The 8 Methods
Classical Hahnemannian
The original single-remedy, minimum-dose method founded by Hahnemann, based on the totality of symptoms and the law of similars.
History & Origins
Founded by Samuel Hahnemann in the late 18th century after his translation experiments with Cinchona. Codified in the Organon of the Medical Art, it remains the root method from which most later schools descend.
Core Principles
One remedy at a time, selected on the totality of characteristic symptoms (mental, emotional, general, particular), administered in the minimum dose; potency and repetition adjusted to the individual's sensitivity and the pace of the disease.
Case-Taking Approach
Detailed case taking over 1-2 hours, eliciting the patient's chief complaint, modalities, generals, mentals, and peculiar symptoms; the prescription follows the simillimum rather than a disease label.
Strengths & Best Uses
Clear, reproducible methodology; well-suited to both acute and chronic prescribing; minimal suppression; strong theoretical foundation.
References & Further Reading
Hahnemann S. Organon of the Medical Art, 6th ed. Birdcage Books; O'Reilly W. (ed). The Organon by Samuel Hahnemann.
Case Studies from Classic Literature
Detailed case studies drawn from the works of Kent, Boericke, and Hahnemann. Each entry includes the full narrative and a link to its public-domain source.
Hahnemann's Cinchona self-experiment and the birth of the simillimum
Hahnemann's translation of William Cullen's Materia Medica led him to test Cinchona (Peruvian bark) on himself. He took repeated doses and observed that the symptoms produced in the healthy prover — intermittent fever, paroxysms, and prostration — closely mirrored the disease the bark was used to treat. From this he reasoned that a substance which can produce a set of symptoms in a healthy person can cure a similar set of symptoms in a sick person: the law of similars. This single self-experiment became the empirical foundation of the entire Hahnemannian method. The case illustrates the classical principle that the simillimum is matched to the totality of characteristic symptoms, not to a disease label, and that the proving is the indispensable tool for knowing a remedy's action.
Aconite in sudden croup after fright: a Hahnemannian acute simillimum
A previously well child developed a dry, barking croup within hours of a frightful episode in a cold dry wind, with marked fear and restlessness. The picture was sudden, violent, and post-shock — the classic Aconite totality. A single dose of Aconitum napellus 30C settled the cough and terror overnight. The case demonstrates the Hahnemannian match of an acute simillimum to a sudden, violent, post-shock picture, given early in the acute and not repeated once improvement began. It also illustrates the principle of waiting for the remedy to act rather than repeating by the clock.
This website is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a qualified homeopath or healthcare professional before using any remedies.