The International Hahnemannian Association (IHA)
(1880-1959) |
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The International Hahnemannian Association (IHA) existed from 1880 to 1959. Their members had set themselves the task to preserve Hahnemann's homoeopathy, to develop it further and to perfect the practice of this healing art.
The meetings and publications of the IHA inspired us repeatedly in the preparation of this International Hahnemann Congress :
- The members of the IHA met once a year in order to exchange and discuss their experiences with each other. All speakers took part in the whole of the meeting.
- The other participants received abstracts of all lectures, in order to be able to prepare questions and contributions to the discussion.
- No fees were paid for the lectures, the IHA meetings were non-commercial.
- Lectures and discussions of the meetings were published as IHA Transactions .
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Foundation |
Homoeopathy in the time before 1880 saw the relaxing of standards of strict Hahnemannian tenets and the adaptation of a scientific identity, that was at odds with pure homoeopathy. A great number of homoeopaths repudiated and violated the principles of homoeopathy and made an effort to unite the homoeopathic and allopathic schools.
Adherents to Hahnemann's homoeopathy felt that these trends had become the policy of the American Institute of Homoeopathy (AIH) and many of the state and local homoeopathic organisations.
One could observe the growing tendency to ignore every cardinal principle of homoeopathy laid down in the Organon of Hahnemann. The practice of the pioneers of our school, based strictly on the principles of the Organon , the single remedy in the potentised form and the minimum dose, was no longer taught in colleges, and as a consequence it was not practiced by the large majority of graduates.
One of the founding members of the IHA, Dr. Clement Pearson of Washington, asserted that in 1874, when the AIH voted to drop the term "homeopathy" from all requirements for membership, it hastened the destruction of homeopathy. The change allowed anyone to join the AIH, regardless of whether or not they had any training in homeopathy.
In light of this and other events, the purpose of the IHA became clear. The membership felt that homoeopathy was heading for extinction on its current course . It was thought best by many of the older members of the profession to organise an association composed exclusively of physicians, who endorsed his theory and practice as set forth in his "Organon of the Healing Art" in order to preserve and continue the inheritance given to us by Hahnmeann. They organised to form a unified front against what they perceived to be a destructive path set by the liberal majority.
By 1880, many of those members of the AIH, who wanted to preserve the integrity of homoeopathy discussed the need to form an organisation in the months before the AIH meeting. In June 1880 the International Hahnemannian Association was founded. |
Declaration of principles |
The call for the inauguration meeting was made by Dr. H. C. Allen, and the following history and declaration of principles were written by Dr. C. Pearson (from Washington):
· We believe the Organon of the healing art as promulgated by Samuel Hahnemann to be the only reliable guide in therapeutics.
· This clearly teaches that homoeopathy consists in the law of similars, the single remedy, and the minimum dose of the dynamised drug, not singly, but collectively.
· We re-establish all of Hahnemann's laws as pure homeopathy without exception, true homoeopathy as expounded in the Organon and the Chronic Diseases . Most importantly, we establish Hahnemann as an icon who should never be slandered.
· We aim to teach and demonstrate that pure homoeopathy is all that is necessary or desirable in the cure of the sick.
· We urge to study homeopathy in all its purity and not the hybrid of allopathy and eclecticism generally taught under the name of homoeopathy.
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Publications |
The Transactions were the only publication of the association until the IHA absorbed the Homoeopathic Recorder in 1927, which had been published by Boericke and Tafel. After absorbing the Homoeopathic Recorder , the presentations of the meeting were generally printed in the Recorder , and the separate volume for the proceedings ceased publication. |
Members |
The original members of the IHA were: A. Lippe, G. Foote, C. Pearson, H.C. Allen, O.P. Baer, P.P. Wells, E.W. Berridge, W.H. Leonard, T.F. Pomeroy, J.P. Mills, E. Rushmore, T.F. Smith, E.A. Ballard, T.P.Wilson, T. Wilhelm Poulson, and E. Cranch.
Other members of the IHA over the years were a.o.. J.H. Allen, C.M. Boger, E.E. Case, J.H. Clarke, S. Close, B.M. Fincke, J.T. Kent, J.C. Morgan, E.B. Nash, C. Taylor, S. Swan and W.P. Wesselhoeft. |
History |
It did not take long that the influence and activity of the association in the field of pure homoeopathy began to be felt. The papers and discussions printed in the proceedings, and more widely disseminated by the journals of our school, demonstrated by the brilliant cures reported that the simple, single-remedy homoeopathy as advocated by Hahnemann was more effective in the cure of the sick than any other known means.
As a result of this work materia medica and Organon clubs began to be formed which, though generally small in size, wielded a powerful influence. Such clubs were organised and held regular meetings in Boston, Rochester, New York, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Chicago and several other centres in the East.
Notwithstanding the successful inauguration of the association and the excellent papers and interesting cases reported in its transactions, new members came in slowly.
To the liberal homeopaths the IHA appeared regressive, sacrificing scientific progress for an archaic icon. In response, the Hahnemannians claimed that the methods of Hahnemann were tried and proved to be the most effective system of therapeutics if administered properly.
Although membership was never greater than 215 members in 1930, the IHA helped pure homoeopathy survive into the 20th century. It ceased operation in 1959 when all of the then current members, all belonging to the American Institute of Homeopathy (AIH), voted to merge with that group. |
You find a selection of IHA- Transactions here:
http://julianwinston.com/archives/periodicals/iha.php
Dr. med. Carl Rudolf Klinkenberg |
