The Chronic Diseases: Their Peculiar Nature and Their Homoeopathic Cure
by Samuel Hahnemann • 1755–1843
Hahnemann's mature account of chronic disease, followed by the proving records of his antipsoric medicines.
About Samuel Hahnemann
Samuel Hahnemann, MD (1755–1843) founded homeopathy and continued revising its theory and materia medica throughout his life. The Chronic Diseases belongs to his later work, when he was trying to explain why some long-standing illnesses relapsed despite apparently well-selected remedies.
The work combines doctrine, case interpretation, pharmacy, and materia medica. Its historical terminology should be read in the context of early 19th-century medicine.
About The Chronic Diseases: Their Peculiar Nature and Their Homoeopathic Cure
The Chronic Diseases: Their Peculiar Nature and Their Homoeopathic Cure first appeared in five German volumes from 1828 to 1830. The corpus used here follows Louis H. Tafel's 1896 translation of the enlarged 1835 German edition, with annotations by Richard Hughes and editing by Pemberton Dudley.
After the theoretical discussion of chronic disease and the miasms, the work presents the medicines Hahnemann associated with chronic treatment. Their entries retain extensive numbered proving symptoms and source notes.
For materia medica study, its special value is the early record of the antipsoric remedies and the way Hahnemann connected their proving symptoms with chronic prescribing.
Best for
- Primary study of Hahnemann's antipsoric medicines
- Historical study of chronic-disease and miasmatic theory
- Tracing numbered proving symptoms and their sources
- Comparing Hahnemann's early and later materia medica
Frequently asked questions
What does The Chronic Diseases contain?
It contains Hahnemann's theory of chronic disease and miasms, practical directions, and detailed proving records for the medicines he used in chronic treatment.
Which edition is represented here?
The corpus follows Louis H. Tafel's 1896 English translation of Hahnemann's enlarged second German edition of 1835, annotated by Richard Hughes.
Is it only a materia medica?
No. It begins with a substantial theoretical and practical work. The searchable remedy pages represent its medicine entries, while the corpus provenance preserves their place in the complete edition.
All remedies in this book
49 remedies — jump to a letter or scroll the list.