It is this power to affect the generative aspect of the Living Power of a living being that makes them medicines in the first place. When a medicine is used on the basis of the correct principle, that is the curative law of similars, then it has a true positive or therapeutic affect. However, the issue of dose is almost as important as the selection of the remedy on the basis of the correct principle. If the dose is not correctly chosen, then there also remains a potential negative effect. The appropriateness of a medicine for a given case of disease does not rest alone on its apt homeopathic selection, but just as well on the requisite, correct size or, rather smallness of its dosage.
Medicines truly are a two-edged sword.
In keeping with the medical approach of his time, Dr. Hahnemann initially used mainly crude doses applied on the basis of the law of similars. He was able to achieve curative results, but he noticed that some medicinal disease effects also occurred. He sought continually to reduce the dose in order to lessen the adverse effects of the medicine, while still retaining some positive, therapeutic effect. If we wish to render powerfully acting medicines innocuous, then they should only be prescribed on the right occasion and in a suitable dose. In the thinking of his day, still prevalent today, the effect of a medicine was ascribed to the chemical constituents of the crude, material substance.