Homeopathy is also relatively popular throughout South America, especially in Brazil and Argentina. Homeopathy has become a bit of a legend in Argentina because its greatest hero in the 19th century, General San Martin, was known to carry a homeopathic medicine kit when he travelled.
Homeopathy is also quite popular in Mexico there are five homeopathic medical colleges, including two in Mexico City.
Homeopathy in America
At the turn of the century there were over 20 homeopathic medical schools in America, including Boston University, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, and Hahnemann College in Philadelphia. There were also over 100 homeopathic hospitals and over 1,000 homeopathic pharmacies. In 1900 homeopathy was more popular in America than anywhere else in the world.14
However, as the result of a concerted effort by the American Medical Association and the drug companies, homeopathy went into a sharp decline. By the 1950s there were less than 200 homeopathic physicians.
Although homeopathy in America is presently lagging behind the rest of the world, Americans hate being second to anybody. Lucky for us all, homeopathy is growing at an extraordinary rate. According to the F.D.A., sales of homeopathic medicines grew by 1,000% from the late 1970s to the early 1980s.15 According to the Washington Post, the number of physicians in the United States who specialize in homeopathy doubled from 1980 to 1982.16
In the past two years homeopathy has received more media coverage than it has in the past 50 years. More research on homeopathy has also stimulated its growth, and more and more new books have been published that have updated old homeopathic knowledge.
Homeopathy may be more popular in other countries, but because America is just waking up to homeopathy's impressive healing potential, we can all expect a tremendous resurgence of this marvelous healing art and science.
REFERENCES
1Suzanne Muchnic, "Van Gogh Painting Sells at Record $82.5 Million," Los Angeles Times, May 16, 1990.
2F. Bouchayer, "Alternative Medicines: A General Approach to the French Situation," Complementary Medical Research, May, 1990, 4(2)4-8.
3Poll I.F.O.P., February, 1989.
4"Medecines douches: La revanche de l'homeopathie," Le Nouvel Observateur, April 12, 1985, 36-41.
5"Herbal and Homoeopathic Remedies: Enhanced Status for Alternative Medicines," OTC News and Market Report, July, 1990.
6Richard Wharton and George Lewith, "Complementary Medicine and the General Practitioner," British Medicine Journal, 292, June 7, 1986, 1498-1500.
7David Taylor Reilly, "Young Doctors' Views on Alternative Medicine," British Medical Journal, 287, July 30, 1983, 337-339.
8"Take a Little of What Ails You," The Times, November 13, 1989.
9Lynn Payer, Medicine and Culture, New York: Holt, 1988.
10"Herbal and Homoeopathic Remedies."
11Berlin Journal on Research in Homoeopathy, Universitatsklinikum Steglitz, 1000 Berlin, Germany.
12"National Congress on Homoeopathy and Drug Abuse," New Delhi, India, Sponsored by the Foundation for Medical Research and Education and the Dehli Police Foundation for Correction, Deaddiction and Rehabilitation, March 16-18, 1990.
13"A First for Homoeopathy in USSR," Homoeopathy Today, Winter, 1987-88, 17-20. Also, a personal report from Yuri Sidorenko.
14Dana Ullman, Homeopathy: Medicine for the 21st Century, Berkeley: North Atlantic Books, 1988.
15"Riding the Coattails of Homeopathy," FDA Consumer, March, 1985, 31.
16Ann Chase, "Options: Homeopathy," Washington Post, April 28, 1983, 31.
HOW DO I LEARN MORE ABOUT HOMEOPATHY?
The best source of homeopathic books, tapes, home medicine kits, and software is:
Homeopathic Educational Services
2124B Kittredge St.
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 649-0294
(510) 649-1955 (fax)