Homoeopathy. Speech at the Edinburgh Medico-Chirurgical Society; notes on the peculiar theological opinions of some of Hahnemann's disciples; and remarks on the alleged law, "similia similibus curantur" etc., etc / by James Y. Simpson.

  • Simpson, James Young, 1811-1870.
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Homoeopathy. Speech at the Edinburgh Medico-Chirurgical Society; notes on the peculiar theological opinions of some of Hahnemann's disciples; and remarks on the alleged law, "similia similibus curantur" etc., etc / by James Y. Simpson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    same time, in adopting this step, the colleges and societies have so far discharged their duty to the profession and the public, by at last testifying before them, in what light the leading medical bodies view the creed and principles of the homoeopathists. To ask men holding that creed, and practising upon these principles, to dissoci- ate themselves from our medical colleges and societies, is certainly no more an act of injustice than it would be for a Christian Church to remove from its communion, those who held the creed and prac- tised the principles of Mohammedism, or Buddhism, or of any other extreme and exclusive religious heresy. With the opinions which the medical societies and colleges have formed of homoeopathy, they were as much bound to dissociate from them the followers of Hahne- mann, as they would be bound to dissociate from them the followers of Morrison, Coffin, St John Long, or of any other extreme and exclusive medical heresy.^ Nay, should not the expressed doctrines and published tenets of Hahnemann on this point have led the homoeopathists to take this step themselves, and of their own accord, instead of forcing so disagreeable a duty upon the Colleges ? In one of the following pages, I have incidentally stated that the religious Mormonite doctrines of Joseph Smith, and the medical homoeopathic doctrines of Samuel Hahnemann, were two heresies which were both extending; ^ but that was no evidence of the value of either. This observation, however just as regards the pros- pects of homoeopathy among the very rich, but always very cre- dulous and very dupable, people of England, does not seem to hold equally true with regard to the latter course and history of homoeopathy on the Continent of Europe. At least in Bradshaw's ' The Royal College of Physicians of London have not passed any formal general resolutions on the subject of homoeopathists; but lately, on an application for its license or degree of Doctor of Medicine being made by a homoeopathic practitioner, the College, through its President, Dr Paris, answered as follows:— Sir,—The foundation of the Royal College of Physicians was for the purpose of guaranteeing to the public skilful and safe practitioners. The College of Pliysicians regard the so-called homoeopathists aa neither skilful nor safe practitioners. There- fore the College cannot, without betraying a sacred trust, give its license to persons whom they regard as wholly unworthy their confidence, and with whom it is not pos- sible they can hold any communion.—I remain, yours, &c., John Atrton Paris. See Ln.nr.et Dec. 27, 1851, p. 609. ' On the rapid and recent extension of Mormonism ( the only State Church in America), see an interesting volume, entitled The Mormons, or Latter-Day f'liiiits, lately published in the Illustrated National Library.