History and development of homoeopathy in India- An overview

Dr Sanvi Naik

ABSTRACT– Though homoeopathic system of medicine was established in late 18^th century in Europe, it started flourishing in India during 19^th century. Here is the brief history and development of homoeopathy in India.

In Year 1810

• The homoeopathic system came to be practiced in India.
• German physician and geologist came to India for geological investigation.
• He remained in Bengal for short time and distributed Homoeopathic medicines to the people there.

Dr. John Martin Honigberber

• In 1839, Romanian Dr. Honigberber during his second visit, he was called by the Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore.
• Maharaja was suffering from paralysis of vocal cord with swelling of feet.
• The local physician was unable to cure him.
• treated him with low potency of “Dulcamara’’ in wine
• Maharaja was also impressed when he treated his favourite horse of his leg ulcer.
• Honigberber become chief physician of his court.
• After Maharaja’s death, due to selfishness of local hakims and vaidyas homoeopathy did not get respect there.
• Honigberber shifted to Calcutta. And practiced there up to 1860.
• 1852- published a book “Thirty-five years in east, adventures, discoveries, experiments and historical sketches of Punjab and Kashmir’’.
• happened to go Vienna where he caught cholera infection
• he saved himself by taking ipecac and treated others. He was known as ‘Cholera Doctor’.

Dr. Samuel Brooking

• Year 1836 in Tanjoor, Dr. Samuel Brooking, a retired surgical officer, dispensed homoeopathic medicines to his civilians and army officers.
• He started 25 bedded homoeopathic hospital at Tanjoor
• The judge in Diwanne Adalat of Calcutta, Mr. Edward D’Latour, along with his friend Dr. Tonner accepted this system of medicine.
• They treated 100 cases of cholera. Mortality rate was about 30%.
• This work was published in the “British Medical Journal’’ in July 1854.

Babu Rajendra Lal Dutta

• 1861, a virulent epidemic of malarial fever was raging over lower Bengal.
• Great philanthropist and lay medical person, laid foundation of homoeopathy and practiced homoeopathy with great results.
• He cured Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar of asthma also cured foot gangrene of Maharani of Shorapur.
• He played major role in bringing Dr. Tonner to India.
• He converted many M.D. doctors to homoeopathy one of them was Dr. Mahendra Lal Sircar.

Dr. Mahendra Lal Sircar

• Was so impressed that he gave up his medical degree.
• He started Institute of Cultivation of Science and was instrumental in propagating homoeopathy far and wide in India.
• In 1862- first journal of homoeopathy named “The Calcutta Journal of Medicine’’ was published and edited by him.
• Wrote article “on the supposed uncertainty in medical science and on the relationship between disease and their remedial agent’’- presented at British Medical Association, Calcutta branch.
• Attended the first homoeopathic National Congress Conference under the chairmanship of Dr. C. Hering.

Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College

• Salzar of Vienna was founder of Homeopathic education in India.
• He influenced many people toward homoeopathy, two of them were Dr. P. C. Majumdar and Dr. B. L. Bhaduri.
• Majumdar, Dr. Roy, Dr. B. N. Banerjee and Dr. Younan established first homoeopathic college in India- “Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College’’.
• Dr N.M. Choudhary was principal of the college.
• He wrote first homoeopathic book of Materia Medica in India.

Dr. S.C. Gosh

• S.C. Gosh proved many drugs from Indian herbs.
• used in low potency- gave great results
• Compiled a Book “Drugs of Hindustan”.
• Went unnoticed until 1970-1971, when the Central Council of Research in Indian Medicine And Homoeopathy” (CCRIM&H) unearthed the book.

Sri Lokenath Moitre

• Homoeopathy developed in United Provinces.
• Allahabad and Banaras are the 2 main centers.
• In Banaras, Sri Lokenath Moitre started a free homoeopathic dispensary.
• he treated the civil session judge Mr. Esquire Ironside, he was so impressed that he donated his part of savings to the hospital.

Babu Priyanath Bose

• In august 1869, a Bengali named Babu Priyanath Bose started hospital with an OPD in Allahabad.
• At this center Mr. Motilal Nehru took treatment during his struggle for freedom.
• After that he himself started dispensing medicine for two hours in the morning at “Nehru Museum’’ at Anand Bhavan.

 Father Augustus Muller

• A priest and teacher of a school in Kankanady in Mangalore, started dispensing free homoeopathic drugs.
• There was epidemic of pneumonic plague and Fr. Muller treated most of the people successfully.
• He established a plague and leprosy clinic. And it still exists under the name of “ Joseph Leprosy Hospital’’
• Britishers presented him with the “Kaiser-e-Hind’’ award.
• Muller wrote a book entitled “Twelve tissue remedies”

Degradation of homoeopathy

• As the popularity of homoeopathy started growing in India, there felt a lack of properly trained homoeopaths in the country.
• At this moment, there comes a rise of the bogus institution issuing bogus certificate and quackery in homoeopathy started.
• With their entire unfavorable incident, homoeopathy was locked upon as fraud by the qualified public.
• A group of qualified homoeopaths came forward to control such damaging situation and convinced the members in Central Legislative Assembly to take proper action.

Recognition Of Homoeopathy

• In 1932, the first session of All India Homoeopathic Medical Association(aihma) was held in Calcutta under presidentship of Dr. Younan
• L.A. Miyan Ghais-udidin passed a regulation in Bengal assembly to allow recognition and patronage to homoeopathy.
• The resolution was passed and forwarded to the state government for implementation.
• All India Institute of Homoeopathy, Delhi was formed by the Government of India in the year 1944.
• Dr K. G. Saxena was the founder general secretary of the institution.

Dr. L.D. Dhawale

• In 1944, the government of India set up a 5-member committee with late Dr. L.D. Dhawale being one of its members.
• He requested the government to recognize and allow homoeopathic practice and teaching.
• Wrote a book “Homoeopathic Chikitsa” in Marathi.
• Started 25 bedded hospital in Sion known as “Government Homoeopathic Hospital”.

Council of Homoeopathy

• “Council of Homoeopathy” was established in West Bengal in 1946.
• Homoeopathy was established in other states of India like Orissa, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, etc.
• After independence on 17^th 1948, Shri Satish Chandra Samanta, M.P. (West Bengal), Sri Mohan Lal Saxena, Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramiah, Lata Deshbhandu Gupta, moved a resolution.
• The resolution stated “this assembly is of opinion that homoeopathic system of treatment be recognized by the Indian union and that a general council and a state faculty of homoeopathic medicine be established at once”.
• This resolution was unanimously accepted and government appointed a Homoeopathic Enquiry Committee on 30^th sept 1948.
• In 1952, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, the first Union Health Minister of Independent India appointed Homoeopathic Ad-hoc Committee which functioned up till 1954.
• In 1954, Government of India constituted a Homoeopathic Advisory Committee, this was taken over by the Minister of Health and Secretary.
• K.G.Saxena appointed as first Honorary Homoeopathic Advisor by Government of India.

Bombay act

The Maharashtra act was passed in 1960. It constituted two bodies:

1. Court of examiners (concerned with education and new college)
2. Board of homoeopathy (concerned with the regulation of practice and licensing homoeopathic treatment)

• A homoeopathic pharmacopeia committee was also established in 1961 to lay the standard for homoeopathic drugs.
• B.K.Sarkar was the chairman of this committee.
• In 1969, for the development of Indian system of medicine and homoeopathy (ISM&H) an autonomous council was established.

Homoeopathy Central Council Act 1973

• passed on 19^TH DEC 1973
• This act achieved
• Standardization of education
• Standardization of practice

The government of India has taken steps for development of homoeopathy by establishing the:

1. The Central Council of Homoeopathy (C.C.H.)
2. The Central Council of Research in Homoeopathy (C.C.R.H.)
3. The National Institute of Homoeopathy (N.I.H.)
4. The Homoeopathic Pharmacopeia Laboratory.

The Central Council of Homoeopathy (C.C.H.)

• The basic concept of Indian medicine was different from the fundamentals of homoeopathy hence a separate council of homeopathy was established.
• C.H. constituted for standardizing of course, syllabus and standard of education in homeopathy in India.
• It has power to maintain uniform standards of homoeopathic institutions all over India

The Central Council of Research in Homeopathy (C.C.R.H.)

• Constituted on 30^th march 1978 for Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.
• The union minister of health and family welfare is the president of the governing body and has control on the affairs of the council.
• In 1979, separate Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy started functioning as independent organisation.
• The aim of this council is to encourage research in homoeopathy by constructing scientific projects in this field.

The National Institute of Homeopathy (N.I.H.)

• I.H., an autonomous organization was established on 10^th dec 1975 in Calcutta
• Institute is affiliated to the west Bengal University of Health Sciences.
• It is the one of the largest homoeopathic institutions in the world.

The Homoeopathic Pharmacopeia Laboratory

• The laboratory was established to enforce the standardization, quality control and quality awareness, standardizing the raw material used in the preparation of the homoeopathic medicine in India.
• The laboratory is situated in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.

National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH)

• National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill 2021 was introduced in lok sabha on 9^th august 2021
• Act replaced the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973
• Replaced the National Council of Homoeopathy for regulating homoeopathic education and practice.

REFERENCES: 

1. Diwan Harish Chand. History of Homeopathy in India in the 19th Century. B Jain Pub Pvt Limited; 2008.
2. Nagendra Babu, Dr G. Comprehensive Study of Organon An Attempt to Understand the Organon of Medicine As a Scientific Treatise. Gardners Books; 2009.