Samuel Hahnemann was a German physician born in 1755, best known for founding the practice of homeopathy. He developed this alternative medicine system based on the principle of "like cures like," which suggests that substances causing symptoms in healthy individuals can treat similar symptoms in sick individuals. Hahnemann's work emphasized the importance of individualized treatment and the use of highly diluted remedies. He published his ideas in the book Organon of Medicine, which laid the foundation for homeopathic practice. Hahnemann's approach has been both praised and criticized, leading to ongoing debates about the efficacy of homeopathy in modern medicine.