"homeopathy" in India

[Christian Coseru]

Homeopathy is very well established  on the Subcontinent with over 100  
institutions granting Bachelor and Doctorate of Homeopathic Medicine  
degrees, many of whom have clinics attached (as do many Western  
(allopathic) hospitals in India, rather atypically).

The Indian homeopathic doctors I knew while living there in the mid  
1990s were very particular about distinguish their practice from that  
of allopathic doctors. Many medical professionals (trained in Western  
medicine) often prescribe homeopathic remedies for chronic conditions,  
but I am pretty sure they too are careful do distinguish homeopathy  
from other (mostly indigenous) systems of traditional medicine (e.g.,  
Ayurveda).

It's possible that some Indian physicians may use the term  
"homeopathy" in the generic sense Allan suggested. My impression is  
that most apply it only to homeopathically trained professionals.

Christian


Christian Coseru, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Philosophy
College of Charleston
66 George Street
Charleston, SC 29424

Office:
Phone: 843 953-1935
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Email: coseruc at cofc.edu

On Jul 17, 2008, at 10:56 AM, Allen W Thrasher wrote:

> Do other people share my impression that while South Asia indeed has  
> many practitioners of homeopathy in the strict sense, the system of  
> medicine created by Samuel Hahnemann and introduced to India by John  
> Martin Honigberger, "homeopathy" is often used there to mean any  
> system of medicine except mainline modern Western medicine?  (All  
> reservations on these three adjectives understood, of course!)
>
> I do not find any such extended use of the term in online  
> dictionaries or the old Webster's 2nd International.
>
> Allen
>
>
>
> Allen W. Thrasher, Ph.D.
> Senior Reference Librarian
> Team Coordinator
> South Asia Team, Asian Division
> Library of Congress, Jefferson Building 150
> 101 Independence Ave., S.E.
> Washington, DC 20540-4810
> tel. 202-707-3732; fax 202-707-1724; athr at loc.gov
> The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the  
> Library of Congress.