Constantin Hering as the Guiding Principle of the Foundation

„I owed to it far more than the preservation of a finger. To Hahnemann who had saved my finger, I gave my whole hand, and to the promulgation of his teachings, not only my hand, but the entire man, body and soul.“

Constantin Hering (after Raue, 1880)

The foundation bears the name of the German physician Constantin Hering, who decisively promoted the development of scientific thinking in homeopathy in the mid-19th century and is considered the founding father of North American homeopathy.

From "Saul to Paul" - the role model for the Constantin Hering Foundation

An impressively critical spirit, Hering was commissioned by his university professor, while still a student, to write a book on the "heresy of homeopathy" in order to "ridicule it and drive it out of the country". However, the closer study and critical examination of the subject fascinated him. A personal experience of the healing reaction, during a wound infection of his finger that was worthy of amputation at that time, finally convinced him. He decided wholeheartedly to research, practice and teach homeopathy. All the obstacles that were subsequently placed in his path, from the loss of his reputation and his scholarship to the complication of his final examination, could not change the conviction he had thus gained. He passed his medical studies despite all hurdles and dedicated his life to homeopathy. This critical and yet convinced attitude for homeopathy, as well as his tireless systematic research, let him become the identity-forming guiding principle of the Constantin Hering Foundation for Homeopathic Medicine.

The outstanding achievements of Constantin Hering

Constantin Hering expanded the systematic drug research of homeopathy by means of 104 self-conducted drug studies. Through this compilation and evaluation of healing reports, he verified the effects of homeopathic medicines in detail and published these findings. The analysis of disease courses under homeopathic medication also led to the further development of new treatment and course parameters. His work also led to the establishment of education and training with modern teaching methods for homeopathy in North America.

Read the Biography of Constantin Hering

About Constantin Hering as a Person - The Foundation's Guiding Values

The person and character behind the achievements

As a teacher and role model for several generations, Constantin Hering shaped and influenced the development of homeopathy worldwide like no other. This can be traced in the literature through his epoch-making publications. The character and people, thus the values, which are also important and valuable to us as a foundation, can be approached through statements of his colleagues:

Portrait Henry Newell Guernsey (1817-1885)

Guernsey, H. N. (1817-1885)

about his first meeting with Constantin Hering in 1842

"At our first conversation, however, I discovered my error; for he proved so invigorating, so friendly, and so communicative that we immediately fraternized. I am proud to say that our fraternal relationship lasted until our last meeting in 1880, a few hours before his passing. (...) His active and inquiring mind drove him to constant search and collection of all facts, especially new ones. (...) But for him, if he was in search of knowledge, everything else had to take a back seat; time, money, strength, sleep, they were all sacrificed for science and for homeopathy. 'Anything and everything for our cause,' he was often heard to say." [8]

Knerr, C. B. (1847-1940)

Constantin Hering's student and later son-in-law

"I tried to keep up with the man of an iron constitution who never seemed tired and never needed rest; my health broke down, and a year of vacation and travel was decided upon." [8]

What distinguished Hering, as is clear from these statements, and made him the equal of the founder of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann, was his independent and critical spirit with almost endless drive. These abilities and values also underlay his scientific attitude and are therefore also guiding values for the Constantin Hering Foundation and its research activities

The scientific attitude of Constantin Hering

Constantin Hering summarizes his own basic attitude in the preface to his main work, The Guiding Symptoms of Materia Medica, thus:

"Throughout my life it has always been my rule never to assume anything with certainty at any time unless it came as near as possible to a mathematical test of accuracy in its field, .... And, on the other hand, never to reject anything as incorrect unless an unprejudiced examination confirmed its falsity." [4] (transl. by author)

His colleague Adolph Lippe (1812-1888) confirms

"He never rejected a priori apparently advanced ideas until he had patiently investigated their claim to superiority over the proven principles and rules of Hahnemann's early pupils.... but if neither argument nor tests yielded convincing proof of the correctness of such innovations, his mighty pen was called into action." [9]

Guernsey, H. N.

described Constantin Hering in dealing with patients as follows

"As an observer, no one equaled him. When he entered the sick room, his gaze, which omitted nothing, immediately grasped the state of affairs, and his mind had often decided upon the right course to pursue before he had yet asked a question; his inquiries then often served more to confirm and to put the case on record than to elicit facts for decision. Intuition was a powerful element of his mind, and it was cherished in a high degree by the truthfulness of his character and his good thoughts and feelings toward everyone he knew." [9]

His approach and manner of research were meticulously recorded by his assistants. Thus, it is still possible to trace in detail how Constantin Hering's everyday practice went [7] and what successes were achieved in patient treatment [1, 9].

Constantin Hering's daily practice A practical example

How important is medicine for homeopathy - from Constantin Hering's point of view.

In the handbook for laypersons entitled Homöopathischer Hausarzt, which has been used for generations, the following view can be found in the preface written by R. Haehl about Constantin Hering's way of working:

"... Of course the book cannot and does not intend to replace the homoeopathic physician, for a mere knowledge of the homoeopathic medicines which may be considered in certain cases of disease is by no means sufficient to make a homoeopathic physician out of a layman. Just as no one who is neither familiar with the laws of navigation nor with the art of seamanship can guide a ship into port with proper safety, so no one who lacks the necessary knowledge of the structure and functions of the human body, of the theory of disease and surgery, of the theory of medicines, chemistry and botany, will be able to treat a serious disease with the necessary prudence and skill. Hahnemann, the founder of homoeopathy, was one of the most capable and learned physicians of his time; whoever wants to be a capable successor of this man must be versed in all subjects of medical science from the ground up. ..." [5]

These words describe, without further addition, the medical basis of homeopathy and thus also the most important common ground of cooperation between conventional and homeopathic medicine.

Learn more about the life of Constantin Hering [1]

Constantin Hering's most important publications

1835 The Homoeopathist or Domestic Physician (1837 in German: Der homöopathische Hausarzt)
1873 Materia Medica with a pathological Index
1873 Treatment of typhoid fevers
1875 Analytical Repertory of the symptoms of the mind
1877 Condensed Materia Medica (in German: Kurzgefasste Arzneimittellehre in zwei Volumes)
1879 The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica Vol 1-2 Vol 3-10 Completion 1891 posthumously by Raue, Mohr and Knerr
1988 Herings Medizinische Schriften, ed. KH Gypser Burgdorfverlag BdI-III, a compilation of all journal publications
1892 Vergleichende Arzneiwirkungslehre Gross/Hering

Calvin B. Knerr's publications

1896 A Repertory of Hering’s Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica
1940 Life of Hering

Sources:

[1] Eastman, A.M. (1917). Life and Reminiscences of Dr. Constantine Hering. Address before the Minnesota Homeopathic Institute, May 9, 1917, in St. Paul, also before the International Hahnemannian Association. June 25, 1917 in Chicago - from The Hahnemannian Monthly - January to December 1917 - Volume 2. LaBarre Printing Co..

[2] Gowers, W.R. (1981). A manual of diseases of the nervous system. P. Blakinston Son &Co... (First edition published 1888).

[3] Hahnmann, S. (2003).Organon der Heilkunst. Barthel & Barthel Publishers. (Reprint of the 6th edition after Hahnemann's handwritten revision published in 1921).

[4] Hering, C. (1879). The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica. (Vol. 1-2, Vol. 3-10 Completion 1891 posthumously by C. G. Raue, C. B. Knerr and C. Mohr). American Homoeopathic Publishing Society, J.M. Stoddart & Co.

[5] Hering, C., Haehl, R. (1998). Homöopathischer Hausarzt - Klassische Werke der Homöopathie Bd. 9. G.H.G. Jahr Publishing House.

[6] Knerr, C.B. (1884). The Literary Life of Constantine Hering: Constantine Hering and Calvin B. (from Constantine Hering and Calvin B. Knerr family papers, 1820-2003, bulk 1820-1940). Drexel University College of Medicine, Legacy Center: Archives and Special Collections on Women in Medicine and Homeopathy. http://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017/d/pacscl/DUCOM_HU100.

[7] Knerr, C.B. (1940). The Life of Hering (aus Constantine Hering and Calvin B. Knerr family papers: typescript (incomplete), notes, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and ephemera , circa 1932, 1940, undated). Drexel University College of Medicine, Legacy Center: Archives and Special Collections on Women in Medicine and Homeopathy. http://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017/d/pacscl/DUCOM_HU100.

[8] Krannich, E. (2005). Die milde Macht ist groß. Dr. Egon Krannich Verlag, Kunst und Verlagsbuchbinderei Leipzig.

[9] Methner, R.: Constantin Hering - Die Milde Macht ist groß. Homöopathie Konkret 2/2018. Roland Methner. Retrieved 5.12.2024 from https://rolandmethner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/12-Hering-und-eine-gute-MM.pdf

[10] Rosé, R. & Vint, P. (2004). Biografie Constantin Hering (1.1.1800 - 23.7.1880). Hahnemann Institut.

[11] Raue, C.G., Knerr C.B., Mohr C. (1880). A memorial of Constantine Hering : born January 1st, 1800 ; died July 23d, 1880. Press of Globe Printing House, Philadelphia.

[12] Schüppel, R. (1996): Constantin Hering (1800-1880): Ein Akademiker gründet Institutionen. In: Homöopathie. Ed. by Martin Dinges. Heidelberg, Haug.

[13] Winston, J. (1999). The Faces of Homoeopathy. Great Auk Publishing.