International Homeopathic Medical League LMHI

History of Homeopathy in Brazil

HISTORICAL ASPECTS REGARDING THE CURRENT SITUATION OF HOMEOPATHY IN BRAZIL

Benoit Jules Mure, a French doctor, arrived in Brazil on November 21, 1840, accompanied by families who settled in the colonies of Santa Catarina. Dr. Mure who was the founder of homeopathic dispensary in Palermo, of the dispensary at La Harpe street in Paris, the divulger of homeopathy in Sicily and in Malta, arrived here as the representative of the Union Industrielle of Paris.

The First Homeopathic Institute of Brazil was installed at the newly founded Colony of Sahy and this is the site where the movement of homeopathic proselytisme began. As a result of his constant contact with Rio de Janeiro, Dr. Mure decides to move to that city in 1843 and subsequent to regularizing his professional situation, becomes a combative propagator of the Hahnemannian science, assisted by João Vicente Martins, such efforts resulting in the foundation of the Homeopathic School of Brazil.

Supported by a notice issue by the Ministry of the Affairs of Justice dated March 27, 1846 and by the law that structured the study in Brazil, dated October 3, 1846, the Homeopathic School of Brazil is authorized, by the Imperial Authorities, to grant certificates of study to the homeopaths who conclude its course.

Decree No. 7283 dated May 10, 1879, issued by the Imperial Authorities, approves the bylaws of the Instituto Hahnemanniano Fluminense that, as a result of the alteration made to the bylaws, is transformed into the Instituto Hahnemanniano do Brazil.

Imperial Decree No. 9554 dated February 3, 1886 officially recognizes the Homeopathic Drugstores. This decree makes reference to "homeopathic doctor" for the first time in the Brazilian law.

The Homeopathic Infirmary of the Central Hospital of the Army was founded in 1902; the Homeopathic Infirmary of the Central Hospital of the Navy was formed in 1908.

On December 2, 1912, the Instituto Hahnemanniano do Brazil established the Hahnemannian Faculty.

Federal Decree No. 11473, dated October 3, 1915, authorized by the Congress, determines the donation of a property for the installation of the Hahnemannian School and Hospital which were founded on April 10, 1916.

Legislative Decree No. 3540, dated September 25, 1918, authorized the Instituto Hahnemanniano do Brasil to qualify homeopathic doctors.

The Decision of the Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs, through the Notice dated December 5, 1921, raises the Faculdade Hahnemanniana to the same level as the official colleges.

Law No. 1552, dated July 8, 1952 renders obligatory the study of Homeopathic Pharmacotechnique Notions in the Pharmaceutics Colleges of Brazil.

Law No. 3271 of September 30, 1957, federalized the Scool of Medicine and Surgery of Rio de Janeiro, whose origin is accounted to the Faculdade Hahnemanniana, and determines that it is obligatory to maintain the study of Homeopathy in this College, through three disciplines.

Decree No. 57477 dated December 20, 1965, regularizes the manipulation, prescription and sale of goods utilized in homeopathy.

Decree No. 78841 dated November 25, 1976 (supplement No. 4 of the Official Gazette of January 6, 1977) approves the General Part of the Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia, whose publication was authorized by Ministry of Health through Process No. 4556/77-RJ, based on article 6 of the referred decree, which was published still in 1977.

In 1980, the Federal Council of Medicine, according to Resolution No. 1000, includes Homeopathy among the recognized medical specializations, having established, in 1982, the instructions for obtaining the Title of Doctor Specialized in Homeopathy. Consequently, consubstantiating a denomination that existed since the Sanitary Code of the Empire in 1888.

The first public exam for homeopathic doctors takes place in 1988 at the Hospital do Instituto de Assistància aos Servidores of the Rio de Janeiro State. Since then, several public services, in numerous Brazilian states, have performed public exams for homeopathic doctors.

Following the structuring of Brazilian Homeopathic Medical Association in Novemnber 1988, during the XIX Brazilian Congress of Homeopathy, in the city of Gramado, RS, it was decided to join efforts toward the strengthening of the Brazilian homeopathic movement.

It was also, during the XIX Brazilian Congress of Homeopathy that the germ involving the formation of an association of homeopathic pharmacists first germinated. In May 1989, the First National Meeting of Homeopathic Pharmacists took place in Rio de Janeiro.

On June 8, 1989, an agreement is signed between the Brazilian Homeopathic Medical Association (AMHB) and the Brazilian Medical Association (AMB). From then onwards, The AMHB became responsible for the guidance of the Homeopathic Department of the AMB where it participates actively, having appointed a representative to take part in the meetings held by the Council of Specialization at the AMB.

As a result of the AMHB/AMB association, the AMHB benefits automatically, through the intermediary of the AMB, from the association that exist between the latter and the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM). Thus, it was decided to leave the preparation of the test of obtaining the Title of Doctor Specialized in Homeopathy under the responsibility of the AMHB, began to grant the Title of Specialist in Homeopathy to the doctors who meet the conditions established by these regulations.

The first test prepared by the AMHB for the purpose of grating the Title of Specialist in Homeopathy was performed on June 29, 1990. Ever since, annual tests are being realized.

The resolution of the AMHB in 1990, in accordance with the discussions and guidance of the Scientific Council of the AMB and the Comission of Specialization of the CFM determines that the Courses of Specialization in Homeopathy for Doctors from 1991 onwards shall have the duration of 1200 hours, distributed as follows: 450 hours: theory; 450 hours: practice and 300 hours: monograph.

There exist Specialization Courses in Homeopathy all over the country. Homeopathy Courses can be attended in the School of Medicine as an option, or at the post-graduation level, in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraíba and Amazonas.

The Brazilian Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists (ABFH) was created in 1991.

An examination was performed in 1992 for Full Professors by the Rio de Janeiro University, six homeopathic doctors having been approved as Full Professors in Homeopathic Clinic.

During the First National Meeting of the Homeopathic Pharmacists (1989) a standardization project was prepared, that resulted in the publication, in 1922, of the Manual of Technical Standards for Homeopathic Drugstores, its second edition, with improvements and corrections having occurred in 1995. This book arrived to fill gaps that were required to complete the Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia.

Resolution No. 267 of February 9, 1995 of the Federal Council of Pharmacy, provides for the regulation of the Title of Specialist for Homeopathic Pharmacist.