The un-burial of Melanie Hahnemann - 6th edition of the organon
- M. Grimes
Hahnemann had been working on the 6th edition of the Organon during the last 18 months of his life. He began using the LM potencies during those Paris years, and had written to Bönninghausen about this new method of dynamizing remedies. He died before this work was published and left specific instructions with Melanie about this. He asked her to wait until the time was right, and for her to oversee the publication personally. Many homeopaths were interested in the "new and improved mode of dynamizing the medicinal remedies" that Hahnemann had written to Bönninghausen about, and were anxious for Melanie to publish the 6th edition. (Allg. Hom. 1856 53:457)
Melanie was protective and insisted on doing the copying herself, as Hahnemann had requested, because "nobody knew the new terms last employed by Hahnemann for the process of 'dynamisation,'" (Haele 2:457).
The rancor towards her from the homeopathic community was growing because of this delay. It was assumed that her motives for the delay were greed and egotism, and that she was intentionally denying access for her own financial benefit. Some thought she was holding on to the changes in the Organon to increase its value, thereby increasing financial value to herself. It was felt that she was withholding an important source for the growth and development of the homeopathic community.
Typical of those harboring this sentiment was Haele, who in 1922 wrote: "Now even if we take in to full consideration Hahnemann's intensely hostile disposition towards a number of German homeopaths (Trinks, Griesselich, etc.), and the grave mistrust arising out of this, yet the embargo imposed by Madame Hahnemann seems to border very closely on the delusion of persecution. We cannot believe the assertion that Hahnemann had arranged all this because he had discovered and feared that his teaching would disappear among the old allopathic methods without leaving any trace" (Haele v1 352). In 1877, Dr. Bayes, of London, on behalf of London School of Homeopathy, cites the jealousy and persecution of the part of Hahnemann's followers as the reason that these writings had not yet been published. "[Melanie] asserted that her husband had repeatedly required of her a solemn oath that all copies of his works should be made under her supervision, 'so that no malicious and deceptive alterations of the text,' could take place. As to the publication of the works she was to wait until the rancor of his contemporaries had subsided." (Haehl 1:352) In 1877, she wrote to Dr. Bayes, assuring him that the manuscripts "have been preserved by me as precious treasure."
She then explains, "Hahnemann was pursued during the whole of his long life by the jealousy of his pupils. Some became his declared and personal enemies and have even persecuted him through newspapers, which were established for the purpose of destroying his new doctrine, for instance, Griesselich" (Haehl 2:458).
"In order to save it from destruction ...he charged me with the duty of having copies of this valuable manuscript made under my own supervision ...repeatedly demanded a solemn oath, which I shall keep, to have all copies of his works made under my supervision so that no bad and false alterations in the text should be possible. As he advised me to wait for the publication until the anger of his contemporaries had subsided. I waited in accordance with this order, and then when I was beginning with this great work, suddenly the war of 1871 came, which by destroying my property, robbed me of my capital" (Haele 2:455). She asked that money be raised, so she could obtain "the necessary peace for this great work" while she renounced the profits from the sale of the book, (Haehl 2:455).
It can be seen from these quotes that her intent was not financial gain, as was alleged, but was to fulfill her promise to her husband and to the work, of which she had been made custodian. Melanie spoke of her "most hearty desire to publish the Organon, which contains so many treasures for humanity" and was arranging to do this work, when her death broke off negotiations. (Haele 1:352-353)
Hahnemann had been working on the 6th edition of the Organon during the last 18 months of his life. He began using the LM potencies during those Paris years, and had written to Bönninghausen about this new method of dynamizing remedies. He died before this work was published and left specific instructions with Melanie about this. He asked her to wait until the time was right, and for her to oversee the publication personally. Many homeopaths were interested in the "new and improved mode of dynamizing the medicinal remedies" that Hahnemann had written to Bönninghausen about, and were anxious for Melanie to publish the 6th edition. (Allg. Hom. 1856 53:457)Melanie was protective and insisted on doing the copying herself, as Hahnemann had requested, because "nobody knew the new terms last employed by Hahnemann for the process of 'dynamisation,'" (Haele 2:457).
The rancor towards her from the homeopathic community was growing because of this delay. It was assumed that her motives for the delay were greed and egotism, and that she was intentionally denying access for her own financial benefit. Some thought she was holding on to the changes in the Organon to increase its value, thereby increasing financial value to herself. It was felt that she was withholding an important source for the growth and development of the homeopathic community.
Typical of those harboring this sentiment was Haele, who in 1922 wrote: "Now even if we take in to full consideration Hahnemann's intensely hostile disposition towards a number of German homeopaths (Trinks, Griesselich, etc.), and the grave mistrust arising out of this, yet the embargo imposed by Madame Hahnemann seems to border very closely on the delusion of persecution. We cannot believe the assertion that Hahnemann had arranged all this because he had discovered and feared that his teaching would disappear among the old allopathic methods without leaving any trace" (Haele v1 352). In 1877, Dr. Bayes, of London, on behalf of London School of Homeopathy, cites the jealousy and persecution of the part of Hahnemann's followers as the reason that these writings had not yet been published. "[Melanie] asserted that her husband had repeatedly required of her a solemn oath that all copies of his works should be made under her supervision, 'so that no malicious and deceptive alterations of the text,' could take place. As to the publication of the works she was to wait until the rancor of his contemporaries had subsided." (Haehl 1:352) In 1877, she wrote to Dr. Bayes, assuring him that the manuscripts "have been preserved by me as precious treasure."
She then explains, "Hahnemann was pursued during the whole of his long life by the jealousy of his pupils. Some became his declared and personal enemies and have even persecuted him through newspapers, which were established for the purpose of destroying his new doctrine, for instance, Griesselich" (Haehl 2:458).
"In order to save it from destruction ...he charged me with the duty of having copies of this valuable manuscript made under my own supervision ...repeatedly demanded a solemn oath, which I shall keep, to have all copies of his works made under my supervision so that no bad and false alterations in the text should be possible. As he advised me to wait for the publication until the anger of his contemporaries had subsided. I waited in accordance with this order, and then when I was beginning with this great work, suddenly the war of 1871 came, which by destroying my property, robbed me of my capital" (Haele 2:455). She asked that money be raised, so she could obtain "the necessary peace for this great work" while she renounced the profits from the sale of the book, (Haehl 2:455).
It can be seen from these quotes that her intent was not financial gain, as was alleged, but was to fulfill her promise to her husband and to the work, of which she had been made custodian. Melanie spoke of her "most hearty desire to publish the Organon, which contains so many treasures for humanity" and was arranging to do this work, when her death broke off negotiations. (Haele 1:352-353)
Comments
Post a Comment
PLEASE WRITE YOUR SYMPTOMS HERE TO GET SUGGESTION.