HOMCEOPATHY, 
• * 
WHAT IS IT? 
A STATEMENT AND REVIEW 
—OF— 
Its Doctrines Practice. 
—BY— 
A. B. PALMER, M. D., LL. D., 
Professoi of Pathology and Practice of Medicine in the College of Medicine and Surgery in the 
University of Michigan. — 
SECOND EDITION. 
1881. 
DETROIT, MICH,, U. S. A.: GEO. S. DAVIS, MEDICAL PUBLISHER. ADVERTISEMENT. 
HOMOEOPATHY, What Is It? A statement and review of 
its doctrines and practice by A. B. Palmer, M. D., IT,. 
I)., Professor of Pathology and Practice of Medicine in 
the College of Medicine in the University of Michigan. Since 
the first edition of this little book was given to the public, 
about one year ago, the subject of homoeopathy has attracted 
much attention—more attention, probably, than at any time in 
the history of the existence of that school in medicine. It is 
the opinion of its author that the work of disintegration of the 
homoeopathic system has begun, and that during this time its 
general demoralization has gone on more rapidly, perhaps, 
than at any preceding time. 
It is the opinion of Dr. Palmer that the reason for the 
present rapid destruction of the system founded by Hahne- 
mann is not so much what has been said by its opponents, as 
the result of its own inherent weakness, and the general ad- 
vancement of knowledge among all classes on scientific sub- 
jects. The present work, however, and one or two others in 
the English language, and one by a well-known author (Prof. 
Juergensen) in the German, have doubtless done much to 
draw general attention more distinctly to the subject. The 
recent events connected with the illness of Lord Beacons- 
field, in which one of the most prominent reputed Iiouheo- 
pathists of England denied his exclusive adherence to the 
system, and declared his readiness to adopt any measures in 
the case which a regular consulting physician should advise, 
certainly point to a breaking down of the barriers erected by 
the dogmas of Hahnemann, and a return to the broad ground 
of scientific medicine; and in the opinion of the author it 
‘shows a state of things within the homoeopathic fraternity 
which foretells its dissolution, if logic or consistency shall have 
any force.” 
George S. Davis. 26 
HOMCEOPATHY, WHAT IS IT? 
cork as the operation proceeds. These manipulations are to 
be conducted thus through all the vials, from the first up to 
the thirtieth, or decillionth development of power, which is the 
one in most general use.” 
With regard to solids, he adds on the same page, “these 
were, in the first place, exalted in energy by the attenuation in 
the form of power by the means of trituration in a mortar (in 
sugar) to the third or millionth degree. Of this, one grain was 
then dissolved and brought through twenty-seven vials by a 
process similar to that employed in the case of vegetable juices 
up to the thirtieth development of power.” 
On page 207 of the same work, the same founder of the 
system says: “The best mode of administration is to make 
use of small globules of sugar the size of mustard seed; one of 
these globules having imbibed the medicine, and being intro- 
duced into a vehicle, forms a dose containing about a "three- 
hundredth part of a drop of the dilution, for three hundred 
such globules will imbibe one drop of alcohol, by placing one 
of these on the tongue, and not drinking anything after it,” 
* * * and then he adds: “But if the patient is very sensi- 
tive, and it is necessary to employ the smallest dose possible, 
and attain at the same time the most speedy results, it will be 
sufficient to let’him smell once.” 
Ur. Hempel (Mat. Med., vol. 1, page 92,) says: “In order 
to obtain good Homoeopathic preparations, follow Hahne- 
mann’s rules as closely as may be possible and convenient,” 
even in the mode of trituration, etc. 
Dr. Rau, in his Homoeopathic Organon, American transla- 
tion, page 120, says: “One grain of the solid and one drop of 
the liquid substance, is mixed with ninety-nine grains of the 
sugar of milk, and triturated for one hour in a porcelain mor- 
tar with a porcelain pestle. * * * After an hour’s tritura- 
tion we obtain the first trituration. The second trituration is 
prepared by triturating one grain of the first trituration with 
an additional ninety-nine grains of sugar of milk. The third 
by triturating one grain of the second in a similar manner. 
Of this third we mix one grain with 100 drops of alcohol or 
water, and by shaking the mixture a number of times, obtain ITS DOCTRINES AND PRACTICI- 
the fourth dilution. Every successive dilution is obtained by 
mixing in a similar manner, one drop of the preceding dilution 
with ninety-nine drops of alcohol.” 
In the first dilution of one grain of the medicine with 
ninety-nine of sugar or alcohol, one grain of the mixture con- 
tains of a grain of the crude medicine. One grain or drop 
of this first is added to the next vial, thus forming the second 
dilution. A grain or drop of the medicine will contain j-J-j- 
part of TJ0, which is i5-J0u part of a grain. The third dilu- 
tion contains 1(1MI part of the second, and one grain of that 
contains , .llTf-}ril olr part of a grain of the medicine. The fourth 
contains , J (( parts of the third, which would be j „ ff.TToirrow 
The fifth, nr.inro.i-oo.offo* and s<) 011 up to the thirtieth, dimin- 
ishing in this rapid geometrical progression—the denominator 
of the fraction representing each succeeding dilution being 
multiplied bv 100, each one all the way through being 100 
times less than the one just preceding; so that at the thirtieth 
dilution, a unit with sixty ciphers for a denominator, and a 
unit for the numerator, expresses the quantity of medicine, or 
the part ot a grain which at that dilution is contained in a 
drop, '(’his is the fraction: 
1 
i, 000, oooiooo,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. 
A drop of alcohol containing this part of a grain is to 
moisten three hundred sugar globules. The alcohol evapo- 
rates, leaving that fraction of a grain in the globules, and one 
of these globules is the dose. 
The quantity of liquid required to dilute the whole of a 
simple grain to the thirtieth degree may be arrived at mathe- 
matically by taking another view from the data presented in 
the language of Hahnemann and Rau. 
When using the medicine at the thirtieth dilution, all the 
intermediate vials are discarded. If all, however, were used 
and brought to this dilution—if none were discarded, and the 
whole ultimately elaborated—a thing impossible except in 
theory, it would be as follows: 
For the first dilution 100 drops of alcohol would be used. 
For the second, 100 times as many,which wrould be to,000 drops, Pages 28-29 missing homceopathy, what is it ? 
declaring (see page 62), that “it holds good, and will continue to hold 
good as a homoeopathic therapeutic maxim, not to be refused by any 
experience in the world, that THE best dose of the properly selected 
remedy is always the very smallest one in one of the high dynamiza- 
tions (X or the 30th dilution) as well for chronic as for acute diseases.’’ 
Now, this 30th dilution, which Hahnemann thus asserts as indubitably 
“ the best dose" of all drugs for chronic or acute diseases, consists of a 
decillionth of a grain of the drugs used; or, in other words, it consists 
of a minute globule of sugar, moistened by being ‘simply dipped in a drop out 
of an ocean of fluid one hundred and forty billions (140,000,000,000,000) 
times as large as our whole planetary system, and which enormous ocean 
has been medicated for the purposes of homoeopathy, by having dissolved and 
mixed through it one single grain of the appropriate drug." 
Dr. Simpson adds : 
“Surely common sense and common sanity both dictate to the 
human mind that it is utterly impossible that any such dose, from 
any such an inconceivable ocean, medicated by a single grain of any 
drug dissolved and mixed in it, can have any possible medicinal effect 
upon the human body, either in a state of health or in a state of disease; 
and,—looking at these and the numerous and diversified facts; confirm- 
atory in all respects of the same view, which have been already 
stated in the preceding pages, we cannot but conclude with a writer 
whom the homceopathists themselves regard as the mildest and fairest 
among their opponents, namely, Dr. Forbes, that in rejecting' homoeo- 
pathy, we are discarding what is at once false and bad—useless to 
THE SUFFERER—AND DEGRADING TO THE PHYSICIAN.” 
Possibly we cannot deny the credit [?] of originality to 
Hahnemann, for insisting upon the efficacy of infinitesimal 
doses; and yet Cervantes in his inimitable sarcasm on Knight- 
errantry—in the third chapter of Don Quixote, says: 
“In the plains and deserts where Knight-errants fought 
and were wounded, no aid was near, unless they had some sage 
enchanter for their friend, who could give them immediate 
assistance by conveying in a cloud through the air some damsel 
or dwarf, with a vial of water, possessed of such efficacy, that 
upon tasting a single drop of it, they should instantly become 
as sound as if they had received no injury.” 
Many of the statements of Hahnemann and his followers 
are very much after this style—are indeed quite as marvelous. 
In the case of the “ Sage enchanters,” unearthly powers were HOM'KOl'A I HVj WHAT IS IT? 
Opinions of the Press. 
Wc are very glad to notice a second edition of Prof. Palmer's 
“ Homoeopathy, What Is It?” We know of no book more worthy of 
circulation as a tract by the profession.—Philadelphia Medical Times. 
It should be read by every practitioner.—Southern Medical Record. 
It is a masterly review of the Hahnemann system, and has doubt- 
less had much effect in overthrowing the faith of many of its followers. 
—Ijouisville Medical iVews. 
The most condensed picture of homoeopathy that we know of, to- 
gether with the most unanswerable arguments establishing its fallacy.— 
Pacific Medical and Surgical Journal. 
All that is necessary to secure the complete downfall of homiEo- 
pathy is to have the masses understand the absurdities, and for that 
purpose Dr. Palmer's book answers admirably.—Kansas Medical Index. 
That this little volume has in the short space of one year attained 
its second edition, is an evidence not only of the masterly dissertation 
and exhaustive expos6 of its distinguished author, but also of the 
interest manifested by the public and the medical profession in an 
absurdity now rapidly fading under the broad glare of truth. — Southern 
Practitioner. 
All who have a desire to learn something about hormeopathy should 
read this book.—Am.rican Medical Journal. 
Every regular practitioner of medicine should carefully read, study 
and remember the facts and inevitable conclusions which Dr. Palmer 
brings out in this little book, which gives a fair representation of the 
views of the exclusive Hahnemann school of practice. He reduces the 
arguments of the advocates of homoeopathy to an argumeutum ad ab- 
surdum.— Virginia Medical Monthly. 
We have no doubt but that this little brochure has effected consider- 
able good, and would urge upon all our readers the importance of read- 
ing it.—Nashville Journal of Medicine and Surgery. 
Dr. Palmer’s work is readable and we commend it to all.—Southern 
Clinic. 
We beg leave to acknowledge the receipt of the above work from the 
publishers. Recent treatment of the subject by prominent societies ami HOMlEOPATHY, WHAT IS IT ? 
individuals—for example, the action of Sir Wm. Jenner and Dr. Quain 
in the case of the late Earl of Beaconsfield with the action of the British 
Medical Association in the premises ; the reference to the subject in the 
new code adopted by the New York State Medical Society ; the article by 
Dr. Palmer in the March number of the North American Review, etc.— 
attach additional interest to “ Homoeopathy, What Is It?” at this time.— 
Canada Lancet, August, 1882. 
Every regular practitioner of medicine should carefully read, study 
and remember the facts and inevitable conclusions which Dr. Palmer 
brings out in this little book, which gives a fair representation of the 
views of the exclusive Hahnemann school of practice. He reduces the 
arguments of the advocates of homoeopathy to an argumentum ad absur- 
dum.— Virginia Medical Monthly, February, 1882. 
That this little volume has in the short space of one year attained its 
second edition, is an evidence not only of the masterly dissertation and 
exhaustive expos6 of its distinguished author, but also of the interest 
manifested by the public and the medical profession in an absurdity now 
rapidly fading under the broad glare of truth.—Southern Practitioner, 
April, 1882. 
Should like to have every family where there exists any symptom of 
homoeopathy, possess a copy of Dr. Palmer’s book. * * * Physi- 
cians, too, will be benefited. * * * All that is necessary to secure 
the complete downfall of homoeopathy, is to have the masses understand 
its absurdities, and for the purpose, Dr. Palmer’s book answers admira- 
bly.—A’ ansas Medical Index, April, 1882. 
We welcome the second edition as an indication that readers have 
found in it what they sought. It is a masterly review of Hahnemann’s 
system, and has, doubtless, had much effect in overthrowing the crude 
faith of many of his followers.—Louisville Medical News, April 1, 1882. 
Have no doubt but that this little brochure has effected considerable 
good, and would urge upon all our readers the importance of reading it. 
—Nashville Journal of Medicine and Surgery, April, 1882. 
The clearest, the most impartial, and the most condensed picture of 
homoeopathy that we know of.—Pacific Medical and Surgical Journal, 
March, 1882. 
Dr. Palmer’s work is readable, and we commend it to all.—Southern 
Clinic, March, 1882.