Sometime ago, I wrote that my "conversion" from a "hard core" pharmacist to alternative medicine was due to a miraculous cure of a skin rash.

The rash had failed to respond to the best of modern medicine for almost two years. Then, I was cured in one session by a homeopath.

Because of this, homeopathy holds a special place in my heart. The more I studied it the more I became impressed with its history and worldwide penetration.

Unlike Ayurveda, Chinese traditional medicine and even herbal medicine, homeopathy is very "new". These ancient healing system has been developed slowly over thousands of years and has no clear founder.

Homeopathy's beginnings emerged from Dr Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) -- its founding father. He graduated from medical school in 1779 and quickly started his own medical practice. He soon got disillusioned with medicine, especially the use of toxic drugs.
He gave up his own daily practice and began working as a chemist while translating medical texts. At that point, around 1790, Hahnemann began working on a project to translate William Cullen's Materia Medica into German. He was exposed to the principles of "similars."

As he worked on this project, he became fascinated with a species of South American tree-bark (cinchona) which was being used to treat malaria-induced fever.

Hahnemann ingested the bark and discovered that it caused symptoms very similar to malaria. The bark that cured malaria in sick people caused the symptoms of malaria in healthy people.

It was a powerful demonstration of the "principle of similars". He further researched into "cures" and the idea of "similar suffering." Today similia similibus curentur, the Latin phrase meaning "let likes be cured by likes", is the primary principle of homeopathy.

He compiled his findings that were to change the world on healing for centuries to come. Simply put, homeopathy searches for a substance that produces in a healthy person those same symptoms a patient experiences.

The first homeopathic medical school in the United States was set up in the late 1800s. It gained recognition because of its success in treating the many epidemic diseases rampant at the time like scarlet fever, typhoid, cholera and yellow fever.

Homeopathic treatment became very popular in the early 1900s. At that time, there were 22 homeopathic medical schools, 100 homeopathic hospitals and over 1,000 homeopathic pharmacies. Boston University, Stanford University and New York Medical College were among those educational institutions that were teaching homeopathy.

However, it was not long after this period of time (in the early 1920s) that many of the schools closed mainly due to the growth of modern medicine and the pharmaceutical industry.

While there was a drop in interest in homeopathy in the US early in the last century, it was not the case elsewhere. Instead, there was a big resurgence in Europe and parts of Asia, especially in the Indian sub-continent.

The great Mahatma Gandhi saw its effectiveness while studying in Europe. He brought it back to the Indian subcontinent as he was impressed by both its cost and effectiveness. Today, it is so big in India and Pakistan that many think homeopathy originated from the Indian sub-continent.

Of course, it is big in Germany where it all started. Increasingly, all over Europe, there is a strong and keen interest. The British royal family is a leading proponent of this healing art. The late Princess Diana was great believer in this gentle, safe and natural approach.

Today, nearly all French pharmacies sell homeopathic remedies and medicines. Indeed, the leading cough and cold brand in French pharmacies is homeopathic. Homeopathy has a strong following in Russia, India, Switzerland, Mexico, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, England, and South America.

Homeopathy is also rising again in the US. This resurgence has been documented by the National Centre for Homeopathy in Virginia. Indeed, the White House refused to confirm that former US president Bill Clinton used homeopathic remedies to treat his persistent sinus problems.

Doctors, scientists, researchers, corporations and the general public are all responsible for this new interest in homeopathic products, its research and educational initiatives.

A homeopath must undertake many years of study and have clinical experience. Homeopaths can be medical doctors, and in the US, many homeopaths are also chiropractors, naturopaths, osteopaths, nurses, dentists and veterinarians.

Many advocates of modern medicine, including the universities of Harvard and Columbia, are re-looking at this unique system of health and healing.

Datuk Dr Rajen M. is a pharmacist with a doctorate in holistic medicine