Main
Pioneers
of homeopathy
by Dr Thomas
Lindsey Bradford
Presented by Dr Robert Séror
Baron
Ernst George von Brunnow (1796-1845)
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Baron
BRUNNOW, ERNST GEORGE VON. (1796-1845)
Was a contributor to the
Hahnemann jubilee of 1829,
at which time he lived in Dresden.
As he was not a physician, his name is not in the Zeitung nor Quin
lists.
He was, however, of immense influence on the early propagation of
Homoeopathy. In the British
journal for April, 1847, is the following :
Ernst George von Brunnow, born at Dresden, the 6 th of April, 1796,
died there the 5th of May, 1845.
Though not a medical man, Von Brunnow
has rendered essential services to the cause of Homoeopathy by his
literary labors, in connection with the subject.
Of noble Courland family, he began in 1829, to devote himself to the study of philosophy
and law.
His indifferent health prevented him pursuing this path, and he
confined himself to the cultivation of the lighter departments of
literature.
He enjoyed considerable reputation as a novelist, his “Troubadour” and ” Ulrick von Hutten,” being still popular.
Failing to obtain relief from his bodily sufferings from Allopathy, he put himself under Hahnemann’s treatment, and obtained such benefit as convinced him of
the excellence and truth of the Homoeopathic system, and converted him
into an ardent champion of the cause.
He translated into the French
language the ” Organon ” and several other of Hahnemann’s lesser works, and had a considerable share in
the Latin translation of the Materia Medica Pura.
His last work in connection with Homoeopathy is a small pamphlet
entitled, ” Ein
Blick auf Hahnemann land die Homöopathik.” Leipzig, 1844.
We cannot better sum up this brief notice of him than in the words of
his
German biographer — His whole nature
evinced profound feeling, and his melancholy, dark, brilliant eyes
betokened clearness of intellect and the noblest of hearts.
Without guile, firm and true in his friendship, sympathizing,
unselfish, with an enthusiasm for the beautiful and the sublime, such is
our recollection of the noble, the departed
Ernst von Brunnow.
Rapou
says that he
was a rich inane, with leisure and great talent for writing. He devoted
himself entirely to the new doctrines.
He prepared an excellent exposition of Homoeopathy for men of the world
and translated the ”
Organon”
into French.
Stapf
thus writes of
him :
If every one who has labored with active love for the internal and
external development of Homoeopathy has a just claim to our grateful
recognition, and this, whether he be physician or laymen, then Ernst von
Brunnow has quite especially merited to be lovingly
mentioned in this journal, and that we should erect a simple memorial to
his memory.
Brunnow
was born in Dresden, from a very honorable family of Courland on April 6th, 1796,
and died in the same city on the 5th of May, 1815.
Having been sickly from his earliest child-hood, he was most carefully
educated at home until he, in the year
1819,
devoted himself in Leipzig to the study of philosophy and jurisprudence,
and later on he prepared himself in the Bureau of Justice in Dresden for a higher official position.
Increasing bodily ailments, however, soon compelled him to give up this
course, and being favored by fortunate external circumstances he lived to
himself and his literary undertakings.
An honorable testimony as to what he attempted and succeeded in with
regard to the field of belles-lettres, where he was quite at home, is
afforded to us in a collection of poems, several excellent novels, and
especially some very valuable historical novels, among which the “
Troubadour ” and ” Ulrich von Hutton ” deserve especial mention.
But he was destined to become useful to science and
Humanity also in another manner. The severe bodily
sufferings to which he was subjected, and for which he had not even a
palliative in Allopathy made him try Homoeopathy, and this new method of healing, as administered
by the hands of Hahnemann himself, succeeding in essentially
improving his condition and in making it at least tolerable.
He went through the same experiences as other excellent men in similar
circumstances. Overcome by the deep truth of Homoeopathy and by the
blessings which it can bestow on mankind when rightly administered he not
only became its most zealous friend and votary, but he also endeavored
after he had most fully became acquainted with its essentials and with its
literature, and had made friends with its most distinguished adherents, to
contribute with all his strength by words and deeds to its more general
acceptance.
For this purpose he translated several works of
Hahnemann, the ” Organon
” and his pamphlet on coffee,
etc., into the French language. For this task he was
better prepared than many others by his perfect knowledge of that
language.
Von Brunnow
also
took an active part in translating the Materia Medica Pura into Latin. Only those who worked with him and
who have carefully watched the progress of Homoeopathy can rightly
appreciate how much he has contributed to it by his excellent translations
into French, and by some smaller works about
Homoeopathy which he wrote himself.
He also made good use of his manifold social relations in circles which
were as distinguished as they were extensive, so as to defend Homoeopathy,
which was then so little known and so much misjudged.
During the last years of his life, solely in consequence of external
influences, he had become favorably disposed to a tendency to Homoeopathy,
which in consequence of its peculiar scientific appearance might well
appeal to his susceptible spirit, but which widely differs from true and
pure Homoeopathy, as he formerly knew and acknowledged it ; this tendency,
however, unless all signs of the times are deceptive, will probably prove
but a passing phantom, which will soon again give place to the old and
eternal truth.
In this spirit he also wrote his last homoeopathic pamphlet : ”
A Glance at Hahnemann and
Homoeopathy, etc.” (1844). Part of the contents of this composition we would
willingly excuse with Goethe’s saying :” Man will err as long as he strives.”
In concluding this simple memorial, we would quote the words of another
biographer of our beloved friend, because they are as true as they are
beautiful. and as suitable as if they had come from my own soul, so that I
would not know how to–describe him more suitably :
” His whole being showed a warm sentiment from his melancholy dark
shining eyes, clearness of spirit, and a most noble heart beamed forth.
Without guile, firm and faithful in friendships, sympathetic, self
sacrificing, enthusiastic for everything beautiful and great-this is the
image of the noble departed
Ernst von Brunnow, as it lives in our souls.
Ave cara anima
!
Dr. Stapf.
A writer in the
Zeitung says :
In the night from the 4th to the 5th of May,
1845, died at Dresden,
after several weeks of suffering, Baron Ernst Georg – von Brunnow, well-known to the friends of the reformed
healing art by his translation into French
of Hahnemann’s
Organon, with a very
readable preface prefixed to it, entitled Exposé de la Réforme de l’ Art Médical. by his French translation of Hahnemann’s pamphlet on coffee, and by his cooperation in the Latin translation of the Materia Medica Pura, undertaken in common with the Drs. Stapf and Gross ; and finally by his work : “A Glance at Hahnemann and
Homoeopathy.”
He was born April 6th,
1796,
at Dresden, and was the oldest son of a Saxon officer in a high position, who came from Courland.
He lost his father when very young, but he enjoyed until two years ago,
the life and presence of his beloved noble mother.
In the years
1815-19 he studied law at Leipzig, and was afterward for a short time assessor in
a Government office at Dresden.
But he soon left the civil service owing to his health, and labored for
his fellowmen in the advancement of the good and the beautiful through.
literary works.
As an author, he became known through his “
Epos and Lyra,” his “Troubadour,” his “Ulrich von Hutten,” and his “Oberst von Carpezan.”
His zeal for truth, and his endeavors to advance art and the sciences
for the common good of humanity, endeared him to all his friends.
For Homoeopathy, he worked with a self-sacrificing love, and he was
ever a zealous promoter of the same, though withal with a good common
sense.
His talents kept equal pace with his zeal ; he was one of those highly
gifted authors, who labor and create from an internal impulse.
(Brit. Jour. Hom. vol. 5, p. 253. Kleinert, 149, 165. Archiv f. d. hom.
Heilk., vol. 22, p1. 2, p. 186. Allg. hom. Zeit., vol. 29, p. 32. Rapou,
vol. 2, p. 8h.)
Numérisation,
vérification, mise en page,