{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T21:40:31Z","timestamp":1777671631830,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":68,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"3-4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,15]],"date-time":"2021-03-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1615766400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100004440","name":"Wellcome Trust","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["Travel grant for archival research"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Travel grant for archival research"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100004440","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["History of the Human Sciences"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>The 19th century saw the development of an eclectic medical marketplace in both the United Kingdom and the United States, with mesmerists, herbalists and hydrotherapists amongst the plethora of medical \u2018sectarians\u2019 offering mainstream (or \u2018allopathic\u2019) medicine stiff competition. Foremost amongst these competitors were homoeopaths, a group of practitioners who followed Samuel Hahnemann (1982[1810]) in prescribing highly dilute doses of single-drug substances at infrequent intervals according to the \u2018law of similars\u2019 (like cures like). The theoretical sophistication of homoeopathy, compared to other medical sectarian systems, alongside its institutional growth after the mid-19th-century cholera epidemics, led to homoeopathy presenting a challenge to allopathy that the latter could not ignore. Whilst the subsequent decline of homoeopathy at the beginning of the 20th century was the result of multiple factors, including developments within medical education, the Progressive movement, and wider socio-economic changes, this article focuses on allopathy\u2019s response to homoeopathy\u2019s conceptual challenge. Using the theoretical framework of Berger and Luckmann (1991[1966]) and taking a Tory historiographical approach (Fuller, 2002) to recover more fully 19th-century homoeopathic knowledge, this article demonstrates how increasingly sophisticated \u2018nihilative\u2019 strategies were ultimately successful in neutralising homoeopathy and that homoeopaths were defeated by allopaths (rather than disproven) at the conceptual level. In this process, the therapeutic use of \u2018nosodes\u2019 (live disease products) and the language of bacteriology were pivotal. For their part, homoeopaths failed to mount a counter-attack against allopaths with an explanatory framework available to them.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/0952695120967872","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,16]],"date-time":"2021-03-16T19:51:26Z","timestamp":1615924286000},"page":"121-141","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Talking therapy: The allopathic nihilation of homoeopathy through conceptual translation and a new medical language"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"34","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0395-9447","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lyn","family":"Brierley-Jones","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Leeds, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/3166370"},{"key":"bibr2-0952695120967872","volume-title":"Materia Medica of the Nosodes","author":"Allen H. C.","year":"1910"},{"key":"bibr3-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/007327531305100104"},{"key":"bibr4-0952695120967872","first-page":"91","volume":"61","author":"Bailey B. F.","year":"1905","journal-title":"American Institute of Homoeopathy Transactions"},{"key":"bibr5-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.1910.92550300001001g"},{"issue":"10","key":"bibr6-0952695120967872","first-page":"916","volume":"54","author":"Bandelier","year":"1910","journal-title":"Journal of the American Medical Association"},{"key":"bibr7-0952695120967872","volume-title":"The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge","author":"Berger P.","year":"1991"},{"key":"bibr8-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S000708740004379X"},{"key":"bibr9-0952695120967872","volume-title":"Logic of Figures","author":"Bradford T. L.","year":"1900"},{"key":"bibr150-0952695120967872","first-page":"181","volume-title":"Medizin, Gesellschaft und Geschichte MedGG","volume":"24","author":"Brierley-Jones L. K.","year":"2005"},{"key":"bibr10-0952695120967872","volume-title":"Rockefeller Medical Men","author":"Brown E. R.","year":"1979"},{"key":"bibr11-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/368750"},{"key":"bibr12-0952695120967872","volume-title":"The New Cure for Consumption by Its Own Virus: Illustrated by Numerous Cases","author":"Burnett J. C.","year":"1892"},{"key":"bibr13-0952695120967872","volume-title":"Eight Years Experience in the Cure of Consumption by Bacillinum","author":"Burnett J. C.","year":"1894"},{"key":"bibr14-0952695120967872","volume-title":"The Whig Interpretation of History","author":"Butterfield H.","year":"1931"},{"key":"bibr16-0952695120967872","unstructured":"Chou J. Y. (2016) \u2018Reforming Towards a Scientific Medicine and a Changing Social Identity: British Homoeopathy 1866-1893\u2019, PhD thesis, University College London."},{"key":"bibr17-0952695120967872","first-page":"24","volume":"7","author":"Cooke P. M.","year":"1892","journal-title":"North American Journal of Homoeopathy"},{"key":"bibr18-0952695120967872","volume-title":"Divided Legacy: The Conflict Between Homoeopathy and the American Medical Association","author":"Coulter H. L.","year":"1973"},{"key":"bibr19-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(01)14184-X"},{"issue":"5","key":"bibr155-0952695120967872","first-page":"442","volume":"55","author":"Current Medical Literature","year":"1910","journal-title":"Journal of the American Medical Association"},{"issue":"8","key":"bibr156-0952695120967872","first-page":"725","volume":"55","author":"Current Medical Literature","year":"1910","journal-title":"Journal of the American Medical Association"},{"issue":"8","key":"bibr157-0952695120967872","first-page":"650","volume":"54","author":"Current Medical Literature","year":"1910","journal-title":"Journal of the American Medical Association"},{"key":"bibr20-0952695120967872","volume-title":"Natural Symbols","author":"Douglas M.","year":"1996"},{"key":"bibr21-0952695120967872","volume-title":"Homoeopathy, Allopathy and Young Physic","author":"Forbes J.","year":"1846"},{"key":"bibr22-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/1468-2303.00213"},{"key":"bibr23-0952695120967872","first-page":"122","volume":"54","author":"Geohegan W. H.","year":"1898","journal-title":"American Institute of Homoeopathy Transactions"},{"key":"bibr24-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gevitz N. (1988) Other Healers: Unorthodox Medicine in America. Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins University Press.","DOI":"10.56021\/9780801836640"},{"key":"bibr25-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.56021\/9780801893131"},{"key":"bibr26-0952695120967872","volume-title":"The Organon of Medicine","author":"Hahnemann S. C. F.","year":"1994","edition":"6"},{"key":"bibr27-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1201\/9781439804438"},{"key":"bibr28-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.36019\/9780813551180"},{"key":"bibr29-0952695120967872","volume-title":"Shadow Medicine: The Placebo in Conventional and Alternative Therapies","author":"Haller J. S.","year":"2014"},{"key":"bibr30-0952695120967872","volume-title":"In Search of the Later Hahnemann","author":"Handley R.","year":"1997"},{"key":"bibr31-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-94-010-1863-0"},{"key":"bibr151-0952695120967872","volume-title":"The Philosophy of History","author":"Hegel G. W. F.","year":"1991"},{"key":"bibr32-0952695120967872","volume-title":"The Age of Reform: From Bryant to F.D.R","author":"Hofstadter R.","year":"1962"},{"key":"bibr33-0952695120967872","first-page":"148","volume":"9","author":"Holmes O. W.","year":"1860","journal-title":"Medical Communications"},{"issue":"8","key":"bibr34-0952695120967872","first-page":"659","volume":"54","author":"\u2018Improved Technic in Tuberculin\u2019","year":"1910","journal-title":"Journal of the American Medical Association"},{"key":"bibr35-0952695120967872","author":"Johnson C. Y.","year":"2015","journal-title":"Washington Post"},{"key":"bibr37-0952695120967872","author":"Kent J. T.","year":"1906","journal-title":"The American Homoeopathic Magazine"},{"key":"bibr39-0952695120967872","first-page":"312","volume":"63","author":"Linn A. M.","year":"1907","journal-title":"American Institute of Homoeopathy Transactions"},{"key":"bibr40-0952695120967872","first-page":"81","volume":"26","author":"Logan T. M.","year":"1873","journal-title":"Transactions of the American Medical Association"},{"key":"bibr41-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.2.2085.1695"},{"key":"bibr42-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0952695109352414"},{"issue":"2","key":"bibr43-0952695120967872","first-page":"97","volume":"8","author":"Morrell P.","year":"1999","journal-title":"New England Journal of Homeopathy"},{"issue":"4","key":"bibr158-0952695120967872","first-page":"285","author":"New and Non Official Remedies","year":"1910","journal-title":"Journal of the American Medical Association"},{"key":"bibr44-0952695120967872","volume-title":"Homoeopathy and the Medical Profession","author":"Nicholls P.","year":"1988"},{"key":"bibr45-0952695120967872","first-page":"175","volume":"31","author":"Ockford G. M.","year":"1878","journal-title":"American Institute of Homoeopathy Transactions"},{"key":"bibr46-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(00)52279-X"},{"key":"bibr47-0952695120967872","volume-title":"The Greatest Benefit to Mankind: A Medical History of Humanity From Antiquity to the Present","author":"Porter R.","year":"1997"},{"key":"bibr48-0952695120967872","first-page":"104","volume":"54","author":"Price E. C.","year":"1898","journal-title":"Transactions of the American Institute of Homoeopathy"},{"key":"bibr153-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(00)51245-8"},{"key":"bibr49-0952695120967872","volume-title":"American Physicians in the 19th Century: From Sects to Science","author":"Rothstein W. G.","year":"1985"},{"key":"bibr50-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1353\/book.3471"},{"key":"bibr51-0952695120967872","first-page":"91","volume":"29","author":"Sims J. M.","year":"1875","journal-title":"Transactions of the American Medical Association"},{"key":"bibr52-0952695120967872","unstructured":"Squires R. J. (1985) \u2018Marginality, Stigma and Conversion in the Context of Medical Knowledge, Professional Practices and Occupational Interests\u2019, PhD thesis, University of Leeds."},{"key":"bibr53-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/007327539503300403"},{"issue":"9","key":"bibr159-0952695120967872","first-page":"412","volume":"4","author":"The Use of Tuberculin Part III (multiple authors)","year":"1914","journal-title":"British Homoeopathic Journal"},{"key":"bibr54-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1515\/9781400864638"},{"key":"bibr55-0952695120967872","first-page":"344","volume":"63","author":"Watters W. H.","year":"1907","journal-title":"American Institute of Homoeopathy Transactions"},{"issue":"2","key":"bibr56-0952695120967872","first-page":"194","volume":"2","author":"Wesselhoeft C.","year":"1877","journal-title":"Transactions of the American Institute of Homoeopathy"},{"key":"bibr57-0952695120967872","first-page":"184","volume":"30","author":"Wesselhoeft C.","year":"1877","journal-title":"Transactions of the American Institute of Homoeopathy"},{"issue":"161","key":"bibr58-0952695120967872","first-page":"193","volume":"40","author":"Wesselhoeft C.","year":"1882","journal-title":"British Journal of Homoeopathy"},{"key":"bibr59-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(01)14117-6"},{"key":"bibr60-0952695120967872","first-page":"478","volume":"3","author":"Wheeler C. E.","year":"1909","journal-title":"British Homoeopathic Review"},{"key":"bibr61-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/oso\/9780195140712.001.0001"},{"key":"bibr62-0952695120967872","volume-title":"A Treatise on Therapeutics Comprising Materia Medica and Toxicology: With Especial Reference to the Application of the Physiological Action of Drugs to Clinical Medicine","author":"Wood H. C.","year":"1874"},{"key":"bibr154-0952695120967872","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.1907.25320070037002f"}],"container-title":["History of the Human Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/0952695120967872","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/0952695120967872","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/0952695120967872","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T08:01:28Z","timestamp":1777449688000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/0952695120967872"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,15]]},"references-count":68,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3-4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,7]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/0952695120967872"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0952695120967872","relation":{},"ISSN":["0952-6951","1461-720X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0952-6951","type":"print"},{"value":"1461-720X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,15]]}}}