Pioneers of homeopathy
by Dr Thomas Lindsey Bradford
Presented by Dr Robert Séror
Pierre-Joseph De Moor (1787-1815)
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Dr. DE MOOR, PIERRE-JOSEPH. (1787-1815)
Born atAlost on the 19 th October, 1787, imbued perhaps with the revolutionary spirit that epoch of renewal, De Moor was brought up in an atmosphere of agitation. He early devoted himself to his studies, and at the end of a competitive examination he entered, still young, as a hoarding-pupil in the civic hospital at Biloque Ghent.
He passed brilliant examinations, obtained in the year 1807 the prizes in anatomy, physiology, medicine and surgery, in 1808 the prizes in anatomy, physiology and medicine, and was proclaimed in the same year, laureate in the competition in surgery.
On the 19th of February, 1815, the administrative commission of the civic hospitals of Alost created for his benefit the position of assistant surgeon of the hospital, and in the year 1825, at the (lath) of the incumbent, Dr. Roucel, the learned author of the "Flora of the North of France,'' his assistant took his place.
In 1817 De Moor was nominated with his colleague, Vanderelen, a member of the Committee of Vaccination. Having a spirit accessible to all new discoveries, he contributed by his authority to propagate and cause to be accepted in his native town the immense benefit which Jenner had bestowed on mankind.
Ten years afterward, having been a member of the medical commission ever since its formation, De Moor introduced himself a very elementary knowledge of homoeopathic medicine by the reading of the domestic and foreign medical journals. He saw new spheres opening to his spirit.
Although has reputation as an allopath was firmly established, and though his practice was large and extended, he did not hesitate to return to his studies by applying himself with ardor to meditate on the vast labors of Hahnemann and the leading disciples of his school.
It return after two years of assiduous labor that he ventured to speak his application of the homoeopathic method.
This was in the year 1829. The first attempts of this learned (pan) astounded him through their results, and gave him the conviction that only from this moment he entered on a rational view.
In the year 1832, when the first invasion of the epidemy of cholera broke out, De Moor had made sufficient experiences in other diseases to have entire confidence in the homeopathic treatment of cholera.
Charged by the commercial administration with the direction of the infirmary specially devoted to cholera, he treated all his patients according to the new method, and he so much distinguished himself by his zeal, his devotion, his disinterestedness, and particularly by his brilliant success, that the Communal Council resolved by vote that he was a benefactor of his fellow-citizens, and besides charged the burgomaster to report to the Government as to the distinguished manner in which the medical director of the infirmary had acquitted himself of his difficult task.
But the Organist opinions of De Moor were no secret to any one, and it was due to this circumstance, that he did not receive at this time the decoration of the order of Leopold, solicited for him by the communal magistracy.
From that time, De Moor formally renounced the ancient allopathic practice, and devoted himself exclusively to the practice of Homoeopathy, which, in his opinion, had conclusively proved its superiority in the treatment of cholera.
He, therefore, established a homoeopathic pharmacy with the intelligent and devoted assistance of the pharmacist Moons ; this was the first establishment of the kind opened in Belgium.
The gauntlet was thus thrown down to the ancient method which De Moor repudiated publicly, and then there broke out a desperate conflict between him and the allopaths of Alost and of its district.
But De Moor, luckily, was cut out for conflicts. He was a man endowed with a rare energy and with an incomparable firmness of character.
Armed with strong convictions, founded on a profound and extended knowledge, possessing a vast erudition and great practical ability, and being, finally, a man of consummate experience, he boldly bared his head to the storm.
He remained unshakably true to his opinions, and did not allow himself to be cast down, either by injustice, or by ingratitude, thus recalling the words of Horace : " Impavidum ferient ruinea."
The mischievous persecutions of all kinds raised up against him were, unspeakable. Being at the same time a liberal, a learned man and a homoeopath, he saw himself attacked with an unheard of violence at all points of the compass, and so powerful were these attacks that they called forth the following publication, which emanated from an administration that thereby ignored the service which the homoeopath and Homoeopathy had rendered to the inhabitants of the town during the epidemic of cholera.
Alost the 18th of October, 1837,
Administration of the town of Alost, No. 5972. Object : Board of Public Health.
According to the reports that have come to us, Dr. DeMoor treats the sick under your care homeopathically.
We hasten to inform you ofthis abuse, so that you may at once take measures to put an end to it. While these statements appear certain, it also appears that Dr. De Moor allows himself to practice medicine outside of the circle which is allotted to him.
As the oversight of this branch of the service belongs to us, we invite you, gentlemen, to exercise in this regard as far as your establishment is concerned, the strictest surveillance,and to report to us every deviation he may allow himself.
The college of the burgomaster and the aldermen.
Van der Noot.
To the president and members of the commission of the civic hospitals ofAlost.
The administration of civic hospitals made known this communication to the Surgeon in charge of the hospital and naively expressed to him " the hope that he would be pleased to conform to its contents "
But no one who knew DeMoor could hope to intimidate him by such means. He took a firm hold of the public opinion in this matter, and cane forth triumphantly with flying colors after a lively polemic that ensued in the journals of that date in which the physicians of Brussels took part and notably as supporters of the courageous champion of Homoeopathy, the Drs. Varlez and Dugniolle.
DeMoor died on the 4th of December, 1815, far too soon for science, as a consequence of a traumatic disease of the spinal marrow. He has only left behind him n manuscript notes, by which his son and pupil, who is now the learned president of the Belgian Society of Homoeopathic Medicine, has large profited.
Dr.Stockman in his History of Homoeopathy in Belgium says Dr. De Moor was about the year 1829 at the head of the courageous men who were rebuffed neither by the difficulties of the under taking nor by the railleries to which they were exposed. Dr. De Moor was titular surgeon of the Civil Hospital at Alost (L' Hom. Militante, vol. I, p. 30. World's Conv., vol. 2, page 30)
Numérisation, vérification, mise en page, Copyright © Robert Séror 2002