|
A Brief Introduction
to Homeopathy
by Mediral International Inc
Homeopathy is a 200 year-old medical science that uses tiny doses of specially prepared substances which stimulate the body to heal itself. It is gentle enough to use on infants, the elderly and pets, yet potent enough to create quick, lasting relief from literally every ailment known to mankind.
In 1796, Samuel Hahnemann published Essay on New Curative Principle, a treatise in which he established the foundational principles of homeopathy. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann (1755 —1843) was a German physician who was well known for his work in chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology. In 1789, he began a series of experiments. He discovered that, by ingesting Peruvian bark (cinchona), a healthy individual would develop a fever, nausea, diarrhea, limb pain, numbness and ringing in the ears — all symptoms of malaria. When the subject would stop ingesting the bark, the symptoms would disappear. Since Peruvian bark was commonly used to treat malaria, Hahnemann theorized that a substance which can create symptoms in a healthy person can be used in smaller doses to cure those same symptoms in illness. This proved to be true and became one of the fundamental tenants of homeopathy: the Law of Similars (similia similibus curantur, or 'likes are cured by likes').
The word homeopathy is derived from the Greek words 'homoios,' which means like or similar, and 'pathos,' which means suffering or disease. Homeopathy is then a medical therapy based on similar suffering or disease. This isn't the first time in history that this philosophy of similars has been used. As early as 400 B.C. Hippocrates was prescribing hot spring baths for his patients with fever. Theoretical parallels also exist between the work of pioneers like Salk and Jenner as they expose the body to the very disease that they were trying to protect against (i.e. immunization). Even modem allergy treatments introduce small amounts of an allergen into the body to desensitize the patient to that same allergen.
Dr Hahnemann was disillusioned by the barbaric state of medicine of his time and the dangerous medicines that were commonly used. As he sought to honor his physician's oath to ‘do no harm,' he began to experiment with increasingly diluted solutions. He discovered that, through a process of dilution and succussion (vigorous agitation), the therapeutic strength (potency) of a homeopathic medicine could be increased while virtually eliminating toxic side effects. This became a unique and often confusing principle of homeopathy: the Law of Infinitesimal Dose, or minimal dose. This created an apparent paradox - the more a solution is diluted, the less active ingredient it contains; how could a dilute solution be a more potent healing agent than the concentrate? The chemical model of pharmacological therapeutics was inadequate to explain this phenomenon.
It turns out that physics is best suited to explain the mechanics of homeopathy and the energetics behind its activity. Highly processed homeo lies undergo a molecular change, and these subtle changes can be observed with highly sensitive tests such as NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), Raman-laser spectroscopy and I.R. spectrophotometry which analyze molecular and submolecular geometry. It is now known that homeopathic remedies emit distinct, measurable electromagnetic signals, and that manufacturing alters the physical geometry of the water and alcohol solute. This it relevant because science is finally in a position to objectively measure the mechanisms of homeopathic therapeutics.
Samuel Hahnemann continued his experiments with different substances. After administering the material to be tested, he and his associates would meticulously record every sign acid symptom that the subjects experienced. These tests came to be known as 'provings,' and the collection of symptoms for each substance formed the basis for the Materia Medea (materials of medicine). Materia Medicas continue to be compiled, expanded and edited to this day by various physicians and organizations, and remain a vital component of homeopathic practices. A Repertory is another often-used book that cross references symptoms with their commonly prescribed remedies.
Hahnemann's first complete text on homeopathy was published under the title, Organon of Rational Medical Science, in 1810. The 6th and final edition was published posthumously in 1920. Despite opposition and persecution from peers and the medical community, homeopathy spread rapidly. When Dr. Hahnemann died in 1843 homeopathy had spread throughout Europe, the United States, Mexico, Cuba and Russia.
The first US homeopathic medical school was established in Allentown, PA in 1835 by Constantine Hering, a student of Hahnemann's. In 1844, the American Institute of Homeopathy was formed, and enjoyed the distinction of being the first medical association in the US. Shortly thereafter (1846), the American Medical Association (AMA) was founded.
Because of fundamental differences in their therapeutic approach to medicine, the AMA forbids their members to practice homeopathy, consult with or even consort with homeopathic physicians for any reason, under threat of license suspension.
Despite intense pressure from the AMA, the popularity of homeopathy continued to grow. This was due, at least in part, to the efficacy displayed during the cholera and yellow fever epidemics of the 1800's. In Ohio during the 1849 outbreak of cholera, only 3% of patients treated homeopathically died. The mortality rate for those treated with conventional medicine was in excess of 60%. In London in 1854, cholera claimed 53% of its victims in conventional hospitals, whereas only 16% of those treated in homeopathic hospitals died. In 1879, yellow fever patients in New Orleans experienced a 5.6% mortality rate when, treated by homeopathy; standard medical treatment lost 16% of their patients. Insurance companies even offered discounted rates for their customers who had homeopathic physicians, because their treatment was proven so much more effective and inexpensive.
The first official homeopathic compendium, the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States, was published in 1897. By the turn of the century, 15% of the physicians in the US were homeopathic physicians, there were 29 homeopathic medical journals, 22 homeopathic medical schools and 100 homeopathic hospitals in th US. Then in 1910, American homeopathy was dealt an almost lethal blow with the issuance of the Flexnor report. Commissioned and issued by the Carnegie Foundation, the Flexnor report reviewed medical schools and established guidelines for schools that were to receive funding from charitable sources, such as the Carnegie Foundation. The evaluations and ratings were specifically designed to exclude homeopathic medical schools. As a result, all but 2 homeopathic medical schools were either closed or converted to allopathic medicine by 1923. Disagreements within the homeopathic community began to arise, and by 1950, no homeopathic schools remained open in the US. Fortunately homeopathy is now enjoying resurgence on a global scale. There is a growing consensus that the expense of medical care research has not returned any significant improvement in the general level of health. Health care is becoming a consumer-driven commodity, and the consumer is demanding more natural, less harmful alternatives.
COMBINATION VS CLASSICAL HOMEOPATHY
There are two different schools of thought in homeopathic circles; one is classical homeopathy, the other is combination or complex homeopathy. After 200 years, advocates for both approaches are beginning to agree that there is a time for each.
Classical homeopathy is a painstaking approach that takes years to learn and master. It involves a lengthy interview process in which the homeopath determines every sign and symptom that the patient is experiencing. This includes physical, mental, emotional, fears, changes, times and conditions that make the symptoms worse or better, and a host of other factors. After ascertaining the complete symptom picture, the homeopath then endeavors to match it to the exact remedy, called the simillimum.
Combination or complex homeopathy uses a combination of ingredients and potencies to get the same result. If classical homeopathy can be described as a single bullet aimed at a target, then combination homeopathy might best be likened to a shotgun blast. This is a broader approach and better suited for the busy healthcare professional. Combination homeopathy combines the most commonly prescribed remedies for a particular symptom picture into a single formula. The body, which possesses an innate biological intelligence, then selects the exact frequency that it needs to begin its healing. Much like a radio tuner tunes in to a specific frequency and ignores the rest.
As an example, J.T. Kent's Repertory of Homoeopathic Materia Medica lists 87 pages of remedies for the different types of headache pain. A classical homeopath might take two hours to complete an intake interview, and then spend additional time locating the exact remedy match. Combination homeopathy combines the most common headache remedies into a single formula (which might simply be called 'Headache'), it is efficacious and much more time efficient than the classical approach.
Combination remedies may also be used preventively. The physical manifestation of an illness is one of the last steps in the disease process. For example, by the time you actually come down with a head cold, your body has been battling it for several days. A few drops of a combination remedy taken every so often (or after exposure) can work preemptively and keep your body healthy and fine-tuned.
LIQUIDS VS SOLIDS
The two most common forms of homeopathic medicine are liquids and pills (although gels, aerosols and trans-dermal patches are becoming more common). With rare exception, liquids are the medium of choice for the serious healthcare professional. Research has shown that the 'memory' of the homeopathic remedy is partially contained in the water/alcohol matrix of the solute. While there are many other dimensions as well, the physical molecular structure of the solution is one of the most important modes of information transfer. If a remedy is frozen, each remedy forms a crystalline structure that is unique to that remedy. This confirms that the manufacturing process Changes the solution fundamentally on a molecular level. Solids do not have the elasticity or malleability to accommodate this particular storage mechanism (since the liquid portion is evaporated out), and must therefore rely on the other dimensions to compensate for this shortcoming.
Liquids have a greater surface area than do solid pellets. This is better for the patient, since liquids are immediately available and absorbed into, the vascular bed beneath the tongue. The vapor of the remedy also interacts with nasopharyngeal receptors to accelerate the action of the remedy.
Liquids contain no fillers. Pills generally contain a sugar medium, which can retard the immune response, and sometimes a type of gum to hold the solid together.
Finally, there are times when a homeopathic should not be taken internally (i.e. after mouth trauma or dental drilling). During these times, a liquid may be applied externally. External applications are also appropriate for infants or those who are not especially receptive to oral medication.
Water is a fascinating medium that science is just beginning to understand. An interesting series of experiments was done in the 1960's by Dr. Bernard Grad using psychic healers to determine whether or not they had any real energetic effects. He soaked barley seeds in salt water, some of which had been treated by psychic healers. Salt water is known to be a growth retardant. The first group was soaked in salt water that a healer had done a ‘laying-on-of-hands' treatment to. The other group was plain salt water. After soaking, the seeds were placed in an incubator and observed for germination time, growth, chlorophyll content, etc. Statistical analysis showed that the seeds that were soaked in the treated water sprouted more often, and had significantly greater height, weight, leaf size and chlorophyll content than those what were soaked in the regular salt water. These experiments were repeated a number of times with similar positive results, and have also been reproduced by several other independent labs in the US. A variation using magnets instead of psychic healers produced similar results. A third variation of these experiments had psychiatric patients hold water for a while, and it was found that the water held by severely depressed patients had the opposite effect of healer-treated water, in that it suppressed the growth rate of seedlings. When the water was subjected to analysis, it was found that there was significant change in the IR spectroscopy, revealing that their atomic bond angle had changed. The water also experienced decreased hydrogen bonding.
Dr. Robert. Miller, a research chemist from Atlanta, independently confirmed some of Dr. Grad's work. He also discovered that water which had been exposed to magnetic fields showed significant reductions in surface tension. He also observed that, it a solution of copper sulfate was super-saturated, it would normally precipitate out as a jade green crystal. If, however, the solution was pretreated with a magnetic field of 4500 gauss for fifteen minutes, that the salts would precipitate with more of a turquoise blue color, and a noticeably coarser grain.
Water covers 2/3 of the surface of the planet, and 99% of the molecules making up the human body contain water. Since water is one of the most plentiful elements in the body, it is also conceivable that water is instrumental in the mechanism of efficacy of homeopathy. These are just examples of how water can store information in ways that are not completely understood yet. As research proceeds, the 'how' of homeopathy will inevitably be unraveled.
HOW HOMEOPATHY CAN BE USED
There are a number of ways homeopathy can be used The most common use is the treatment of a symptom picture. Homeopathy is very specific. Conventional allopathic medicine tends to group similar symptoms into disease categories. For example, if a patient sees their doctor for the flu, there are only 3 or 4 medicines that an MD might recommend, based on their broad definition of 'flu.' Homeopathy, on the other hand, recognizes that there are dozens of different symptoms and permutations a patient might experience with the flu. Different symptoms call for different remedies, because its unique expression.
Nutritional Therapy — Vitamins, minerals and supplements can be prepared in low homeopathic potencies and still have an effect of the living system. The research of Royal Lee indicated that low doses of high quality, natural vitamins function better in-vivo than mega-doses of synthetic vitamins. This is not to take the place of proper nutritional intake, but rather to serve as a means of supplementing the often anemic and preservative-laden foods that we now find in our diets.
Allersode Therapy — Homeopathic remedies prepared from allergens are commonly used to treat allergies. In some ways, this is similar to the progressive desensitization of conventional allergen injections, which introduce allergens into the body in ever-increasing concentrations until the body no longer reacts with the cascading histamine reaction, producing the common allergy symptom picture. Allergens introduced homeopathically achieve the same result, except the introduction is sublingual instead of IV, and the mechanism is energetic rather than chemical.
lsode (Detoxode) Therapy — Homeopathic remedies prepared from any substance which may be contaminating the body or exerting a toxic influence can help to detoxify the body from these substances. Mercury amalgams are a perfect example. Once believed to be safe, it is increasingly evident that the mercury contained in these amalgams is responsible for a host of chronic syndromes and illnesses. A remedy made from these mercury amalgams (and other associated dental toxins) may be used to help the body to detoxify from the effects of the mercury and protect from future exposure.
UNDERSTANDING HOMEOPATHIC POTENCIES
If you look at the ingredients panel of a homeopathic remedy, you will notice that the name of each ingredient is written in Latin, and it is followed by a number and a letter (for example, Allium sativum 6x). Homeopathic processing involves repeated dilutions and agitations. In our example, the 'x' in 'Allium sativum 6x' indicates that the dilution factor used during this processing was 1:10. This is referred to as a decimal dilution (denoted as x, D or DH). Sometimes there may be a 'c' instead of an `x,' which indicates that each dilution was carried out at a 1:100 instead of a 1:10 factor, and is referred to as a centesimal dilution, The '6' in our example indicates that this dilution and, agitation process was repeated 6 times. Thus, higher numbers are- less concentrated but more 'potent' than lower numbers.
 |
The 'strength' of a remedy is determined by the potency. Whether the remedy contains a single ingredient at a single potency (i.e. a classical remedy), or a combination of multiple ingredients and potencies (complex remedy), this same process is followed to produce the final potencies. This terminology can occasionally be a stumbling block, since higher potency remedies are actually stronger energetically, but are more dilute chemically; whereas the lower potencies are less 'potent’ energetically, but are more concentrated chemically. It is important to remember that, even in homeopathy, more is not better, and sometimes lower potencies are more appropriate than high potencies.
REGULATORY ISSUES
Homeopathic remedies are classified by the FDA as drugs, and are addressed in the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938. Homeopathic remedies enjoy a unique advantage over their allopathic counterparts, in that they are not required to go through the new drug application process, which includes extensive research, takes many years and costs millions of dollars to complete. This makes homeopathic remedies more accessible and affordable than synthetic pharmaceuticals. FDA registered homeopathic manufacturers must comply with GMPs and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs). The Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS), first published in 1897, is recognized as the official compendium for homeopathic medicine, functioning as the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) does for the allopathic industry. To date, it includes over 1,300 different monographs for individual homeopathic ingredients, and it is updated regularly. It also contains standards for homeopathic manufacturing and quality control measures.
This has been a brief introduction to the fascinating world of homeopathy. We encourage you to explore this topic further for yourself, your family and your friends. Thank you.
GENERAL ACUTE GUIDELINES
- For combination remedies, 10-20 drops may be repeated every 15-20 minutes.
- Dose size depends on the size of the mouth cavity, not the age of the recipient. This extends to children, pets and livestock.
- For singulars, 30c or 200c's are good generic potencies for first aid (bums, shock, traumatic injuries) and acute symptomatic conditions (fever, flu, cold). Repeat as needed, three times per hour.
- Do not take with food, best if 20 minutes before or after.
- Give the remedy a chance to work, don't switch too quickly. If a remedy has worked in the past with the same symptoms, it will probably walk how.
- As the patient improves, give the remedy less men. 7. Many homeopaths recommend succussing each dose.
GENERAL CHRONIC GUIDELINES
- For combination remedies, 10-20 drops three times per day should be adequate.
- Dose size depends on the size of the mouth cavity, not the age of the recipient. This extends to children, pets and livestock.
- For singular remedies, 6c is a good potency to begin Repeat three to four times a day.
- Do not take with food, best if 20 minutes before or after.
- Give the remedy a chance to work, don't switch too quickly. If a remedy has worked in the past with the same symptoms, it will probably work now.
- As a disease progresses, you may have to reevaluate the case and recommend new remedies.
- Many homeopaths recommend succussing each dose.
This article has been reprinted with permission from Mediral International Inc. For more great resources, visit them online at: http://www.mediral.com.
<-- Back to Research Papers
|
