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→Preparation of similars
Hahnemann's explanation for how higher potencies could be more efficacious was that the friction involved in succussion might release some hidden curative power of substances. He wrote in 1825: "The effect of friction is so great, that not only the physical properties, such as caloric, odour, etc., are thereby called into life and developed by it, but also the dynamic medicinal powers of natural substances are thereby developed to an incredible degree".
Hahnemann's explanation for how higher potencies could be more efficacious was that the friction involved in succussion might release some hidden curative power of substances. He wrote in 1825: "The effect of friction is so great, that not only the physical properties, such as caloric, odour, etc., are thereby called into life and developed by it, but also the dynamic medicinal powers of natural substances are thereby developed to an incredible degree".
== The skeptical view of homeopathy ==
:''As I understand it, the claim is that the less you use Homeopathy, the better it works. Sounds plausible to me.'' (David Deutsch, physicist)<ref>David Deutsch - Weblog[http://www.qubit.org/people/david/index.php?blog=20040808030513 Sunday, 2004/08/08 - 03:05 BST] </ref>
Homeopathy was developed at a time when many of the most important concepts of modern chemistry and biology, such as molecules and germs, were understood poorly if at all. While proponents may consider the mechanism of homeopathy to be an interesting side issue, skeptics consider the lack of any plausible mechanism to be a serious problem, raising the bar on the quality of evidence required before accepting the existence of the phenomenon under the motto 'Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof'.
In Hahnemann's day, many chemists believed that matter was infinitely divisible, so that it was meaningful to talk about dilution to any degree. Although the hypothesis of atoms can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, their size was not calculated until 1865 (by Loschmidt). There are 6.02×1023 particles in a mole (Avogadro's number), so homeopathic dilutions greater than about 24X or 12C are virtually certain to contain not even a single molecule of the initial substance. This is recognized by advocates of homeopathy, who assert that the essential healing power of their preparations is not to be found in the chemical action of molecules, but perhaps in the arrangement of the water molecules, giving rise to the expression 'the memory of water'. This concept is closely related to the belief in a 'vital force', which was common in Hahnemann's day, but was discarded by the scientific community as more and more life processes came to be describable in purely materialistic terms, and as the medical model of disease came to be focused on the failure of particular organs and processes in the body.<ref>There have been occasional reports of effects of highly diluted solutions on organic processes, including on histamine release by leukocytes :Davenas E et al (200?). "Human basophil degranulation triggered by very dilute antiserum against IgE". Nature 333: 816-8.[http://br.geocities.com/criticandokardec/benveniste01.pdf]; However, attempts to replicate these studies failed.Walach et al (2005). "Research on homeopathy: state of the art". J Alt Comp Medicine 11: 813–29.[http://www.iscmr.org/publications/2005_JACM_Homeopathy.pdf]</ref>
For critics, a closely related question is that of logical consistency of the theory. The theory assumes that water is imprinted by the properties of molecules that it once came in contact with, even when the molecules are diluted away. If so, then where did the pure water used in this process come from? The water that homeopaths use was once in contact with other chemicals, including chemical wastes, radioactive metals, dinosaur urine, and various poisons. According to this skeptical interpretation of homeopathic theory, all water in the world should remember its contact with millions of chemical substances and not just the properties of the chemicals that the homeopath claims will be useful. The answer of the homeopaths, that dynamization involves succussion as well as dilution, is unconvincing, because it seems improbable that one can amplify order in a solution by shaking it, and because a lot of shaking goes on in the natural world as well.<ref>Skeptics:
Simpson JY (1853) 'Homoeopathy, Its Tenets and Tendencies, Theoretical, Theological and Therapeutical' Edinburgh: Sutherland & Knox 11
'A close look at homeopathy' [http://www.skepticreport.com/health/hahnemann.htm skepticreport]
'A skeptical guide to homeopathic history, theories, and current practices' [http://www.homeowatch.org/ homeowatch]
'Dilution or delusion?' [http://www.skepticreport.com/health/dilutiondelusion.htm skepticreport]
'Magical thinking in complementary and alternative medicine' [http://www.csicop.org/si/2001-11/alternative.html CSIOP]
'Homeopathy - a sceptical view' [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A954740 BBC]
BBC News, 25 October 2006 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6085242.stm 25 October 2006]</ref>
== References ==
== References ==
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[[category:medicine]]
[[category:medicine]]