Homeopathy vs. Allopathy

In this modern, "treat the symptoms, not the cause" way of medicine, people rarely think of homeopathy as a true, orthodox way of healing, but people rarely know the historical facts related to the rise and fall of homeopathy, and the ongoing political and economical battle between alternative healing and allopathy, or modern orthodox methods. Homeopathy originated, formally, in 1810, with the publication of the Organon of Medicine, by the German physician Samuel Christian Hahnemann. Hahnemann was dissatisfied by the, then popular, practices of heroic medicine and became interested in the experimental, natural and spiritual aspects of healing. Hahnemann invented a method for precisely diluting remedies, which actually maximized their effectiveness, thus creating homeopathy. Hahnemann became popular in Europe, promoting many allopathic physicians to follow his theory and give up their own practice.

Homeopathy was introduced on United States soil in 1825 by Dr. Hans Burch Gram, giving way to a Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia a few years later. The American Institute of Homeopathy, which was founded in 1844, became the first medical society in the United States. They had success over allopaths, especially during the cholera epidemic in the Midwestern United States, that earned them prestige and wealth. Politics were a great part of the battle between homeopaths and allopaths. Enraged "orthodox" physicians began a political fight and started to secure seats in legislation that would help them exclude "unorthodox" practitioners from the medical mainstream. At this time, allopaths made some political gain, including making laws to fine practitioners that were not licensed under the "regular" doctors' standards. These laws were challenged by the Popular Health Movement, which, in the late 1840's overturned almost all the rules recently made by allopaths, and gained control of legislature.

During this ongoing fight, the American Medical Association (AMA) was formed, and proved to be a powerful organization of allopaths. The AMA began creating new rules, gaining ground politically, and making laws to refuse homeopaths' admission into medical societies. Many allopaths were banned from the society if they had any relation to a homeopath, whether personal or work-related. Soon after the AMA was formed, the accomplishments of the Popular Health Movement became no longer powerful or important, especially when narcotics and alcohol began being used in hospitals and practices. These powerful treatments of symptoms could make patients feel better, thus creating trust and respect for allopaths.

After the powerful drug inventions of this period, homeopathy began its rapid decline. Americans lost their faith in the medicine, and began to need the drugs of the allopathic physicians' world. As for the allopaths, they are steadily on the rise, through new technology, and the ignorance of consumers, and new synthetic versions of active plant chemicals are being invented. These all may seem like great investments of money and time, but in all reality, allopaths are still treating symptoms, not curing diseases, they are still taking out so-called "useless" organs, and feeding people antibiotics for illnesses that don't require them.