IN CERTIS UNITAS, IN DUBIIS LIBERTAS, IN OMNIBUS CHARITAS. PUBLISHED FOR THE PROPRIETORS BY HENRY TURNER, 170, FLEET STREET, LONDON. MAY BE HAD ALSO FROM EDINBURGH: J. C. POTTAGE, 117, PRINCESS STREET. NEW YORK, U.S.: BOERICKE & TAFEL, 145, GRAND STREET. MDCCCLXXXI. THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF HOMEOPATHY. DILUTIONS. In our last number we discussed the subject of the triturations of homoeopathy. On the present occasion we would direct the attention of our readers to another distinctive feature of its pharmacy-its dilutions. These too have lately had to stand the fire of a scathing criticism. There is, indeed, no question here of the adequacy of the mode of preparation to effect all of which the process is capable. The points which have been raised are:-1st, how far can attenuation be carried? and, 2nd, is there any stage in its progress at which the matter submitted to it ceases to be active, and, if so, what is that stage? Such inquiries are comparatively new, especially within the ranks of the homoeopathic body itself. Hahnemann never had any doubt about them. Beginning by simple dilution at one step, to avoid aggravations and collateral effects, he was led to recognise an actual development of power thereby, and thereupon to extend the process to all medicines, and to make it precise and effective by graduating it according to a centesimal scale. Of the stages of this process up to the 30th he always spoke in terms of the proportion of the drug assumed to exist in them-" millionfacher," "decillionfacher," and so forth; and although VOL. XXXIX, NO. CLV.—JANUARY, 1881. A |