HIS BURIAL
SUPPLEMENT 177
HAHNEMANN IN PARIS
The “Allg. Anzeiger der Deutschen,” published in No.227 of the year 1837, a reprint of a letter from Paris, to which Boenninghausen refers in his letter of November 25the, 1837 (Supplement 141).
This was also reprinted in ‘Volksblatter fur homoopathisches Heilverfahren,” of C. E. Wahrhold, 1838, Vol. III, page 202, and the ‘allg. hom.Ztg.” `1837, vol. XII, page 120. The letter reads:
Since Hahnemann has been living in Paris very little authentic news about him comes to Germany, yet we hope that many of his numerous friends will be pleased to hear a little more in detail about his life and activity in the French capital; therefore the following news will be welcome.
Hahnemann lives at No. I. Rue de Milan, in a beautiful house with comfortable surroundings, such as he always liked. His outward appearance has remained almost unchanged, neither Paris nor old age have left any perceptible marks., Taking all things into consideration we may surmise that his mental and bodily activate will be maintained for a considerable length of time with rare vigor and vitality. It may be difficulty to decide whether his practice is as extensive ease some would as answer, who regret that his advanced age will have to succumb to impracticable exertions, or whether we may believe a calmer section of his followers who state that he has a very select practice, especially among the higher classes,. One thing is certain, and that is, that his waiting-room is always occupied, and the last arrival has frequently to wait for hours for his turn. Hahnemann never curtails that thorough examination of patients so earnestly recommended by himself, so that every individual takes up longer time that is the case in the consulting-room of other physicians. It is noticeable that Hahnemann now visits patients in the city which he could not easily be induced to do before. A regard for his health. which might be endangered no constant sitting is said to brave determined him to o this. The recognition of this greatness by the public is slight, if we take into consideration the appreciation given to his scientific views in general., and to his relation to the homoeopathic medical world in particular. It is relatively of the greatest importance for the contending and disputing parties and tendencies in homoeopathy, that the Founder does not seem at all incline to listen to instructions and additional facts proffered to him with more or less discretion for a along time, by a followers o his doctrines. Hahnemann wishes, firmly and definitely, that we should adhere to the truth not only of his generally accepted fundamental principal’s but also to that which is characteristic of him, that is, the rejection of of told traditional methods, the old pathology, and especially nosology, the protest against treatment based on names of disease, methods and connections in general, which link up with the old school.
This is not the place nor is it my intention to criticize the different parties in homoeopathy, and we must, therefore, pass over the reasons which make him the greatest scientific reformer known to history. We may, however, be permitted to state here that the question is far from being settled by the generally so-called scientific arguments, of which we have begun to have a super-abundance in homoeopathic literature, but the strict, yet not unscientific, procedure of Hahnemann’s fundamental principles, opens the way to an incalculable form of research, the results of which cannot yet be surmised. Unfortunately this partly has only one important representative, m Hahnemann himself: perhaps Boenninghausen may be added. At all events this mall number of adherents is to be regretted and can only be explained by reason of imperfect comprehension, on the part of the physicians, of the tremendous importance of this matter and the enormous difficult in carrying it out.
Hahnemann’ stern zeal for the cause and his opposition to his enemies k is still the same as years go,. On he occasion of a public insulting attack against his former assistant, Jahr, and his small essay,” On the Spirit of homoeopathy” (the sense and spirit Hahnemann’s teachings the psora theory with a word for the times to all the homoeopaths who entirely accept Hahnemann;s system or who only follow it partially, by G. H. G. Jahr. 72 pages, octavo, bound in coloured paper cover, and published in Dusseldorf by J. E. Schaub, price 8 gr.), G. H. G. Jahr, 72 pages, octavo, bound in coloured paper cover, and published in Dussledorf by J. E. Schaub, m price 8 gr.), Hahnemann remarks: “I will not tell him this twaddle in order onto offend him; the little book is excellent and remarkable. G. Griesselich. wishes to make a name for himself by abusing me and me true teaching. He and his assistants think that they can make easy the most difficult of all human sciences, by spoiling it with he old leaven, and to save their lazy followers the trouble of studying and thinking which many homoeopaths already consider superfluous. G. cannot answer for the harm he as already done.”
The continuation of Hahnemann’s “Chronic Diseases,” furnishes a proof of his enduring activity, in the aim which he has pursued for so long. (“chronic Diseases, their peculiar nature and homoeopathic treatment,” by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, 3rd part. ‘Anti-psoric Remedies,” second much amplified and revised edition, 26 sheets in large octavo, vellum. Subscription price 2 thalers 4 g.) This is being compiled by him with great care and diligence even to the minutest details. A glance will suffice to convince of the careful and thoroughly volume which has been recently published. It would be a considerable loss of science (as many seem unwilling to recognize) if Hahnemann were prevented from completing this important work in its second and revised form.
The completion of a plan which already promises to be successful would be of great consequence to Hahnemann’s doctrines that is, the erection o f large hospital in Paris, which would be under his special direction and guidance, and whose physicians would be appointed by him. An opportunity would be found here o verifying on a large scale what has been reported from many isolated districts, about the brilliant results of homoeopathy. Whatever the results might be, science in general could only gain from such an undertaking, and every physician who seeks for truth, whatever the school may be to which he belongs, must earnestly wish that this plan may soon be put into execution.
A VISIT TO HAHNEMANN IN THE YEAR 1839
An American actress, Anna Cora Mowatt, who visited Hahnemann in Paris in 1839, after her return to America in 1840 wrote, among other things, in a series of essays, an account of her visit to Hahnemann, under the nom-de-plume, :”Helen Berkley.”
(“Leipzigr. Pop.Ztg,” 1895, vol. 26, page 62rr):
In the winter of 1839-1840 I paid my first visit to Hahnemann to ask his advice about a friend who was ill. In order to have a consultation as early as possible I took a cab at nine o, clock, and after approximately half-an-hour, the cab-driver stopped but did not descend from his seat. I asked him if we had arrived. he answered, “No, madame; it is not our turn yet; we must wait a little! There Hahnemann’s house,” He said, pointing to a palatial building which was visible some distance away. The house was surrounded buy a massive wall, in the middle of which was an iron gate. Becoming impatient at the delay I leaned out of a carriage-window and saw a long row of carriages in trot of s, which drove one after the other through the gate and came out again as soon as their occupants had descended. This was very annoying to me as I had taken such pains to arrive sufficiently early and now found out that it had all been useless. I saw behind me a similar tow of carriages which increased in number each minute. this I had taken my place in a procession which moved slowly onward to pay homage to this modern AEsculapius.
I had already heard of Hahnemann’s fame, but my faith in his skill was marvellously fortified as I stared behind me and before me, and then at the empty carriage driving away around me. In about twenty minutes the carriage in carriages driving away around me. In about twenty minutes the carriages in which I sat, wondering and waiting, during that time having moved a few paces forward every minute, at last drove briskly through the iron gate around the spacious court, and deposited me, to my own great satisfaction, at the front entrance of Hahnemann;’s magnificent dwelling. Three or four liveried domestics, assembled in a large hall, received the visitors as they alighted, and conducted them to the foot of the wide staircase. At the head of the first flight they were received by a couple more of these bedizened gentlemen, who ushered them into an elegant salon sumptuously furnished, and opening into a number of less spacious apartments.
The salon was occupied by fashionably dressed ladies and gentlemen, children with their nurses, and here and there an invalid reposing on a velvet cough or embroidered ottoman. The unexpected throb, the noisy hum of whispering voices, the laughter of sportive children, and the absence of vacant seats, were somewhat contusing. I entered at the same moment with a lady why with her nurse and child, had alighted from her carriage immediately before me. Probably noticing by bewildered air, and observing that I was a strange, she very courteously turned to me, and said in French :We shall be able to find seats in some other room;permit me to show you the way.”: I thanked her gratefully and followed her. After passing through a suit of thronged apartments, she led the way to a tasteful little bounder, which was only occupied by one or two persons. I knew that the lady who has so kindly acted as my conductors was a person of rank, for I had noticed the coat-of-arms on the panels, of her coach, and remarked that her attendants were clothed in livery. But to met with civility from strangers is of so common an occurrence in France, that her graciousness awakened in me no surprise. I subsequently learned that she has the Countess de R–, a young Italian, who had married a French count of some importance in he Beau monde.
Richard Haehl was also an editor and publisher of the homeopathic journal Allgemcine, and other homeopathic publications.
Haehl was responsible for saving many of the valuable artifacts of Samuel Hahnemann and retrieving the 6th edition of the Organon and publishing it in 1921.
Richard Haehl was the author of - Life and Work of Samuel Hahnemann