*[From Allg. Hom. Zeit., Vol. LXVI, 7.]

BY DR. AEGIDI.

Dr. von Grauvogl at the meeting of the Central Union of Homoeopathic Physicians, last year, expressed himself as follows: “The efficiency of the high potencies is every day becoming more manifest; hence all scepticism must gradually give way.”

From this we may reasonably expect that a man of learning and of true and earnest devotion to science and to whose scientific researches we are already indebted for most valuable results, will not rest satisfied with this simple expression of opinion but will proceed by careful, experiments of his own, to establish, on a basis of certainty, the value or the inutility of the high potencies.

If the men who are “without faith” would only consent to prosecute such experiment circumspectly and with perseverance, the “iron logic of facts” would assuredly bring its weight to bear on their scepticism and would express itself in favor of the high potencies. But they do not devote themselves to this labor which indeed seems to them altogether supererogatory, but which could not fail, in any event, to increase their stores of knowledge.

Acting on the repeated advice of my experienced old friend von Boenninghausen, I resolved, in 1853, to institute, in my practice, experiments with Lehrmann's High Potencies (200th). With the closest attention to every requisite condition, I administered them first in chronic cases; after deriving very favorable results from them in these, I began to treat acute cases also with them, and I observed, even in the most formidable and difficult cases, not only a decided, but often also a most unexpectedly rapid curative effect. I obtained however the fullest conviction of the value of these preparations by testing them upon myself during my long and severe illness two years ago, and in which they accomplished what lower potencies and triturations were wholly unable to effect.

A detailed report, which I had proposed to make last year, of the results of my use of the Lehrmann's High Potencies (the number of patients treated with them amounts already to more than 4,800) I have, in consequence of my illness, been unable to complete. It shall appear, however, if better health permit the arduous labor which the task requires.

And yet I do not belong to the number of those who use nothing but the high potencies, who affirm that they always attain their end with these exclusively and declare that all other preparations are superfluous. In many cases, the lower potencies and triturations are indispensable; in those, for example, in which there is lacking a susceptibility to the action of the high potencies. The entire scale of potencies must therefore be at the command of the homoeopathic physician.

In scientific investigations, there is no question respecting “faith” there is no need of faith where the question is one concerning “knowledge”. The hunter, blind from amaurosis, who, after a three months' treatment with the high potencies, joyfully assures me, that he can already recognize the hare as it runs past his station, a thing which he had been unable to do for the last two years — who now reads to me, although but slowly, a paper held before his eyes and which, four weeks ago, he was utterly unable to decipher — this man certainly contributed nothing to the strengthening of my faith; but through these facts I acquire a knowledge that the patient's malady has been ameliorated, and what cause lies at the bottom of the curative process.

The high potencies belong just now to the category of things of the possible active efficiency of which the wisdom of the schools has no conception. All the ridicule and contempt, however, which may be cast upon it, brings no detriment to truth; for this is indestructible.

The Editor of the Zeitschrift fur Homoeopathische Klinik complains that the number of the forces that are laboring in behalf of Homoeopathy in his immediate neighborhood, has seriously diminished and this “in so progressive a fashion that the prospects for the future are very disquieting.”

Where lies the blame for this?

If we look around in the world, we shall find that wherever Homoeopathy can point to numerous cures, she can also celebrate great triumphs, this number of her adherents and patrons increases and her field is ever growing wider. But we shall also find that homoeopathic physicians who, in widely extended spheres of action, have spread abroad the good name of Homoeopathy by numerous cures of serious maladies, do not belong in the ranks of the so-called “specifikers” who deal with nothing but the first three dilutions and triturations and who overload their patients even with these! Sapienti sat.

In No. 13 of the same volume of the Zeitung, Dr. Battman publishes an article on the High Potencies, the substance of a part of which we append:

He states that, in his experience the effects of the two-hundredth potency of Acon., Spong. and Hepar sulph. in Croup far surpass those of the lower dilutions of these remedies in this disease. He has treated within the past year or two a large number of cases of Croup, one of which was exceedingly severe, and in which a well defined membranous exudation was discharged from the trachea. Of all of these cases, about forty in number, including mild, medium and grave cases, he has not lost a single one — a fortunate result, such as he had never before obtained. He states distinctly that he never repeated a dose at a shorter interval than two hours, that he used no auxiliary treatment, and that his remedies were those prepared by Lehrmann in Schounigen. His usual method has been to give the first, second or third doses of Aconite, then Spongia until the cough became loose and then, when it was required, Hepar.

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