
President: “Have you any knowledge whether Mme. Hahnemann demanded payment?”
Mme. Meunier: “No, Madame Hahnemann has never received any payments from Madame Broggi; I believe that she agreed to accept from Madame Broggi a ring as a token of her gratitude.”
The King’s Counsel to the witness: “Please give us an account of a journey to Versailles.”
Mme. Meunier: “I only know that once Mr. Broggi sent a servant to Madame Hahnemann, who at the time was residing in Versailles, in order to consult her about his wife.”
Madame Hahnemann does not remember the circumstances and denies the statement.
Pismot, Dr. med.: “I have only two words to say. I was called in to testify to Mme. Broggi’s death. Whilst I was asking questions I was told that Mme. Broggi had received medical treatment from Madame Hahnemann without the intervention of a physician. I spoke of this to the Mayor of the district, who asked me to make a written report about it.”
Delot, hom. physician: “I hold my consultations in Madame Hahnemann’s room. Patients come there twice a week: I examine them, make my prescriptions and order them medicines.”
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