In the United States, and in other young coun tries, lionaropathy has been most active. Dr. Hans B. Grain, a native of Boston, educated at Copenhagen, first began the practice of honne• opathy in New York City. The novel method was adopted by many, and many bee:fine earnest advocates of the system. Later. and about the same time, there came into notice men and women, generally and very largely of the laity, who, without knowledge of disease or of science, began to report cures with the aid of 11(111'1(1411 1m t hie 'remedies.' Domestic pra et ice was so easy, by means of a cabinet of phials filled with globules and a book giving complete instruction for the use of homompathie medicines as adapted to any symptoms, without the need of a diagnosis of disease, that the new cult grew rapidly. Soon there came from over the sea nun who had learned the science and art from Hahnemann and his associates. and as a help to the more perfect understanding of this way, the first honneopathie college was established at IlelltOW11, Pa., in the year 1835. Mille the converts to lionneripathy have never been silbjeeted to posithe repressive legislation, yet they have been buffeted by the same storm of opposition as greeted their brethren in other lands. In order that the cause might be strengthened and physicians record progress, the publication of the American Journal of Itwmeopathy was begun in 1835. The American Institute of 1-1om(copathy, the oldest national medical association in the country. was organized in 1814, though there were already societies in the States of Pennsylvania, New' York, rind :Massa ehusetts. The existence of most of the local societies is mainly due to the suggestion and fostering care of the .,‘Inerican Institute, to which they annually report.
In 1900 there were in the United States about. 15.000 homieopathie physicians, and aliout eigh teen medical in which homompathie therapeutics are taught. Considering its age, is especially rich in theoretical and practical literature. The most exhaustive work on any division of the subject.is the Enryclopu•din of the late Prof. T. F. Allen, 31.D.. of New York City. Every department of medicine has been treated by homompathic au thors. Perhaps the chief factor in the spread of homoeopathy in this country, especially in the hewer portions of the Western States, is the equality of all schools of medicine and all quali fied practitioners before the law. For many years hormeopathists in this country taught only therapeutics and practice, and as a result all the earlier, and for many years most of the well equipped, native American physicians were graduates of the regular school. Finally, homeo
pathic medical schools were established, in which all the branches of medicine were taught, and the inexplicable terms 'homeopathic surgeon' and 'homoeopathic obstetrician' came into use. The influence of the school has been waning for some years. In 1883 the flahnemannian Monthly said: few years ago the editors of the New York Medical Times dropped from the title of their journal the distinctive word `Homeo pathic'; now they boldly urge the renunciation of the word as applied to our school of medicine. If we are emancipated from the thraldom of sect, we shall not only save our school from im minent dissolution, but shall also become an in tegral part of the medical profession of the day, honored as true, broad, liberal, progressive phy sicians. But if we cling to a name which by no means represents the catholicity and spirit of the new school, we are doomed to annihilation." In the large cities of the Eastern States, great numbers of graduates of homeopathic medical schools have taken courses of study in post-graduate departments of regular medical colleges, and afterwards, while retaining the term homeopathic, practice medicine principally ac cording to the regular principles, using `old school' drugs in 'old-school' dosage. The editor of the New York Medical Times (homeopathic) asserted that there are only two 'pure' hommo pathie practitioners in that city.
Whether due to its influence or not, since the advent of homeopath}- the repulsiveness in taste and appearance as well as the size of the dose of old-school remedies have been greatly modi fied ; and in a vast number of cases suggestion and encouragement together, perhaps, with placebos, have taken the place of active medi cinal treatment, and natural recuperative power has worked the cure. It is certainly true that without the resort to and adoption of regular 'old-school' remedies homeopathy would have died out except among those who love mystery and prefer magic to medicine. Few and rare to day are the practitioners who adhere to the po tentization tenets of Hahnemann, or who are content to treat symptoms in ignorance of the disease present.
The terms 'allopathy' and 'allopathic' came in to use after the invention of the words 'home opathy' and 'honmopathie,' and were used by the adherents of the new school in designating the old school and its practitioners, through a mis taken idea. The terms are etymologically incor rect. See HAHNEMANN.