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Before and after the great Revolution, mesmerism, acupuncture, phrenology, homeopathy, most of them being born in Germanic area, were introduced in France where they attracted great attention in the public sphere. In the 1830’s, the advocates created a movement, a nebulous one in which doctors or lay people involved themselves a lot in two or three medical systems at the same time. Most of them were also supporters of the new socialist doctrines such as saint-simonism or fourierism. At the beginning, the medical authorities together with prominent doctors paid attention to these theories but the majority of the medical profession rejected them. The main objection was not their inefficiency but their inability to explain in scientific terms how their therapies worked.

Reading letters sent to Hahnemann, foundator of the homeopath by his french correspondents in the 1830’ introduce us in an universe which seems, at first glance, more religious than medical. Letters describe miraculous healings, conversions, revelation, pilgrinage, project missions all over the world and crusade against cholera. Hahnemann is quickly considered as a messiah to whom a cult must be paid. Becoming a charismatic chief (as described by max Weber) Hahnemann demands a total obedience to his disciples discipline which led to schisms, excommunications. Finally homeopathy functions like a sect.Despite of these religious characteristics homeopaths are not only fanatic catholics but also real scientific people (engineers, physicians), liberal or socialist (especially saint-simonians) minded persons, all curious of novelty. For all of them there is no border between medicine and religion even when religion serves medicine more than the opposite.