Homeopathy: Hippocratic Medicine by Mo Morrish

“Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.”–Hippocrates

Homeopathy: Hippocratic Medicine (2020; Mo Morrish; Foreword by Dr. Michael Dixon) 88pp; hardback; 5 × 8”; ibsn-978–0-9544766–5-6 published by The School of Homeopathy; www.schoolofhomeopathy.com ; Price 5.99 pnds sterling

This is the third book from British homeopath, Mo Morrish (b. 1953) who originally trained as a microbiologist (honors degree in 1975 from University of Kent at Canterbury) but discovered and trained in homeopathy in the late 1980s. He received his degree from the College of Classical Homeopathy (Devon) in 1991 and his RSHom designation in 1994. He is currently in private practice (since 1990) with his wife Ali, in Exeter, England at their clinic -The Homoeopathic Practice. Mr. Morrish has taught homeopathy at various schools and venues and, for approximately twenty years, at the British School of Homoeopathy.

His first book, Homeopathy: A Rational Choice in Medicine (2006) was reviewed in 2008, receiving positive accolades:

“This book succeeds in showing how science is at the heart of homeopathic medicine. It is carefully referenced with sources for further reading. It is cleverly written, simplifying the complicated and illustrating the rationality of the homeopathic way. Certainly, this little book is a must for clinic waiting rooms.”–Tina Burchill[1]

I'm not sure if I agree with Tina's last statement but Mo's third is ideal for the waiting room as each of the brief 23 chapters can be easily read in ten minutes and one is not burdened by too much detail. In fact, there may be too little detail but that is all right as we get so much of that in our over-filled days: short, pithy aphoristic chapters are downright welcome. It seems this book is a distillation of that 2006 work and sprinkled with ponderable quotes mostly from Hippocrates of Cos (c.460 BCE- c.370 BCE) but several from Einstein, Sheldrake, a few others and, of course, our good ol' friend Hahnemann. Here are a few: “Health is the greatest of human blessings,”–Hippocrates; Some patients, though conscious that their condition is perilous, recover their health simply through their contentment with the goodness of the physician,”–Hippocrates; “Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind,”–Einstein and “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as self-evident,”–Schopenhauer, etc.

Should you desire more information of an objective nature, there is some of that, too. For example, in the following, he offers some critical thoughts concerning the National Health Service (NHS; is the national health care system of Great Britain):

“With regards to the effectiveness of conventional medicine, things are not as clear cut as many people may believe. Every six months, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) publishes the scientific clinical evidence for treatments currently available on the NHS. This study found that of 3,000 commonly used NHS treatments 50% are of unknown effectiveness and only 11% are proven to be beneficial [there is an accompanying chart]

“SSRI anti-depressants, such as Prozac, are an example of such a treatment. These have now been confirmed as being no more effective than placebo in the treatment of mild and moderate depression, yet in 2006 the NHS spent around L150 million on them.–p. 64

Another item mentioned, again references the NHS:

“In 2016, the NHS cost the UK taxpayer over L127 billion with prescriptions alone amounting to L9.2 billion. In the same year just L92,412 was spent on 40,000 homeopathy prescriptions.”–pp.79,80[2]

Some of the chapter titles are ‘The World,’ ‘Susceptibility,’ ‘The Unprejudiced Observer,’ ‘The Provings,’ ‘How Does it Work?,’ ‘Homeopathy and the NHS’ and ‘Unifying Medicine,’ etc. All, as I've mentioned, are short and of a rather aphoristic nature.

The author offers several short case examples such as two pneumonia cases which serve to point out the concept of individuality. No where in the book are miasms discussed which was probably a good editorial decision.

The publisher, The School of Homeopathy, has produced a very nice and durable cloth bound book printed in a sans-serif font. There is no index (not needed), a small bibliography section and a reference section containing 32 citings.

This work is useful for the person just beginning medical, holistic health or homeopathic studies as it is thought provoking not to mention, inexpensive. If one wants more detail, Mo's 2006 tome could ably serve that purpose.

Why not purchase several copies to pass on to friends? That act of generosity would please yet not prove too burdensome on one's pocketbook.

Publication History

Article published online:
09 July 2022

• References

• 1 The Homoeopath, 26:4, p. 141, 2008; it was also reviewed by Denise Fasolino in the United States journal, American Homoeopath #14, 2008, pp. 149–150 and by Petra Wood in Homoeopathic Links, 21:4, p. 221, 2008). Mo's second book was Homoeopathy: A Rational Choice in Medicine 2007
• 2 This finding was communicated in the European Institute of Political, Economic and Social Studies (EURISPES) Report of 2019,. ‘The Use of Homeopathy.’