allopathy, or allopathy

[In Fr. and Ger. allopathie; from Gr. ἄλλος ( allos ) = another, and πάθος = anything which befalls one; hence, a pa ive state or condition; παθεῖν (pathein), 2 aor. inf. of πάσχω ( paschō ) = pa ively to receive an impre ion, to suffer.] A system of medicine that ordinarily practised-the object of which is to produce in the bodily frame another condition of things than that in or from which the disease has originated. If this can be done the disease, it is inferred, will cease. Allopathy is opposed to homœopathy, which aims at curing diseases by producing in antagonism to them symptoms similar to those which they produce; the homœopathic doctrine being that "like is cured by like." It is chiefly by homœopathists that the term allopathy is used.