MODEL RELEASED. Homeopath. Female homeopath holding a book beside a selection of medication. Homeopathic medication is intended to cure the symptoms of an illness by administering tiny doses of substances which cause the same symptoms. Dosages are typically made through a series of dilutions. Homeopathic substances are prepared from plant, mineral and animal sources. Homeopathy, founded by Samuel Hahnemann in 1811, is a controversial therapy. It is gaining some acceptance, though, as it requires the doctor to treat the patient as a whole rather than just the specific illness observed.