Grace Hensley

HOMEOPATHY COURSES IN INDIA Homeopathy came to India in 1810 when some German physicians and missionaries came to Bengal. These missionaries started distributing homoeopathic remedies. Dr. John Martin Honigberger was the first person to have brought homeopathy and the name of Hahnemann to India. The ruler of Punjab of that era, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, got impressed by him when he treated his favorite horse of its bad leg ulcers. In1835, he went to Paris and met Dr. Hahnemann. From there, he bought a large quantity of homoeopathic medicines from Hahnemann's Pharmacist, Lehmann of Kohen. In his subsequent visit to India, in the year 1839, he treated Maharaja Ranjit for paralysis of vocal cords and oedema. After that, Dr. Hornberger later went to Calcutta and started practice there. This royal support helped the system to have its roots in India. Current Scenario of Homeopathy in India Currently, there are around 186 homeopathic medical colleges in India. About 35 are government paper writing services, rest are managed by private bodies. Now, homeopathy is the third most popular method of healing in India, after Allopathy and Ayurveda. As per an estimate, there are about quarter million homeopaths in India. And nearly 10,000 new homeopaths add to this number every year. The legal status of homeopathy in our country is very much at par with the conventional medicine. Homeopaths basically treat patients by stimulating the body’s own healing powers with natural remedies only. This treatment is based on the idea that ‘like cures like’ – that substances which cause symptoms can, in very small amounts, be used to cure or ease them. Homeopaths know that the body, mind and emotions are not distinctive but are actually fully integrated. Based on this outlook, homeopaths seek natural remedies which are applicable for a patient’s physical and psychological symptoms.