The University of Iowa Homeopathic Medical Department (1876-1919)
Homeopathy Defined
What is Homeopathy?
| Homeopathy is a system of medicine that attempts to cure sickness by stimulating the body to recover itself. It is based on two primary beliefs: the Law of Similars and the infinitesimal dose.
Law of Similars: Instead of looking at the symptoms of illness as undesireable, homeopaths see them as signs of the body attempting to heal itself. Therefore, instead of suppressing symptoms, homeopaths give remedies that would cause the same symptoms in a healthy person to stimulate the body's own restorative mechanisms.
Infinitesimal Dose: Homeopathy is also considered a pharmaceutical science. Its substances are made from plants, minerals, animals or chemicals and are diluted carefully in alcohol or water to reach a dose that is up to one part in one million. Small globules of sugar are saturated in the liquid dilution and given to the patient. |
 58. Case one of exhibit |
Timeline of Homeopathy
1700s
| Samuel Christian Friedrich Hahnemann began homeopathy with his treatment of cholera in Germany.
1820s
1825 - Homeopathy is brought to the United States.
1840s
1848 - America's 1st homeopathic school opens in
Pennsylvania. |
 59. Dr. Christian Frederick Samuel Hahnemann,
1755-1843
Founder of homeopathy.
Courtesy of University of Trevor M. Cook. Samuel Hahnemann:
The Founder of Homeopathic Medicine. Great Britain: Thorsons
Publishing Limited. 1981.
|
1870s
1870 - Hahnemann Medical Association is established
in Iowa.
1871 - Begin the 1st Homeopathic coursework at the
University of Iowa.
1872 - 13 local and state organizations and 10,000
people petition Board of Regents for funds to
begin UI Homeopathic Medical Department;
Board says "no."
1876 - UI Homeopathic Medical Department
established.
1877 - Controversy of homeopathic students required
to attend regular Medical Department lectures
despite contradictions.
1878 - First student graduates from homeopathic
department.
Program awarded $1600 to erect a building
between Jefferson and Iowa Streets.
1880s
1880 - 47 undergraduate and 9 graduate students in
program.
60. UI Homeopathy Class of 1882
1882
Courtesy of the UI College of Medicine
1883 - Increased academic standards by requiring
preliminary exams.
Filed request for $30,000 for homeopathic
hospital; denied.
1887 - 2nd request for hospital filed; denied.
Rented space for hospital.
1890s
| 1890 - Regents allocate $15,000 for combined homeopathic school building and hospital.
1894 - Hospital saw 139 admissions, 96 outpatients
during schoolyear.
61. University of Iowa Homeopathic Medical Building and Hospital
1895
Located at the corner of Jefferson and Dubuque Streets.
Courtesy of University of Iowa Archives |
|
| 1895 - New homeopathic hospital opened.
62. Ward no. 2 UI Homeopathic Medical Building
1895
Courtesy of University of Iowa Archives |
 |
1900
1900 - Official establishment of College of
Homeopatrhic Medicine with 5 professors, 8
assistants, 11 teachers.
22 homeopathic medical colleges in the country.
1908 - W. Max Rohrbacher entered the program.
1910 - Begin decline of homeopathy: graduates
dropped, number of colleges nationwide
dropped to 15.
1912 - W. Max Rohrbacher graduated with Degree of
Dr. of Medicine with 5 other medical students
and 3 nurses.
1913 - State legislature refuse health care payments for
homeopathic hospital.
1914 - Hospital seeing 600 patients compared to 2,436 at
regular hospital
1919 - UI homeopathic hospital closed.
1920s
1920 - Dr. Rohrbacher opened his own homeopathic
hospital at 811 East College Street in Iowa City.
1929 - UI Homeopathic Hospital building went down in
flames.
1940s
No more courses in homeopathy taught in the U.S.
Today
Courses taught by National Center for Homeopathy.
Homeopathic institutes located in Canada, Germany
and India
 |
63. Pages from Dr. George Royal's Composition Books
no date
Courtesy of University of Iowa Archives |
 |
64. Pages from Medical Homeopathic
Case Record
1917
Note Dr. Rohrbacher's name included in several records and the record of Mrs. Rohrbacher's breech birth on January 30, 1917.
Courtesy of University of Iowa Archives |
Information and photographs of doctor of homeopathy,
William Rohrbacher.
|
