Twitter message The Hague Historical Museum

On November 5 The Hague Historical Museum tweeted:

An enamelled advertising board from the firm C.Th. Voorhoeve & Co | Historical Museum of The Hague Unknown creator, first half of 20th century. Now on display at the museum. This billboard from the firm C.Th. Voorhoeve & ..

This message was forwarded to the members, with the following comments:

It is not only a piece of family history, but also a bit of national history. That is why the Hague Historical Museum put this on twitter. The message ends in a neutral way "Nowadays VSM is the largest supplier of natural medicines in the Netherlands." "Natural medicines" sounds more neutral than "homeopathy", which used to have strong supporters and opponents.

From the latter category, we quote Annette Bierman, a former pharmacist and now a pharmacy historian. And by the way also family member. As a pharmacist, she was always strongly against homeopathy, but as a pharmacy historian, her opinion has changed. "Homeopathy has saved many thousands of lives in the Netherlands". She explains this from the historical perspective that conventional medical science had little other than draconian means (for example, the inhalation of mercury vapors as a remedy). Means whose efficacy was clearly beyond doubt, but where the disadvantages prevailed.

Viewed from a historical perspective, homeopathy was part of a broader social emancipatory movement, in this case against the closedness of the medical world. And the unavoidable compartmentalization, which meant that the doctor who demonstrated the importance of good hand hygiene in his hospital ended up in a madhouse.

The father of pharmacist C.Th. Voorhoeve (from that billboard) was one of the first homeopathic doctors in our country. And a cousin, Dr. J. Voorhoeve, doctor in Dillenburg, was the author of "Homeopathy in practice". A practical reference work for those who, for example, lived in a remote post in the colonies. The recommended resources would often not have been available, but the practical tips that were given were more important. The book experienced many reprints.

So far this historical perspective.

Reactions to the above: Clim Tiemessen: How nice! Thank you for the information. H Grt, Clim Debora Visser-Voorhoeve: Thank you for this nice message. By the way, I did not know that in the abbreviation / brand name VSM was the V for Voorhoeve .. I receive this message in France where we spend a working holiday of 5 weeks. The weather is still lovely here and the cellar is full of the abundant apple harvests, there is a large bottle of cider bubbling and we heard flights of cranes flying over every day in the past week.love, Debora

Ilse Voorhoeve: I have another question about this message. When I clicked on the twitter message from the Historical Museum of The Hague, I read an explanation that I think was incorrect. Are they not confusing a number of names? That last observation was correct. The Historical Museum of The Hague wrote that the pharmacist of that enamel plate was a grandson of Dr. J. Voorhoeve, who wrote "Homöopathie in der Praxis" (known in the Netherlands under the name "Homoeopathie in practice, then with an extra o).

Dr. J. (Jacob) Voorhoeve, doctor in Dillenburg, was a grandson of another Jacob Voorhoeve, nicknamed Jacob the banker. The Hague Historical Museum confused both Jacobs. And to make it completely complicated: apart from the Dr. J. Voorhoeve, homeopathic doctor in Dillenburg, there was also a Dr. N.A.J. Voorhoeve, homeopathic doctor in The Hague. The latter's son was the pharmacist of the enamel sign. And the son of that pharmacist was also a homeopathic doctor (in Middelburg).

Are you still there?