16th December, 1834.
I shall have the honour to hand over to you a copy of my manual on homoeopathic diet, and later one on homoeopathy in the home, a medical guide for family use, which I have complied for my country folk. I always think that it is only the lay people who will force our enemies to accept the new doctrine; therefore we must work for them.
In the year 1829 the homoeopathic physician Herrmann (Hahnemann’s great nephew) of Petersburg requested that the Military Hospital of Tultschin should be granted complete freedom for the use of homoeopathy. The results, however, did not correspond with the expectations and Herrmann was recalled from Tultschin to Petersburg, to complete his period of service in the Military Hospital,
On the 27th August, 1832, by a notification to all medical authorities, the homoeopathic method of treatment was entirely forbidden in all Military Naval and Civic Hospitals, and the prohibition was published in the Journal of the Home Office.
SUPPLEMENT 265
HOMOEOPATHY IN SWITZERLAND.
Dr. Charles Caspard Peschier was born on the 13th March, 1782, at Geneva. After attending the Schools of Geneva he continued his medical education in Paris. He was greatly commended in 1804 for a prize essay on Croup. IN 1908 he settled in his native town, to practise medicine, and published an essay on the disease of children. I 1812 he gave course of lectures on the study of medicine at the School of Montpellier. In 1822 he published an essay, which created a sensation, on the treatment of inflammation of the chest by means of tartar emetic in strong doses instead of venesection. In 1831 he wrote his “Notices et documents sur le cholera.” At this period his attention was drawn to homoeopathy by a wealthy Russian and he became engrossed in Hahnemann’s writings. The sensational cures accomplished by the Count des Guidi of Lyon convinced him so completely that in 1832 he travelled to Kothen to see Hahnemann, who gave him a friendly welcome. On his return to Geneva he became the secretary of the Homoeopathic Society which had been formed there. He published the monthly journal “Bibliotheque Homoeopathique, “which helped the spread of homoeopathy in French Switzerland, France, Spain, and Italy for a whole decade. He translated the works of the German homoeopaths into French. He adhered strictly to the pure homoeopathic doctrine, but repudiated with decision the higher potencies. He used either tinctures or low dilutions, never higher than the fourth potency. His polemic letters against the versed in all sciences; spoke nearly all the European languages and was a member of numerous scientific societies; notwithstanding his great learning he remained poor. In 1851 he wrote to Croserio in Paris” “When having attained one’s seventieth year, having worked all one’s life, and one is unable to pay for a midday meal, I see no release from this misery but death, which I hope will not keep me waiting very long.” This deliver came on the 31st May, 1853.
SUPPLEMENT 266
HOMOEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS IN ITALY.
Dr. Francesco Romani was born in Vasto in 1785. He studied medicine in Naples, a nd soon acquired such a reputation that he was appointed physician-in-ordinary to Queen Maria Amalie. In 1821 he met the Austrian physician, Dr. Necher, who had come to Naples with the Austrian army, and who had attracted the widest attention to himself by some successful homoeopathic treatments. Romani sought the advice of the Austrian about his own illness and when homoeopathic globules achieved such astonishing results in his own case he was won over to homoeopathy. He applied himself to the study of the new teaching with great diligence, and practised then onwards only homoeopathy and translated Hahnemann’s works into Italian. Romani died at the beginning of 1854, deeply mourned by wide circles of the Neopolitan population.
JOHANN WILHELM WAHLE.
He was the son of a shoemaker and farmer and was born in the year 1794 in Radisleben near Ballenstadt in Anhalt-Bernburg. His father appointed him his successor in his own profession, but the clergyman of the town who recognised the capabilities of young Wahle, taught him Latin.
After his confirmation he was apprenticed to at barber- surgeon in Ballenstadt. During the years of travel, customary at that time he came to Leipsic. Urged by his desire for further education he attended he medical lectures there from 1819 to 183. He became acquainted with Hahnemann and soon became one of his keenest co-workers in the proving of medicines. When Hahnemann went tot settle in Kothen, Whale continued his provings of medicines with such persistence and thoroughness that he acquired an exceptional knowledge of the effects to medicines which gave him a preponderance in the right selection and administration of homoeopathic medicines. Therefore, the confidence of the population of Leipsic in his method of treatment steadily increased. But the allopathic physicians denounced him and induced the Medical Police to take action against him. His friend Dr. Haubold protected him and make him his assistant. For a time they were able to work together, and the number of their patients increased greatly. Then a new law was passed which forbade the appointment of assistants who had not studied and passed their examinations in Leipsic. Owing to this prohibition, although Wahle had received a doctor’s diploma from Allentown (Pennsylvania), his co-operation with a fully qualified medical man in Leipsic, especially as a homoeopath, came to an end. At this period an enquiry came from Rome for a good practical homoeopath, and Dr. Wolf of Dresden recommended Wahle. Thus in 1840 he settled in the “Eternal City,” where he soon, as a successful practitioner, acquired a large following of patients extending to he highest ranks of society. He never complied independent works on a large scale, but published instead numerous essays on medicinal provings and other observations and experiences with received the greatest consideration on account of their accuracy and completeness. During the Italian unrest of 1848, Wahle was kept a prisoner, owing to mistake, for several days. Being innocent, this so much upset him that from that time he became ailing. Although he received the fullest satisfaction, yet his former health never completely returned. Before he could put his plan into execution of seeking to re-establish his health in a German climate he died on April 9th, 1853.
SUPPLEMENT 67
HOMOEOPATHIC PHYSICIAN IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE.
DR. SEBASTIAN GAETAN SALVADOR MAXIME COUNT DES GUIDI.
He was a Knight of the Legion of Honour, Professor of Mathematics at the colleges of Privas, Lyon and Marseilles, formerly Inspector of the universities of Grenoble and Lyon, Doctor of philosophy and medicine. He was the first and oldest homoeopath in France. Born on the 5th of August, 1769 in the castle Quardia, near Caserta (Naples) this broadminded aristocrat placed himself at the head of the revolutionary army, which had been formed against the rulership of the Queen Karoline Marie (a daughter of Maria Theresia) who, since her sister Maria Antoinette of France had been executed, was full of hatred for this country, and suspicious of any kind of movement in favour of liberty. While General of this Army, Des Guidi was taken prisoner, and the English exerted themselves in his favour, but he was expelled from his country and the whole of his property was confiscated. He had now to rely upon the thorough learning acquired during his youth, when he arrived in France as a very poor refugee.
Here, after an examination in 1801 he became Professor of Mathematics, and in 1803 Professor of physics. On the 12th February, 1819, he obtained the degree of doctor of philosophy and on to 21st October, 1820, the degree of Doctor of Medicine at the University of Strassburg. In the year 1828 he took his invalid wife, who had been ailing for twenty years, to the Spa of Puzzuoli, near Naples. The treatment was ineffective, but while there he became acquainted with the homoeopathic physician Romani of Naples. The latter successes in curing des Guidi’s wife. This induced him to study homoeopathic literature and homoeopathy in Romani’s clinic. Later he entered into correspondence with Hahnemann and came into touch with him personally. After his return to Lyon he practised homoeopathy faithfully and eagerly until his death. He accomplished less by his literary work (although his letter to the French physicians has also been translated into German) than by his example nd practical work, He was one of the founders of the homoeopathic hospitals of Paris and Geneva. At the latter city he cured two patents whom Dr. Pierre Dufresne had treated in vain for two years. This won Dufresne had treated in vain for two years. This won Dufresne over to homoeopathy, who then published, together with Peschier, the Homoeopathic Journal “Bibliotheque Homoeopathique de Geneve” (183 to 1844). Dufresne’s son, Edouard Dufresne, induced his teacher, Tessier, to study homoeopathy and thus the latter also became a follower. In the year 1830 des Guidi was he only homoeopath in France. In 183 he had already won over twenty-five physicians to the new science; in 1840 there were fifty, and in 1850 there were even two hundred. When in the year 1866 Napoleon III stayed at Lyon, the ninety-two-years-old man wrote an informal letter to the emperor, demonstrating his full mental abilities; and putting before him the urgent need of spreading homoeopathy.
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