AN EVENING GATHERING AT THE HAHNEMANN’S
on the 10th August, 1836, in Paris.
At eight o’clock in the evening a small but select company assembled; they were all true followers of homoeopathy. I found there Dr. Wieseke, and another young physicians from Berlin, Dr. Davet, Dr. Croserio of Paris, and Gutmann from Leipsic, a young artist who was working with David. Hahnemann’s wife had a lady friend with whom she was talking. The room was beautifully lighted. In it hung a portrait of Hahnemann, painted by his wife, also two beautiful bursts of Hahnemann, by David, and the medal which the homoeopathic physicians of France had struck in honour of Hahnemann. I talked a great deal with Hahnemann. He said to the physicians “that is Aegidi, who wishes to make the world believe that two homoeopathic medicines could appropriately be given together.” He did not speak well of Trinks. He said that Stapf was a good body, that he had been very useful to homoeopathy in England and to their Medical Association. When I asked him about Gross he said nothing. Hahnemann said that in homoeopathy the soul must play its part. Heartless individuals, however clever, accomplish little. Hahnemann said, “believe, me, the false disciples do more harm to homoeopathy than the allopaths.”
We partook to ice cream and confections, then drank champagne and thus at half-past eleven ended this pleasant evening.
15th August, 1836.
At the evening gathering I talked almost exclusively with Dr. Hahnemann, Croserio, and Dr. Griffon. Hahnemann said that in the treatment of pneumonia it was almost incredible what a small dose of Mercury could often accomplish. Walter was in Paris on account at an eye patient, for whose treatment he received 25,000 francs, and the patient was now blind. Walter used remedies and the patient became blind. Hahnemann was also consulted but declared that there was no hope-On entering the gathering at nine o’clock I handed my portrait to Hahnemann, who very graciously accepted it. We discussed further how much pure homoeopathy can accomplish.
DINNER AT HAHNEMANN’S HOUSE AT FOUR O’CLOCK.
29th August, 1836.
How happy I was to dine with Hahnemann. Hahnemann is a very simple man, he is not at all conceited about his discoveries; he said “everything comes from above, from God, and that he considered himself to me only an instrument.” Hahnemann says that we must not be conceited about our knowledge, that we must still learn every day. He now lives very happily, his wife does everything for him, she was an artist and poetess and has now sacrificed everything to homoeopathy. Hahnemann says that it is the “vital-force” that cures diseases; we can only cure by means of this force, because a dead body needs no more medicines. If we accept this, then we must conserve this vital-force; we must not shed blood; we must not weaken the patient since the vital-force lies in the blood. The old school of medicine dreams only of material causes, Homoeopathic looks rather for that which is dynamic. Hahnemann gives one globule in a powder, dissolves this in several tablespoonfuls of water and frequency prescribes a tablespoonful every half-hour. If a severe aggravation ensues, he discontinues the remedy, giving a powder of saccharium lactis without medicines for the time being. He frequently gives one remedy for weeks and even for months, for instance Sulphur, but he begins with the hightest dilution and comes gradually down to the lower one. The vial in in which the powder is dissolved must be shaken times every time a dose is taken. That acts very well; because every time a new potency is formed and the organism can take it more easily. He considers Boenninghausen’s manual a good, brief summary, but no strong emotions of the mind must prevail.
Whilst dining Hahnemann because quite enthusiastic in speaking of homoeopathy; he said that before a medical prohibition against homoeopathy was enforced the latter must be taught and have a hospital of its own. It would be well if several homoeopaths would co-operate. After the meal we went for a walk in the garden. Hahnemann gave me a Meerschaum pipe and we smoked together. He spoke about Br. Dellmar whom two doctors were treating, and to whom Walter had been called in consultation. The boy is now blind. They rubbed in croton oil and the body became frenzied. Hahnemann relieved him, but in “quart folio” in the order in which they arrive.
He says that if we give emetics in arsenical poisoning the patient dies all the more quickly.
At Hahnemann’s evening gathering I found Mr. Jolly, Dr. Lutter, Dr. Rust of Stuttgart.
LEAVE TAKING FROM HAHNEMANN. 31st August, 1836, 8 till 10.30 o’clock at night.
I told Hahnemann of my visit to Broussais, which pleased him very much and he said that Broussais was perfide about homoeopathy. In the ante-room in Hahnemann’s house I found “Cours de M. Broussais sur la Phrenologie.”… Mad. Hahnemann said that Broussais was not pleasant in social intercourse, yet Hahnemann was simple and unaffected.
Dr. Roth’s handwriting is so difficult to decipher that especially the last notes, which had been hastily jotted down, could only be rendered in a fragmentary ways.
SUPPLEMENT 262
LETTERS OF DR. ROTH OF MUNICH TO HAHNEMANN.
In a letter of the 1st of April, 1838, “Munich Hundsbugel,” No.3, I. Dr. Roth sent Hahnemann his good wishes for his birthday, and kind regards to Dr. Croserio and Dr. Davet. He then continues
My practice constantly increases here; I pay more than thirty visits a day, which is a proof of the confidence which people place in the true practice of homoeopathy.
On the 4th August, 1840, from Elisenstrasse No. I, opposite to the Botanic Gardens, Dr. Roth tenders his congratulations for the 10th of August d and then continues.
A part from the fact that I owe you, esteemed Hofrat, eternal gratitude, since with the help of homoeopathy I have been cured of several serious illness, I find that my medical activity daily brings me fresh proofs of the incomparable perfection of our glorious science. My confidence in medical activity could no longer he shaken by anything in this world.
(He had for a year past successfully treated a large number of patients suffering from “mucous fever,” with Phosphorus and Bryonia….also cured a somnambulist.)
Dr. Joh. Jos. Roth was born on the 7th March, 1804, in Augsburg and was the son of a surgeon. In 1829 he attained the licentia practicandi in Munich.
After that he became private lecturer to the University. IN 1831 and 1832 he was sent with other physician to make observations on cholera in permission to dispense medicines, whereas previously a pharmacy had been permission to dispense medicines, whereas previously a pharmacy had been taken from him and he was forbidden to dispense medicines himself.
He visited Hahnemann three times, in 1831 in Kothen, later twice in Paris, remaining for some time on each occasion with the Master. In 1840 he relinquished his practice in consequence of a fall he sustained in his house. He died on the 15th of October, 1859.
SUPPLEMENT 263 HOMOEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS OF AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.
Surgeon-Major, Dr. Math. Marenzeller, was born in Pettau in Steirmark on the 15th February, 1765. In 1813 he became a Field Surgeon; in 1815, five years after the publication of the “Organon,” he became a homoeopath. He was the first physician in the Austrian countries to acknowledge Hahnemann’s teaching. As we stated in detail in Chapter XI of Volume I, he came to Hahnemann in Leipsic, as physician-in-ordinary of the Princes Schwarzenberg, in the year 1820.
Consequent on the sensation made by Homoeopathy in Vienna through other physicians (Lichtenfeld, Regimental-Surgeon Muller, Lowe, Vrecha, Anton Schmit, Menz, Schaffer, Father Veith) the Emperor ordered an experiment to be made with homoeopathy at the Joseph’s Academy in 1828.
They were to investigate in sixty days whether homoeopathy could accomplish anything. After that further experiments were to establish the greatness and importance of homoeopathic results. For this purpose Marenzeller was ordered to come from Prague to Vienna. In spite of the fact that nine inflammatory diseases of a more serious nature were cured by his remedies, notwithstanding that Prof. Zang had given the worst prognosis should no blood be withdrawn; in spite of the fact that out of forty-three patients only on died, so that the above-mentioned Professor had to exclaim each time when an unexpected cure followed: “It is wonderful what nature can they were playing with human lives.” Of the twelve Academy professors, Prof. Zang was an opponent; Prof. Zimmermann defended homoeopathy, the others remained neutral. But Marenzeller was the most highly esteemed physician in Vienna. Although the prohibition against homoeopathy of the year 1818 had not been withdrawn, the Archduke Johann appointed him physician- in-ordinary and the foremost families of Vienna were among his physician-in-ordinary and the foremost families of Vienna were among his patients. He died in his eighty-ninth year on the 6th January, 1854.
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