Hahnemann

Hahnemann, Christian Friedrich Samuel (1755-1843), the originator of homoeopathic treatment, was born at Meissen. He supported himself while at Leipzig University by teaching and translating, and afterwards studied at Vienna and Erlangen. After practising as a physician for about ten years at Dresden and other places, he in 1789 began to devote himself to chemical research. While living near Leipzig he experimented on himself with Peruvian bark, with the result that he began to be led towards the conclusions on which he subsequently based his medical system. After six years of experiment he published in 1796 his essay on A New Principle for Ascertaining the Curative Properties of Drugs. He was prosecuted by the State for illegal dispensing, but held his ground at Leipzig till 1821, when he was finally driven out by the apothecaries. He now resided for some years at Kothen under the patronage of the duke, but in 1835 he settled at Paris after having married a Frenchwoman as his second wife. In spite of their author's persecution, his doctrines made great progress in public opinion, patients coming for treatment from all countries. Hahnemann was the author of a book on preventive measures entitled The Friend of Health (1792). His statue was erected at Leipzig in 1851, where also a book on his life and works by Albrecht was published in 1875.