HAHNEMANN
AS A HYGIENIST
If we analyze our master’s works carefully, the
amazing prevision by which he surpasses the most modern hygienists, become
evident. His ideas regarding hygiene, in an era when the role of hygiene was
not emphasized, can be found chiefly in the following works.
The Friend Of Health , Part-1 (1792)
The Friend Of Health , Part-11 (1795)
Handbook for mothers (1796)
Organon of medicine
Directions for the treatment of chronic sores and ulcers
(1784)
Medical observations ( medical essays,
.
1781-1784)
Aphorism 4
“He is like wise a preserver of
health if he knows the things that deranges health and cause disease and how to
remove them from persons in health”
The cause of disease is
internal (chronic miasm), but many of the disturbances that < the disorder are external (eg-
improperly selected food, living in
damp cellars etc.). These are the measures disturbing him, making him
sick and aggravating his chronic miasm, ie things
“which keep up disease”. Any ordinary physician with a well knowledge in
hygiene can remove these external obstacles and preserve his patients
health.
- Dr. J. T.
In the introduction of “The
Friend Of Health” –
‘My mission is only to preach upon the
greatest of corporeal blessings –health’, ie
regarding the rational care about the health.
‘All knows something, but
not what is wholesome for themselves’.
In this book, we can see
how seriously and comprehensively Hahnemann wished to see all questions of
public hygiene treated even in the earlier years of his activity.
Social and individual
hygiene
during Hahnemann’s time.
The sanitary arrangements
especially in towns were hopeless, no drainages in narrow , torturous streets,
no arrangements for the removal and disposal of refuge and decaying matters,
rarely a sufficient provision of good drinking water etc. all these resulted in
a continual succession of epidemics.
Regarding individual health
–
Sanitary inconveniences.
Water had to be carried into the houses with much trouble, and was there for
used with the greatest economy both for general household –purposes and for
personal cleanliness. With this neglect of the part of authorities and the
people in general, doctors also troubled little for making improvement in the
hygienic measures.
Hahnemann as hygienist
His consultations by letter, consist almost entirely of advices concerning
hygiene and diet.
Smallest
details of food and drinks for each meal
according to the condition of individual requirement.
Recommended baths and
ablutions; cleanliness in rooms, beds and body- linen; arrangements for fresh
air into the houses; regular exercise in the open air, together with avoidance
of excessive physical or mental exertion, violent emotions etc.
He was against mineral
bath- (acting medicinally)
For all unmarried he
recommended marriage(for the well being of both mind
and soul).
Hahnemann gives hygienic
advices for those who visit the sick, to the physician & nurses for
avoiding infection in dangerous fever and contagious diseases.
For the visitors-
avoid frequent
visits; stay for a short time; keep far away as possible; avoid handling pt’s
cloths & utensils; sick room should be well aired etc.
Visitors should maintain
mind and body I good equilibrium. Avoid debilitating emotions, excessive
venery, anger, grief and care. Such overexertion of mind of
all sorts are the great promoters of infection.
To physicians and nurses-
They should take proper
caution and due care while examining the patient & during the whole course of treatment. These
should be done without any appearance of affectation, anxiety or constraint.
Social hygiene-
In “The Friend of health”
In
chapters – protection against infection in epidemic diseases.
- Plans for eradicating
malignant fevers.
Prevention
of epidemics in town.
Hahnemann gives exact and
very strict instructions for the care of public health in infectious and
contagious diseases.
Stationary hospitals, half
underground damp dwellings, dirty cellars of back courts & narrow lanes are
conditions liable for propagation of contagions.
He recommended isolated
hospitals and large airy rooms. He established clear and comprehensive
principles for the discovery, removal and isolation of those attacked by
contagious d/s. For disinfections of all utensils and living rooms used by such
patients.
He demanded proper hygiene
in dwelling houses; leveling the embankments, drainage of the marshes and the laying
out of new suburbs etc.
About prisoner’s health
Avoid overcrowding of
prisoners in a single room without proper ventilation. After release of an
inmate, a prison should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected by heating it to
a temp; of 120 degree Reaumur.
When foreign prisoners were
introduced into a country in the time of war, the authorities should rule out
the chances for spread of epidemics.
Children’s
health
Circumstances
of town life in relation to upbringing of children. He discourages unsuitable nurseries. Light and
fresh air; free movements, fresh water, moderate eating and drinking, light and
frequent meals, avoidance of sweet meats and fatty substances.
Sleep- they should sleep a
great deal, bed should be hard, laziness should not be allowed. Besides the
natural and mechanical exercises of all the body senses should be trained. He
also explains about the principles on the education of children.
Special attention on women’s dress.
Discouraging tight
clothing, tight lacing and the mischief done by wearing corsets.
Even in his “ directions for curing old sores and ulcers” he traces the
origin of varicose veins not only to a sedentary mode of life but also to the
compression of the body by tight stays and garters.
Importance of Exercise
He recommends gradual hardening of the body .
Exercise and good air alone set all the humours in
our body in motion to fill their appointed places, and compel every secreting
organs to give off its specific secretions, give power to the muscles and
deposits red colour to the blood, helps to refine the
fluids so that they penetrate easily into the most minute capillary vessels,
strengthen the heart beats and brings about healthy digestion.
He
condemns strongly things that pollute air.
Avoid too may strong scented flowers and burning too many candles in the room.
Store of green fruits, domestic articles, food from animal and vegetable are
kept etc are not healthy places for people to dwell in.
Toilet should be constructed in suitable place.
should not permit large thickly- leaved trees to stand
close to the windows.
Avoid purposeless fumigations.
‘The bite of mad dog’ (The
friend of health)
Soon after a bite, repeated
washing should be done with water mixed with potash. Apply a piece of caustic
potash so that a slough is formed, which falls off in a few days and the clean
wound soon heals. Same procedure of washing is done in parts of skin wetted by
saliva of a rabid dog.
Hahnemann’s advice - No dogs should be
trusted that bites people unirritated and has a
gloomy wild expression. It is better to kill these useless beasts.
‘Medical observations’
(First small medical essay by Hahnemann, 1781-1784)
Describes an epidemic of putrid
fever in Quenstadt. Hahnemann’s treatment was in
accordance with individual constitution, fresh air, less bed cloths, cold
sustaining drinks and cleanliness along with improvement in hygienic and
sanitary conditions.
Preventive medicine
“I found same remedy given at the period when
the symptoms indicative of invasion of the diseases occurs, stifles the the fever in its very birth”
- Cure and prevention of
Scarlet Fever (1801)
Belladonna - prevention and prophylaxis
for scarlet fever.
Veratrum alb & camphor for Asiatic Cholera
Now
a days the prevailing epidemics are recurring and new
ones are attacking mankind. Here the question of individual immunity arises .
Thus along with the improvement of hygienic measures we have to conserve the
individual immunity- by avoiding suppressive treatment and by proper mode of
living.
So in our modern era Hahnemann’s concept of prevention & hygiene has got
great value.
Considering the
situation of the medical field during Hahnemann’s period it is astonishing to
see his courage and insight in this field. He was filled with anxiety in the
first instance on account of the continual outbreaks of contagious diseases,
but he was actuated by love for all his fellow beings, particularly the poor,
the needy and helpless.
The pioneering efforts in the field
of public
hygiene must be especially emphasized.