Vol. 21 No. 1 February 2001

It is often written that James Tyler Kent (1847-1916) was the person principally, if not solely, responsible for infusing homœopathy with metaphysical ideas to such an extent it created a sect within homœopathy rich in irrationality.This is not true, there were several early homœopaths to blame for this trend – even Constantine Hering (1800-1880) was in the vanguard, as the material in this issue of Homœopathica on Hering’s Law shows.

It is important to be clear that homœopathy is not a system of medicine with a set of beliefs unconfirmed, and uncomfirmable, by conventional science; it is a branch of medicine which has a unique method of selecting remedies, and its own materia medica. Homœopathy does not require belief in the vital force, miasms, Hering’s Law, etc, for its viability – this stuff should be shed as soon as possible.

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONAS
In the previous issue, November 2000, the overview of the book Homœopathy: A Critical Appraisal mentions in several places Dr Wayne B. Jonas, unfortunately disguising him with the surname Jones. Please, therefore, alter Jones to Jonas on pages 3 and 4.

ELIZABETH WRIGHT HUBBARD (1896-1967)
I have been asked if I reprint talks by Dr Wright Hubbard because I endorse her ways of prescribing and think she should be copied. No, I rarely agree with her, but find her thought-provoking: Why 2c for Carboneum sulphuratum, 60M for Anthracinum? Would patients have done as well on 30c? Did the Cyprepedium and Phellandrium patients look like plants? (See pages 16,17.)

Bruce Barwell