Homeopathic Congresses have been held from 1829, but
the international nature of these was at a comparatively lower key from
1829 to 1873.
"The resolution for holding the First World Homeopathic
Convention was passed by the American Institute of Homeopathy in 1874.
The President was Dr. Carroll Dunham, who worked very hard for the next
two years to make a great success of the Congress which was actually held
in 1876."
At this Convention it was decided to have such International
Conventions/Congresses every five years and these quinquennial Congresses
were held regularly until 1911.
In 1906 it is reported:
"An important matter decided at this meeting was the arrangement
of permanent machinery for the series of International Congresses. Heretofore
the officers elected with the exception of the Permanent-Secretary, served
only during the life of the Congresses. Under the organisation plan adopted
on the opening day, two sets of officers were elected, acting and honorary,
the acting officers to serve only during the session of the Congress,
while the honorary officers are to serve during the interim between this
and the succeeding Congress." (Homeopathic World, 1906, p. 450).
At the 1911 Congress held at London, the President, Dr.
Burford, reviewed this matter in great detail in his Presidential Address.
He said, "Every fifth year this vital organism undergoes rejuvenescence,
and is re-breathed into life, now in this Continent and now in that. Spring
is in its veins; its pulses throb with vernal activity; in a brilliant
hey-day of existence summer and autumn rapidly succeed, followed by a
prolonged hibernation of as many years as the phase of active existence
occupied days. Five years, you will agree, is an unduly long hibernating
period after even a strenuous life of six risings and settings of the
sun. I propose to rectify this disproportion, not by way of making the
active phase longer, or its incidence more frequent, but by ensuring that
the hibernation is less profound.
"The interval between the Congresses is occupied
in reading the biography of each resuscitation, which, like all biographies,
deals only with what the moving finger has writ. A congress or any other
organism that does not busy itself with regard to altering environment,
will ultimately have naught but biography to mark its erstwhile place
and power."
At the First World Convention in 1876, "the idea
took shape that the isolated settlements and movements of Homeopathy
in the countries of the world should be linked up for a few days at long
intervals by an International Congress. From that date . . . the international
idea has moved on to some purpose. Its inception was by way of International
Congress. Its unfolding has brought us up to international concerted action."
Now, "We want an Inter-Congressional Council whose
organisation will link up the essential interests of Homeopathy over
the globe . . . Such a limited committee, appointed by this Congress,
should have as a chief instruction to bring every practical aid of the
Homeopathic World to those settlements where Homeopathy is being
squeezed out of existence. An annual meeting of such an Inter-Congressional
Board-and this is entirely practicable in these much traveling times-would
at least fill a great gap in Pan-Homeopathic organisation. Even if
it did nothing more, it would maintain during the five years' interval
the active influence of International Congress on International Homeopathy
. . . Such an Inter-Congressional Council would create a solidarity as
between all the countries of the Homeopathic World . . . It would
give us the picked brains of the Homeopathic body in each country-men
of affairs, men of experience, the Cabinet of this Homeopathic Parliament,
by whom the world affairs of Homeopathy would be put on the lines
of most momentum and of least resistance."
*Senior Vice-president, International Homeopathic
Medical League; Hon'y. Homeopathic Physician to the President of
India; Chairman, Executive Board (Homeopathy), C. C. Research, I.M.&H.,
President of Honor, L.M.H.I.
"Such a passage from academic conference to practical
co-operation is suggested for the decision of this Congress. First and
foremost, wherever Homeopathy once established is struggling against
odds, it deserves all the interest and support that the most powerful
establishments can lend it. To develop and maintain the international
function of this Congress, I put to you my suggestion of an International
Ministry, representing every nation where Homeopathy is established,
constituted as an Inter-Congressional Council. We want a never sleeping,
many-sided council of plenipotentiaries, that thinks out the problems
of World-Homeopathy and coordinates the movements. The Council need
not always be in session, but its distinguished members should be always
in cooperation."
Further steps were thus taken to have a continuing liaison
and have a permanent organisation to carry on the activity in the years
between the Congresses. Eight Quinquennial Congresses were held up to
and including 1911. The organisation consisted of one permanent officer,
a secretary authorised to take the initial steps in making arrangements
for the regular holding of the Congresses. "With the death of that
faithful and efficient officer there was no organisation."
Thus, the idea of the International Homeopathic Council
was born with "the aim to safeguard interest in the advance of Homeopathy
and advice with regard to politics. It is the permanent representative
of the Quinquennial International Homeopathic Congresses and its
authority was conferred upon it by the International Congress of 1911.
However, it was at a special meeting held in London in September 1914,
that the "International Homeopathic Council," was actually
organised. This was to meet annually and to guard and represent international
Homeopathic interests, and convene a Congress when the time was opportune.
The Council, however, during its meeting in Rotterdam, in 1925, decided
that the time had come for the formation of an organisation with a wider
scope and greater powers than were vested in the Council, and so the "International
Homeopathic League" came into existence. "Many topics of
vital importance to Homeopathy are frequently brought up for consideration
and there should be some authorised administrative body to which such
subject might be referred. Such a body is the League."
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