That is to say . . . When translating Dr. Wm. Cullen's treatise on materia medica, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann was dissatisfied with Cullen's argument for why cinchona bark (quinine) was able to cure many cases of malaria. So Hahnemann began dosing himself with cinchona bark extract to see what his reaction would be. He became feverish and nauseous with severe diarrhea and vomiting, had pain in every limb, numb fingers and toes, blue around the eyes, and ringing in his ears - the exact picture of many malaria cases. From this and similar experiments, Hahnemann deduced the Fundamental Principle of Homeopathy - Similia Similibus Curentur - let like be cured by like, or, that which can cause certain symptoms has the power to stimulate cure of those symptoms when they occur in illness. Hahnemann's next task was to find a dose which would not cause harm. He devised an energetic system for diluting substances - now known as "potentization." To his surprise, he found that the remedy became stronger, more curative, as the substance was diluted. Because of the vigorous succussion process, the power (potency) of the remedy increased as the amount of the substance decreased. Thus, another Fundamental Principle of Homeopathy - the Minimum Dose. Nowadays, technology is just catching up with Hahnemann as new high tech applications of this process are being explored. Hahnemann and his students then and now have tested thousands of substances, meticulously recording every physical, emotional and mental symptom in books called Materia Medica. The key to making homeopathy work for you is finding the remedy which can cause the symptoms you are experiencing and finding a manufacturer whom you can trust to prepare it in a completely non-toxic dose. The second part is easy - that's Luyties 1-800-HOMEOPATHY. To help you find your remedy, we have included a mini-repertory (symptoms to remedy index) and carry several educational guidebooks and combination remedies. Just remember, homeopathy treats the whole person not just a symptom.