Allopathic Medicine: Part 1 - Definition and Allopathy Overview

Allopathic medicine, also known as allopathy, is the all-encompassing methodology of practicing pathology to intervene with the causes of diseases and health-related conditions in individual patients.

Allopathy is the government and organizationally regulated and commercially licensed medical healthcare industry that uses drugs, procedures, surgery, counseling, and therapy, including trauma care, and mending injured tissues in a clinical setting, such as a hospital or clinic, with pharmacists, nurses, doctors, physicians, and various types of licensed practitioners.

The etymology of the concept of 'allopathic medicine' is that the prefix allo- means 'other' and 'different'; the suffix -pathic means 'suffering'. The prefix of medicine is med- which means 'take appropriate measures'. Therefore, allopathic medicine is 'using differing methods for intervening in a state of another's suffering'.

The word allopathy first started with a lot of confusion in the early 1800's within Germany as physicians and doctors began to recognize different theories of practicing pathology, such as homeopathy created by Samuel Hahnemann.

Homeo- means 'similar' or 'same kind' and is used by Hahnemann to show that the type of treatment matches symptoms diagnosed; as in 'similia similibus curentur', which translates 'similar treats likeness, to cure'. By using a drug that intervenes in causing the same symptoms of a fever to treat a fever is in practice. A homeopathic drug is prescribed as a dilution of such a drug source.

Allopathy is considered by Hahnemann to be 'contraria contrariis curentur', which translates 'difference treats differing, to cure'. By using a drug that intervenes in causing symptoms contrary to a fever to treat a fever is in practice. An allopathic drug in the proper prescribed dosage of the drug itself.

Regardless of the pathology methodology used, homeopathy or allopathy, a pathologist is still intervening and applying the theories of pathology to prevent, treat, and manage diseases and health-related conditions. 

All disease and health-related condition medical interventions, including conventional and alternative methods, are included into allopathic medicine, except in the singular case of homeopathy. There is a long history of recorded in-fighting within allopathy between the various types of pathologists and related fields of research and study that continues to the day.