O. D. Tietze (1799-1847) – Pioneers of homeopathy by T. L. Bradford

Pioneers
of homeopathy

by Dr Thomas
Lindsey Bradford

Presented by Dr Robert Séror

O. D.
Tietze (1799-1847)

Photo not available

Dr. TIETZE,
O. D. (1799-1847)

In the list of contributors to the

Hahnemann celebration of 1829
appears the name : Tietze, Wundarzt
and Geburtshelfer zu Ebersbach im Konigr., Sachsen.

Dr. Rueckert published the following memoir in
the Neue Archiv., vol. 3 (vol. 23, pt. 3 in continuous
numbering) :

The subject of the memoir was born at Celsa, near Lobau, where his father was a
schoolmaster, July 29, 1799. In the year 1812 he went to the gymnasium at Bauzen, where he underwent the necessary preliminary
studies for his subsequent medical education.

In the year 1817 he went to the medico-chirurgical
academy of Dresden, distinguished himself above his
compeers for diligence and desire of acquiring knowledge, and after
undergoing his examination for surgeon and accoucheur in 1820 he the same year entered upon his practical
career. Never resting activity and devotion soon procured him a
considerable practice, especially as an accoucheur.

Soon after him I commenced my practical career as a homoeopathic
physician in his neighborhood, where I not unfrequently met with him.

Although intimate friends in our youth, we now stood in scientific
respects diametrically opposed, as he, still unacquainted with the nature
of Homoeopathy, and brimful of the wisdom of the old school, whose
animosity towards the new doctrine he had imbibed, viewed me as an
opponent in my capacity as physician, though his honest and upright
character induced him to esteem me still as an old friend.

It was not till the year 1828
that he ventured to make himself acquainted with homoeopathic writings,
and he began to make cautious experiments, which succeeded in spite of his
unbelief.

Once convinced of the truth of the homoeopathic law of cure, he
followed it out with untiring ardor ; he hesitated not a moment to appear
before the public as a converted Saul,
patiently enduring the harassing persecutions of his colleagues, and
submissively bore what must have been to him as a fortune’s father of a
family, a hard lot, that of seeing himself suddenly descend from a
widespread practice to a small number of patients ; but so much the more
diligently did he study homoeopathic works, convinced that after he had
passed this crisis a happier future lay before him.

And he was not deceived. With his practical skill he soon succeeded, by
means of ever-increasing cures, in forming a fine line of practice. He
would now, however, not submit to be despoiled by means of his hard won
conviction and experience ; and, as was consistent with his
straightforward character, he boldly confuted by word of mouth, and by
writing, all the calumnies of the enemies and the self-styled friends of
Homoeopathy when they at all infringed on the truth, although some men of
the opposite party in exalted positions occasionally made him feel, in no
very agreeable manner, that he was not possessed of the doctor’s degree.

He belonged to the small section of medical men who on the 13 of June, 1832, founded our Lusatian
Society ; he was one of our most active members, was beloved by all on
account of his candor, was honored as a zealous partisan of the new
school, esteemed as a practitioner devoted to his patients, and he filled
with great fidelity to the end of his life the post of treasurer to the
society.

Of late years he took great interest in the high potencies, which he
employed with much success. He made himself useful to Homeopathy by many
valuable articles in the Archiv,
and in the practical communications of the Lusatian Silesian Society.

In the spring of 1847 a typhus abdominalis that had been
spreading slowly in our neighborhood for several years approached his
sphere of operations and as soon as he discovered that Belladonna and Arsenicum in high potencies were the chief remedies for it
he boldly encountered it, cured an immense number of those affected by it
(in one family seven persons), little thinking that he was to fall a
sacrifice to his own usefulness.

Several circumstances, especially a cough that gave his robust frame a
severe shock, some depressing mental emotions, and exposure to cold, after
being engaged in protracted labors at a distance from home, acted
injuriously on his health, so that the contagion found in him a fruitful
soil in which to take root.

After several days of slight indisposition, he took seriously ill on
June 11 th, 1847, and suspected that he was about to
be afflicted with typhus ; he saw and prescribed for his numerous patients
until the 13 th, although excessively weak in body, but at last, on the
14th, he was forced to take to his bed.

Hitherto he had treated himself. He now sought my aid with the utmost
confidence. But more vexations awaited him. I only returned from a distant
journey on the 18 th and found my patient in a despairing condition of
mind, that I, although I could not avoid it, had left him so long in his
extremity.

All the remedies exhibited remained without effect : the disease
increasing day by day indicated the approach of death, which occurred
after several days of delirium, on the evening of the 23 th of June.

The following is from the Zeitung
:

A distinguished physician and obstetrician, Dr. C. D. Tietze, in Ebersbach, died June 23 d (1847) –
deeply Iamented, not only by his sadly afflicted family, but also by his
numerous adherents, friends and admirers.

Typhoid fever, from the attack, of which he had previously saved
several patients, put an end to his active life. Before he could assist
his daughter, the disease seized on himself.

On the 27th of June his body was laid to rest, in the 48 th year of his
life. He was the pioneer of Homoeopathy in this district, and for twenty
years he has assisted with indefatigable faithfulness a great number of
patients, acting at the same time as a skillful and experienced
obstetrician.

His unselfishness and faithfulness, his modesty and kindliness obtained
for him the affection of all.

Not only his skillful cures, but also his excellent literary works,
mostly printed in the homoeopathic Archiv.,
so much
distinguished him that on account of his abounding knowledges and his
penetrating acumen in the choice of remedies he was valued and recommended
by the most prominent homoeopathic physicians of our time.

A thorough homoeopath would find many friends of this curative method
in this densely populated region, for although Altgersdorf, Duerrhennersdorf, Ebersbach,
Friedersdorf, Kottmarsdorf. Neugersdorf, Neusalza, Spremberg, Spreedorf,
Schoen. Bach etc., have
experienced allopaths living in them or near them, they have no
homoeopath.

We hope that the loss through the decease of Tietze will at least, in this respect, he alleviated soon by a
competent successor in his work.

By his family and friends the prematurely departed will be ever
remembered, and to them his loss is irretrievable.

(Neue Archiv. f. d. hom. Heil., vol. 3, pt. 3, page 128.

Kirby’s Am. Jour. Hom., vol. 3, page 93.

Allg. hom. Zeitung, vol. 33, page 95.

Rapou, vol. 2, pp. 416, 481, 542.

Atkin’s Hom. Direct., 1855, page 212.)

Numérisation,
vérification, mise en page,