Cuad Complut Hist Med Cienc. 1993 ; 1(): 175-85.

[A new political contribution to medicine: homeopathy in 19th century Spain]

Albarracin Teulon A.

Departamento de Historia de la Ciencia, Centro de Estudios HistÃ³ricos, CSIC.

The author has sumarized the role of well known 19th century doctors, Thackray, VillermÃ©, Chadwick and especially Virchow (whose socio-medical works are related in detail), in the influence of political ideas on Medicine. As a new contribution to this subject the author informs us of the participation or a Spanish homeopathic doctor in this task. Anastasio GarcÃa LÃ³pez (1821-1897), was influenced by the works of Charles Fourier, whose doctrine was spreading throughout Spain at that time. GarcÃa LÃ³pez aplied the sociological concepts of the French utopian philosopher to his idea of homeopaty. A review is made of how Fourierism penetrated and became implanted in Spain and the mark it left on Hahnemann is analized using the "passionate attraction" concept and the ideas of social constriction and violence. GarcÃa LÃ³pez believed that Hahnemann was attempting to free therapeutics from the yoke of attacking symptoms, emphasizing the affinities of the illness with the cure. Finally, this influence is demostrated in all the activitires of this Spanish doctor, politican, spiritualist, mason and hydrologist of renown.