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A Homeopathic Rogues’ Gallery

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A Century of Homeopaths

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Abstract

Mendacity, murder, medical license fraud, and marching to the drum roll of Nazi policies all feature in the history of homeopathy. The careers of three prominent charlatans are described. Edwin Pratt founded the orificial surgery movement, and Albert Abrams developed a system of medicine known as the Electronic Reactions of Abrams (or ERA), which grew into a cult with several thousand disciples. Abrams’ questionable practices led to investigations by professional and governmental bodies. William Koch embarked on a search to cure cancer and promoted various remedies, of which glyoxylide was best known. Koch was investigated by the US and Brazilian authorities but not found guilty. Pratt, Abrams, and Koch all made extravagant claims about the curative powers of their proprietary treatments. Others described in this chapter include George Simmons of the American Medical Association; Robert Reddick and Gregory Miller, perpetrators of fraudulent license schemes that allowed untrained individuals to practice medicine; Karl Koetschau and Hans Wapler, German homeopaths who promoted Nazi policies; and, finally, the infamous murderers Hawley Crippen and Luc Jouret.

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  1. Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    Jonathan Davidson MD

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  1. Jonathan Davidson MD
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Davidson, J. (2014). A Homeopathic Rogues’ Gallery. In: A Century of Homeopaths. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0527-0_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0527-0_17

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