History Of The Liga Homeopatica do Rio Grande do Sul (LHRGS)
During the 1940s, the Brazilian homeopathy suffered from repeated defeats at the academic level. Consequently, very few doctors declared themselves homeopaths. Dr. David Castro, born in Recife, state of Pernambuco, in 1915, was one of the few. Graduated in Medicine in Bahia and in Homeopathy in Rio de Janeiro, he came to Rio Grande do Sul on the recommendation of Professor Dr. José Emygdio Galhardo.
The creation of the LHRGS
To start organizing an entity that would bring together supporters of Homeopathy, on the initiative of Dr. David Castro, a session was held at the Homeopathic center in São Paulo, on 21 March 1941.
The idea of creating the Homeopathic League of Rio Grande do Sul (LHRGS), aimed at promoting and disseminating Homeopathy, was unanimously accepted.
A provisional board was elected, with Dr. Sabino Menna Barreto as president, vice-president Dr. Alfredo Ludwig, first treasurer pharmacist Luiz G. Klein, speaker Dr. Souza Lobo and advertising director Dr. David Castro, among other positions.
When they prepared and registered their statutes, the work of the institution began. Its advertising director, Dr. David Castro, presented a radio program on Rádio Farroupilha, as well as regularly contributed to homeopathic chronicles in local newspapers, sponsored by the pharmacy of Luiz G. Klein & Cia.
Three homeopathic dispensaries
After a land donation by the company Irmãos Bernardi, the first homeopathic outpatient facility (homeopathic dispensary) construction began, in Passo da Areia district.
The LHRGS had three homeopathic dispensaries in Porto Alegre, dispensary nº 1 (1942), dispensary nº 2 (1944) and dispensary nº 3 (1952). They all received the title of public utility, both at the Federal, State and Municipal levels.
Historic congresses
In 1944, on the initiative of LHRGS, it was iheld in Porto Alegre the first South American Homeopathic Congress, chaired by Dr. David Castro. The congress was attended by doctors from Argentina, Uruguay and the center of the country, with the support of the State government.
In 1952, it was held the 4th Brazilian Homeopathy Congress, also under the presidency of Dr. David Castro.
This congress, made official by the State Government, was held in May to celebrate Dr. Licínio Cardoso’s 100th birthday.
Dr. David Castro represented LHRGS in several congresses in Brazil, in the United States and Europe, spreading Gaucho Homeopathy around the world.
Monuments in respect of Hahnemann and Licínio Cardoso
In 1943, the first monument to Homeopathy was inaugurated in a public square in South America: Hahnemann’s herma in Parque Farroupilha in Porto Alegre, commemorating the centenary of the death of the founder of Homeopathy.
In 1952, another herma was inaugurated in Farroupilha Park by the State Governor, Gen. Ernesto Dornelles, this time in memory of Dr. Licínio Cardoso. After the end of the Congress, LHRGS contributed to the inauguration of another herma in memory of Dr. Licinio Cardoso, this time in Lavras do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul.
Dr. Licinio Cardoso
The Homeopathic Bulletin
The Homeopathic Bulletin, the official organ of the LHRGS, was published regularly from 1941 through 1963, totalizing 186 published issues. Initially it was called Homeopathy Magazine, changing its name in 1944 as it did not include advertisements.
The Homeopathic National Day
In 1959, the LHRGS presented a motion, unanimously approved at the 7th Brazilian Congress of Homeopathy, creating the Homeopathic National Day in Brazil to be celebrated always on November 21st, the date of the French Dr. Benoit Mure’s arrival in the country.
More history
During 1961, the 2nd Latin American Symposium on Homeopathy was held in Porto Alegre, organized by the LHRGS and under the presidency of Dr. Thomas Paschero, from Argentina.
But the homeopathic dispensaries were not functioning for a long period.
For a long time, this magnificent social work suffered from a lack of homeopathic doctors willing to do voluntary work. Dr. David Castro himself tried several strategies to overcome this lack.
The beginning of new times for Homeopathy
After a long period of time, medical care at homeopathic dispensaries began again with Dr. Arno Caye in the 1970s.
In the 1980s, the LHRGS began to serve as a headquarters for regular Homeopathy courses that were established with the regulation of Homeopathy as a medical specialty, at a federal level.
For a long time, this magnificent social work suffered from a lack of homeopathic doctors willing to do voluntary work. The LHRGS continues to operate at its headquarters on Av. Getúlio Vargas nº 169, former homeopathic dispensary nº 3, providing homeopathic medical and veterinary care after more than 83 years of history, a fundamental milestone of Gaucho and Brazilian Homeopathy.
The pioneers of Homeopathy in Rio Grande do Sul: Licinio Cardoso and David Castro.
Licinio Cardoso, MD
1852 – On May 2nd, Licinio Cardoso was born in the village of Lavras/RS. The mother dies early. The father enlists as a volunteer in the Paraguayan War. Raised by his aunt with 5 other siblings, he soon stood out for his privileged intelligence. He leaves young for Rio de Janeiro to continue his studies, with the help of a naturalist visiting the village.
1874 – Completes the preparatory course at the Military School.
1879 – Becomes a military engineer, disciple of Benjamin Constant, one of the founders of the Positivist School of Brazil.
1885 – Publishes several works as a mathematician, professor at the Military and Polytechnic School, in addition to the Brazilian Academy of Sciences.
1895 – Enrolls in the Faculty of Medicine of Rio de Janeiro, obtaining a doctorate with the test “The Conception of Medicine”.
1900 – He starts his medical clinic, opting for homeopathy. Treats and saves many patients from the yellow fever epidemic.
He becomes president of the Hahnemannian Institute of Brazil.
He founded the Hahnemannian College in 1912 (later the School of Medicine and Surgery) and the Hahnemannian Hospital in 1916, establishing what was called the Golden Period of homeopathy in Brazil (1900 – 1930).
1923 – Publishes in Geneva “Autonosic Dyniotherapy” (the name given to his system) in French, translated by Dr. Antoine Nebel, after its first edition in Portuguese was sold out in Brazil.
1926 – Through an invitation to the Hahnemannian Institute of Brazil, he decides to present his work at the Homeopathy Congress in Paris. He fell ill on the way to Europe on the steamer ship “Andes”. In Lisbon, after being diagnosed with Angina pectoris, he passed away on June 1st without reaching his destination.
His remains were brought to Brazil. A huge procession was followed by a funeral and his remains were laid to rest in Rio de Janeiro.
David Castro, MD
Born in Recife (PE), he graduated in Medicine in Salvador (BA) and studied Homeopathy at the School of Medicine and Surgery in Rio de Janeiro (RJ). On the recommendation of Dr. José E. Galhardo, his teacher, moves to Porto Alegre (RS), where he lives his most productive years.
In 1941, he founded the Homeopathic League of Rio Grande do Sul (LHRS), beginning a broad press campaign with radio lectures on Rádio Farroupilha, reproduced weekly in the Diário de Notícias under the title “Homeopathic Pills”. Later, he published “Gotas Homeopatias”, in Folha da Tarde, and “Coluna Homeopatia”, in Correio do Povo.
At the same time, it constitutes a solid heritage for homeopathy in Rio Grande do Sul, with the construction of three homeopathic dispensaries, the inauguration of monuments in public squares and the holding of homeopathic congresses in Porto Alegre, including the IV Brazilian Congress of Homeopathy (CBH), made official by the Government of the State of RS with the launch of the first world postage stamp with a homeopathic theme – a tribute to the centenary of the birth of Licínio Cardoso.
He edited the Homeopathy Bulletin, the official organ of the LHRS, published regularly from 1941 to 1963. He continued publication through Revista Similia, until two months before his death.
In 1955, he moved to Rio de Janeiro, where he became the chair of Homeopathy (optional) at the School of Medicine and Surgery of Rio de Janeiro and published Sunday chronicles in Correio da Manhã. Always linked to ephemerides and history as a way of promoting Homeopathy, in 1959 he presented a motion from the LHRS to the 7th CBH to create Homeopathy Day in Brazil on November 21st. Participates in several international congresses as a Brazilian representative, including the Ministry of Health, promoting Brazilian homeopathy around the world “on the wings of Panair”
In 1961, despite living in Rio de Janeiro, he accepted the nomination for the presidency of the São Paulo Homeopathy Association (APH), injecting new vigor into the institution.
It encourages the installation of monuments to Homeopathy in Rio and São Paulo, all of which are currently vandalized.
He publishes several books, including “Homeopathy – Positive Therapy” (1944), “Homeopathy inside and out” (1959) and “Homeopathy and Prophylaxis” (1978), in addition to revising the translation of the sixth German edition of “Organon ” by Hahnemann, which the Benoit Mure Study Group edited in São Paulo.
He founded the Brazilian Homeopathic Editorial (1963), bequeathing an important bibliographic heritage to Brazilian homeopathy.
By Ben-Hur Dalla Porta, homeopathic doctor.