George Deacon and the circulation of homeopathic therapies in Lima (1880-1915)

Abstract Homeopathy arrived from the United States to Peruvian soil in the last decades of the nineteenth century, broadening the repertoire of existing medical knowledge, which included an emerging medical profession, Chinese herbalists, and indigenous practitioners. This article examines the circulation and use of homeopathic therapies and medicines in Lima from the time when the American homeopath George Deacon initiated his practice, in the 1880s, until his death, in 1915. Although homeopathy was not the most widely used medical therapy in the country, it nevertheless posed a threat to professional medicine and the School of Medicine’s desired monopoly of the field of medicine.

顺势疗法（Homeopathy）于19世纪末数十年间从美国传入秘鲁，拓展了当时既有医学知识的范畴——彼时秘鲁的医疗体系已涵盖新兴西医职业、华人中医师与本土行医者。本文考察了1880年代美国顺势疗法医师乔治·迪肯（George Deacon）开启行医生涯，直至1915年逝世期间，顺势疗法诊疗手段与药物在利马的传播与应用状况。尽管顺势疗法并非秘鲁境内应用最广泛的医疗手段，但其仍对西医职业界以及医学院（School of Medicine）谋求的医学领域垄断地位构成了威胁。