HOMEOPATHY FREAKS
Dr. M. A. Usmani
Science as a body of knowledge should be fluid, capable of absorbing new facts and findings, and adaptable to any changes in circumstances and the frontiers of knowledge. Science remains science only till it remains vibrant, accommodating and absorbent of new facts. But when it becomes infatuation, fixation, gullible credulity, it takes the form of faith, dogma and dharma, which further degenerate into fads, sects and quirks. Now this is the psychology of man to create sects, and then appropriate them, or identify himself with them, and create, or weave systems around them, and then, making them his creed, assigns sanctity to them. And this imbecile creed no science and logic can challenge the validity of. What a metamorphosis! Any trying to question this stupid system will be considered anathema and sacrilege.
There are homeopaths who say that they need no more than the polychrests. And they confine their practice of homeopathy to their limit. They deem themselves fully successful and feel totally satisfied. Their opinion is that whosoever does not feel satisfied with them, he is not fully conversant with the scope of their efficacy. The curability of these remedies falls short of no disease. Most key-note books are limited to these polychrests; the most famous of them being H. C. Allen’s.
There is another breed of homeopaths who say a homeopath does not need more than some 5 to 10 remedies to be a successful homeopath. They choose Nux-vomica, Ipecac., Belladonna, Bryonia, Sulphur, Rhus-tox, Pusatilla, Cabo-veg., China or one or two more.
Then there would be some homeopaths that would spot one remedy from the Mateia Medica of more than thousand remedies, and label it as the panacea for all human ills. One such example is Dr. Joe De Livera, of Sri Lanka. He gives a long list of maladies that he has cured with Anica alone. His article is on the internet with the title: Arnica, the Miracle Remedy. Some of the diseases that he has cured with arnica are detailed below:
Accidents, wounds, post surgical wounds, BPH (Benign Prostate Hypertrophy), and urine complications after prostate surgery, functional disabilities of the extremities, senile and otherwise, chronic aches and pains, eczema, cellulitis, insomnia, chronic headache, baldness. Internal hemorrhage, bed-sores, rheumatism and gout, diabetes, hypertension, angina, failing eyesight, cataract, bleeding cysts, and pimples, acne, blephritis, styes, epistaxis, black circles around eyes. ED, tonsillitis, alcoholism, smoking,
He adduces myriad case histories and letters of gratitude, for having been benefited from Arnica alone. There is a paragraph that reads as under:
Hahnemann found that illnesses relieved by Arnica included:
• mental or emotional symptoms,
• stupor, forgetfulness, memory loss,
• delirium
• hopelessness and indifference
• a fear of being struck by others or of being touched
• vertigo
• severe headaches
• mechanical injuries resulting from concussion, skull fractures or compression of the skull
• meningitis after concussion, bruising or falling where there was partial paralysis of the tongue, iris or limbs
• eye inflammation
• retinal hemorrhage
• eye troubles resulting from blows and injuries
• hardness of hearing since concussion
• nose bleeds
• toothache
• bad breath
• vomiting blood and soreness after injuries
• indigestion
• offensive flatulence
• diarrhoea and bladder problems
• fevers
• dysentery
• acid urine
• swollen penis and testes after injury
• threatened abortion from falls or shocks
• soreness after labour and birth
• sore nipples
• asthma from fatty degeneration of the heart
• coughing causing bloodshot eyes or nosebleeds
• pleurisy after injuries
• strain of the heart from violent running
• fatty degeneration of the heart
• low pulse rate
• paralytic pains in all joints while moving
• feeling too hot or too cold between frequent attacks of violent convulsions
• general sinking of strength
• sleep apnoea
• chills • malaria
• Typhoid conditions
• concussions and contusions
• septicemia
• gout and rheumatism
• skin tender when touched
• sprains
• bee or wasp stings
• compound fractures
• pressure from stitches
• boils
• recent or remote trauma
• sore muscles
• neuralgia
• twitching tendons and muscles
• osteomyelitis,
• surgical operations,
• anguish attacks
• angina
• easily frightened
• ear problems
• stomach cramps
• impotence
• breast tumours after injury
• respiratory ailments
• palpitations
• neck pain
• hand strength
• bed sores
• sleeping problems
• nightmares
• fever
• chills
• travel sickness
• tumours following injury
• violent coughing and sneezing
• chronic bronchitis
• bitter taste in mouth
• baldness
• toothache
• stiffness weariness of the limbs. (Interesting article, a ‘must-visit’ site—Usmani)
There are then homeopaths who want to obliterate the division of Acute and Chronic, for the sake of treatment, that is, for practical purposes. Diseases are diseases and should be treated on even level, with one principle or law of cure.
On the contrary there are homeopaths that consider the real mark of homeopathy is in the treatment of chronic diseases, and would not mind relegating the treatment of acute diseases to allopathy or to any pathy. Homeopathy should treat only the chronic diseases, on the basis of Chronic Miasms. For them an acute disease should be considered akin to an incident or accident that can be cured by mere instructions as to rest and diet, or folklore or herbal concoctions, or suchlike other measures. That is, they should not be taken much seriously. For them treating an acute episode is not something very serious, nor requires much acumen. And if an acute episode occurs during (or as the consequence of) the chronic treatment, let it pass off by itself—don’t disturb the action of the chronic remedy.
There are some other stalwarts that have created waves of thrills by claiming exorbitant feats that they had wrought by their prescriptions. One such example is French homeopath, Jean-Pierre Gallavardin. He hatched stunning theories and invented the idea of so-called Plastic Medicine. He treated:
Abnormalities of physical structures: of bones, muscles and adiposity,
Of the breasts: e.g.
Breasts not developed;
Breasts too big;
Neck, very short and very long;
Enormous double chin;
Obesity of the belly;
Enormous buttocks; etc., etc.
He cured all these and many more anomalies, and that mostly with one dose, nay, one strong dose, of homeopathic medicines. The medicines he prescribed were not any special or rare ones, but just the ordinary medicines. He gave, e.g. ‘a strong dose’ of Nux-v., or Puls., or Calc., etc., that created wonders in his hands.
To a big-busty madam, with voluminous, large, ample breasts, our doctor will prescribe, e.g. Nux Vom., one strong dose, and when she comes to visit him next time, her breasts would have already attained the size and shape of perfect ‘nobility’. Gallavardin was exquisitely fashionable and belonged to the nobility and beau monde of France.
He ‘cured’ double chins which disappeared, and assumed the form of single, normal chins; extra short necks would grow to normal, and extra-long necks will shorten to normal size. Alas, we could not perform such feats our whole life, in spite of the sincere intentions and careful prescribing, according to his method! Perhaps magic lied in his hands rather than in his prescriptions. Or perhaps we disregarded the Moon-Phases. He has instructed to prescribe during the waxing moon, to make patient to gain weight, become fat, chubby and succulent; and during waning moon to make the patient loose weight, become lean and smart by shedding many pounds at one stroke. The profession is invited to follow his instructions and publish their successes. Wish you Godspeed! [His books are: Plastic Medicine, and Psychism & Homeopathy.]
There was another freak doctor whose book I’ve misplaced anywhere during the turmeric treatment of my library cum office, few months back. His name is Dr. A. W. Woodward. He has written a book, entitled: Constitutional Therapeutics. I remember I had written my remarks and criticism, as I usually do, on the margins of the pages of that book. His theory was that the remedy should be selected according to the order of sequence of the evolution of pathogenetic symptoms, system-wise, during the drug proving. That is, the chronological progress of the disease in the patient, system wise, should match the sequence of the pathogenetic progress, system wise, in the prover; instead of symptom resemblance (or in addition to symptom resemblance?); i.e. there should be system-wise sequence resemblance. My criticism of this idea is as under:
· There cannot be a similar or identical sequence in any two provers of the same medicine, unless it is a poisoning.
· In proving in potency or in sub-poisoning doses, there cannot be any set sequence of appearance of the pathogenetic symptom. In every prover only that organ of the system will first bear the brunt that is the weakest in his constitution. A person with the weakest or the most sensitive alimentary or digestive system, who is affected with diarrhea or dyspepsia from the slightest indiscretion in diet, will evince this system to be the first affected in the proving of any drug. (This point is open to discussion).
There is another large class of freaks in homeopathy. They are exclusive users of mother tinctures and low potencies. High potencies are anathema to them, and disgrace to homeopathy. They have so stubborn mental disposition that argument or evidence cannot convince them to the contrary. I’ve talked about such-an-one, i.e. Richard Hughes, umpteen times, in my previous discussions. They are so dogmatic that they will ignore the facts even if those had happened in their own hands. Hughes has recorded symptoms produced by high potencies in his Cyclopedia of Drug Pathogenesy, but wont agree to apply the same in his practice. Read Arnica chapter in the referred book. He gives symptoms from 18th. and 200th. potencies (ibid. pp. 393, 394). It is disgrace not to respond to the light of the evidence. Worship of Avogadro is so blighting to the cognitive brain!
In spite of my remarks at the beginning, I must say, that there are some advantages that accrue from the eccentric practice of the freaks. They have practically broadened the therapeutic field of the utility of the remedies, and given a broader horizon to their usefulness. As, for example, Dr. Joe De Livera, of Sri Lanka, has given a practical demonstration of the usefulness of Arnica, and most of it is true. The mother-tincture users have opened up new vistas of drug application for the day-to-day ailments, and especially in the field of prophylaxis. But—and this is an important ‘but’—every scientific mind must feel happy and enlivened by more information, more knowledge, more books, and more remedies in the field of therapeutics. It is oxygen to them: a breath of life.