Madison Cat Clinic, Inc.

Classical Homeopathy

    Homeopathy was started 200 years ago by a German doctor, Samuel Hahneman. Dr. Hahneman wondered why quinine was useful in treating malaria. He noticed that the symptoms of quinine toxicity were similar to the disease of malaria. Having studied the "Law of Similars" or "like cures like" in medical texts, he wondered if quinine cured malaria because of it's similarity to malaria. He, being a healthy person, took quinine. It produced in him the symptoms of malaria (temporarily). In homeopathy, this is considered a "proving". He, along with his colleagues and friends, went on to prove many other substances.

    Dr. Hahneman also discovered that by making the dose of the substance small (a process of mixing and diluting), more healing properties of the substance were unlocked. Homeopathic medicines are "small doses", so small that during the process of mixing and diluting to make the medicines, all original molecules of the substances are diluted out. What is left is a healing essence of the original substance. So, the symptoms of the proving of the medicine are matched to the symptoms of the patient. If the remedy is similar (the "simillimum") and the patient is curable, the patient, under the influence of the remedy at the appropriate dose and for the appropriate amount of time, will proceed to cure.

    Hundreds of substances have been homeopathically proven. Examples are minerals (sulphur, silica, table salt), plants (pulsatilla or windflower, phytolacca or pokeweed), and animal substances (some toxins or venoms--remember, no molecules of the substance!). Homeopathic medicines are NEVER used on sick patients if they have not been proven on healthy people! (Side effect--no animals suffer to test medicines!)

    According to Dr. Hahneman, the "highest ideal of cure is the rapid, gentle and permanent restoration of health". When the diseased individual is given a similar remedy, the life force of the patient is able to recognize the disease and attempt to dislodge it. This is usually noted as a return of some symptoms of the disease in a milder form, as symptoms are the path to healing (dislodging) the disease.

    Treatment of each patient is very individualized. For example, if there are ten patients with diarrhea, they may each end up with a different medicine, based on the symptoms that are characteristic to each patient.

    While simple in theory, this process requires skill and careful prescribing, especially in chronic conditions. Homeopathy has the potential to cure many diseases and conditions that animals face.

    At Madison Cat Clinic, Inc. Classical Homeopathy offers another approach for solving medical problems.