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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