WELCOME

HOMOEOPATHIC CONCEPT OF PREVENTION

PRESENTATION BY Dr.J.HARIKRISHNA PILLAI , MD( Hom)

HISTORY OF HOMOEOPATHIC PROPHYLAXIS THE FIRST USED HOMOEOPATHIC PROPHYLATIC MEDICINE WAS BELLADONNA.

Dr.SAMUEL HAHNEMANN HIMSELF USED THIS MEDICINE TO PREVENT SCARLET FEVER IN THE YEAR 1799

SOCPE AND LIMITATIONS OF HOMOEOPATHIC PREVENTIVE MEDICINE SCOPE 1.HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES CAN BE SAFELY USED AS PREVENTIVE MEDICINE 2. THIS MEDICINES CAN BE ADVISED FOR PREGNANT WOMEN 3.DISEASE DIAGNOSIS IS NOT A REQUIREMENT 4. VIRAL AND BACTERIAL DISEASES CAN BE PREVENTED.

LIMITATIONS CAN’T BE SAFELY APPLIED IN THE PREVENTION OF DISEASES WHICH ARE 100% FATAL Eg. RABIES

HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES AND IMMUNITY

 We get sick not just because of micro organisms. Many micro organisms, both pathogenic and non-pathogenic, are always present in our body or regularly enter our body through the nose, mouth, or other roots of entry or opening. We do not get sick when our immune system is strong enough to fight them, keeping our body healthy. But when our immunity goes down, the micro organisms multiply in our body and cause sickness. So the basic cause of sickness is the decreased or deficient immunity or body resistance. Micro organisms like bacteria and viruses are only secondary factors, except in occasions like epidemics in which a large number of organisms enter the body simultaneously and become the cause of the disease condition. In such a situation, the micro organisms gain dominance and destroy the immunity in the process of their fight for the upper hand.

 In all the above conditions the homoeopathic treatment is the most beneficial since the destruction of the immunity has already taken place and needs to be stimulated to the healthy level of existence for the cure to take place and for the complete restoration of health. Hence, in order to get a complete cure, it is most essential to increase or correct our immunity or body resistance, rather than just kill or destroy the microorganism. This is the situation in which conventional antibiotic therapy fails to attain the goal. Antibiotics are able to kill the micro organisms (only bacteria) , but they are not able to increase the immunity of the body. This is one of the reasons why patients who get relief after the antibiotic therapy suffer secondary infections because the immune system still remains deficient in strength. So when such individuals get exposed to organisms, the latter enter the body and multiply, producing secondary infection.

 On the other hand, when the patient get cured with homoeopathic medicines, The patient regains immunity, strength and vitality completely and there is less or no chance to get a secondary infection unless (1) The patients expose themselves to conditions which can decrease the immunity of the body (2) The maintaining cause like the inhalation of toxic gases or fumes etc. in the case of occupational diseases persist, or (3) a large number of micro organisms enter into the body, which are beyond the destruction , capacity of the immune system, as in the case of epidemic diseases. But it is important to remember that homoeopathic medicine has already established its supremacy in curing epidemics all over the world, eg: the epidemics of the 19th century like cholera, particularly in Europe.

HOW HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINE INCREASES THE IMMUNITY OR RESISTANCE POWER OF THE BODY

 As mentioned earlier, homoeopathic medicines are able to increase the immunity of our body. But how is this possible?. A homoeopathic physician makes a homoeopathic prescription through the holistic approach by considering the totality of symptoms manifested in a patient. These include the mental, emotional spiritual and physical peculiarities of a patient and also the uncommon peculiar signs and symptoms of the manifestations of the disease in each patient. The same disease has different manifestations in different individuals because the extent of damage to the immunity and other functions in the body are different in different individuals. These manifestations represent the corresponding reflection of their inner abnormality, which is hidden from our perception. Hence, a Homoeopathic physician gets hold of the hidden interior through perceivable expressions like the totality of symptoms of the patient, by looking the patient as a whole.

EFFECT OF HOMOEOPATHIC PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND GENUS EPIDEMICUS • An epidemic (epi=upon, demos=people) is the unusual occurrence in a community or region, specific health related behaviour or other related event, clearly in excess of expected occurrence. The term expected occurrence is one of the key words in the definition as in one locality where no cases of a particular diseases is reported even one case should be potential epidemic. Where as in another locality when hundreds of cases of that particular diseases is endemically prevalent/it requires lot many cases of it to be considered as an epidemic.

Significance of Homeopathy in epidemics

• In a country as large as ours, the occurrence of epidemic is not infrequent and they usually spread like wild fire creating chaos. And it is in this chaos that homeopathy hopes to restore order. When there arises situations where the cause of the disease appears to be an enigma and every other system of medicine is clueless regarding what preventive / curative medicine is to be given, homeopathy has been able to solve the problem.

• Even when in the course of the epidemic there can be changes in the strains of the causative organism and the new drug cannot be found out in time, homeopathy can overcome the crises. This is possible because unlike the commonly used medicines, which are directed towards the destruction of causative organisms, homeopathic medicines aim to improve the immune system of the individual. Here the basis of selection of remedy is not dependent upon the nature of organism, but on the signs and symptoms of the diseased individual.

• The age old adage \\ prevention is better than cure" holds good here. When few cases of epidemic diseases are studied carefully in all their aspects a single medicine can be selected which will correspond with the characteristic symptoms of the disease as well as that of the patient. Homeopathy gives importance not only to the symptoms of the disease but also that peculiar symptoms exhibited by the patients and that is why they differ even when the disease is the same. The climatic conditions during the time of epidemic also plays role in remedy selection.

• In epidemics of such nature that are transmitted only through bites of infected insects, the most important preventive step is vector control. However due to practical problems like large population, poverty, poor hygiene and lack of man power this becomes a long drawn procedure. Hence the best solution is to administer preventive medicines in the fastest and the most extensive way.

Reasons for homeopathic preventive medicine becoming the best option in epidemics

• l) Economic viability: Cost of the homeopathic medicine is minimal from the consumer point of view.

• 2) Distribution of medicine Homeopathic medicines though packaged as medicated globules, which makes the transport distribution and administration easy.

• 3) Action of medicine: • Action is rapid in case of epidemic diseases of virulent nature and the immunity rendered to healthy persons or an unaffected person is immediate provided the dose taken is accurate. • 4) Change in nature of disease: During an epidemic many a times it is found that maturation of the infective organism has resulted in the change in nature of epidemic and this requiring an exhaustive research to found a different medicine since homoeopathic medicines aim to boost the individual's own immune system, genetic mutation will no affect the person.

• 5) Unidentified cause: In case of epidemic where the infective organism is not found or if found is not always the signs and symptoms characteristic of the disease to rely upon

Investigation of epidemic diseases and the selection of genus epidemic

• Dr Sammuel Hahnemann has described investigation of epidemic diseases and also the selection of Genus epidemicus after studying the nature endemic prevalent in the given area in the aphorisms 100, 101, 102 in Organon of medicine

HOW Dr.HAHNEMANN DISCOVERED THE PREVENTIVE ACTION OF HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES

• : " I reasoned thus, a remedy that is capable of quickly checking a disease in its onset, must be its best preventive ; and the following occurrence strengthened me in the correctness of this conclusion: Some weeks previously three children of another family lay ill of a very bad scarlet fever; the eldest daughter alone, who, up to that period, had been taking

Belladonna

internally for an external affection on the joints of her fingers, to my great astonishment did not catch the fever, although during the prevalence of other epidemics she had always been the first to take them. This circumstance completely

confirmed

my idea. I now hesitated not to administer to the other

five

children of this numerous family this divine remedy, as a preservative, in very small doses, and, as the particular action of this plant does not last above three days, I repeated the dose every seventy two hours, and they all remained perfectly well without the slightest symptoms throughout the whole course of the epidemic, and amid the most virulent scarlatina emanations from the sisters who lay

ill

with the disease.“ Dr.Hahnemann

• •

§100

In investigating the totality of the symptoms of epidemic and sporadic diseases it is quite immaterial whether or not something similar has ever appeared in the world before under the same or any other name. The novelty or peculiarity of a disease of that kind makes no difference either in the mode of examining or of treating it, as the physician must at any way regard the pure picture of every prevailing disease as if it were something new and unknown and investigate it thoroughly for itself, if he desires to practice medicine in a real and radical manner , never substituting conjuncture for actual observation, never taking for granted that the case of disease before him is already wholly or partially known, but always carefully examining it in all, it's phases; and this mode of procedure is all the more requisite in such cases , as a careful examination will show that every prevailing disease is in many respect a phenomenon of a unique character, differing vastly from all previous epidemics to which certain names have been falsely applied -- with the exception of those epidemics resulting from a contagious principle that always remain the same, such as small pox, measles etc.

•

§l0l

• It may easily happen that in the first case of an epidemic disease that presents itself to the physician's notice, he does not at once obtain a knowledge of its complete picture, as it is only by a close observation of several cases of every such collective disease that he become conversant, with the totality of its' signs and symptoms .The carefully observing physician can, however, from the examination of even the first and second patients, often arrive so nearly at a knowledge of the true state as to have in his mind a characteristic portrait of it, and even to succeed in finding a suitable, homoeopathically adopted remedy for it.

• •

§ l02

In the course of writing down the symptoms of several cases of this kind the sketch of the disease picture becomes ever more and more complete, not more spun out and verbose but more significant (more characteristic) , and including more of the peculiarities of this collective disease; on the one hand, the general symptoms, (eg. Loss of appetite, Sleeplessness etc.) Become precisely defined as to their peculiarities, and on other, the more marked and special symptoms which are peculiar to but few diseases and of rarer occurrence, at least in the same combination, become prominent and constitute what is characteristic of this malady, all those affected with the disease prevailing at a given time have certainly contracted it from one and the same source and hence are suffering from the same disease; but the whole extend of such an epidemic disease and the totality of its symptoms (the knowledge there of, which is essential for enabling us to choose the most suitable homoeopathic remedy for this array of symptoms, is obtained by a complete survey of the morbid picture) cannot be learned from one single patient ,but is only to be perfectly deduced (abstracted) and ascertained from the suffering of several patients of different constitutions.

• "The above preparation of copper, together with good and moderate diet, and proper attention to cleanliness, is the most certain preventive and protective remedy; those in health should take, once every week, a small globule of it (Cupr. [30C*]) in the morning fasting, and not drink anything immediately afterwards, but this should not be done until the cholera is in the locality itself, or in the neighbourhood." (The Lesser Writings of Samuel Hahnemann; S. Hahnemann (Dudgeon Edition), Cure and Prevention of Asiatic Cholera, page 755.)

• The key to finding a specific prophylactic is constructing a clear picture of the prevailing epidemic. Hahnemann did not give a prophylactic remedy unless there was a clear and present danger of contracting the disease. This is why he said to wait until the disease is in the near or in the locality. He did not want the general populace to take preventative remedies out of fear and phobia. Dread of the miasms have woven themselves so deeply into the collective human psyche that it invokes archetypal fears as seen in Lyssophobia. This is where the terror of getting a disease leads to psychological disturbances and can even psychosomatically mimic the symptoms of the disease! Nether the allopathic doctor nor homoeopath should succumb to such exaggerated fears by given too many medicines.

DIFFERENT METHODES OF HOMOEOPATHIC PROPHLAXIS

• There are three major methods of homœoprophylaxis:. These are the constitutional approach, the genus epidemicus remedies, and the nosodes. All of these methods are very effective and can be used together according to the time and circumstances.

CONSTITUTIONAL PREVENTION

• • . The study of preventive medicine should begin with an examination of the diathetic constitution, innate temperament and predispositions. The genetic blue print holds the key to predispositions. The foundation of prevention is the remedy for the chronic disease, that is selected by the essential nature of the totality of the symptoms. Constitutional treatment removes the susceptibility to infectious miasms as well as strengthening the vital force. The chronic remedy provides the best general protection from all diseases. This method is the central strategy of Homœopathy because it removes the greatest number of predispositions.

• The effectiveness of constitutional treatment in the prevention of manifold diseases can not be denied. Anti-miasmatic treatment in the early years of life prevents manifold diseases. Susceptibility to acute miasms is based on the chronic miasms. If we treat the chronic miasms we remove the predispositions to acute miasms and their complications. Those that suffer the most from the common childhood infections like mumps and measles have psora or some other miasm. Anti-miasmic treatment makes the human organism more immune to infectious disease.

2. Genus Epidemicus Remedies

• The second method of prophylaxis is the genus epidemicus remedies. These remedies are chosen by the totality of the symptoms of an epidemic as reflected in a group of patient. This offers specific protection against epidemic, endemic and pandemic diseases. For example, homœopaths in India have confirmed that Lathyrus Sativa is an effective genus epidemicus remedy for polio. The signs, befallments and symptoms of Lathyrus have a close correspondence to this disease.

"Homœopathic physicians are satisfied that they have very safe and better polio prevention in Lathyrus Sativa when properly given." (Homœo Prophylactic Remedies; Sethi.)

3. Nosode Prophylaxis

• The third method involves the use of the nosodes that are made from the same or similar disease genus. The homœopaths who worked for the public health departments of the USA gained great experience with the use of nosodes against smallpox epidemics. In August 1974 in Brazil, a major epidemic of meningitis threatened the countryside. Homœopaths gave 18,640 children Meningococcinum 10C, and 6,340 children were used as controls. . Out of the 18,640 children given Meningococcinum 10C there were 4 cases. Out of the 6,340 children in the control group there were 34 cases.

• The above study shows the positive potential and minimal cost of a mass public health program based on a single homœopathic remedy. Any simple health care worker can be trained to assist in such a program. Genus epidemicus remedies and nosodes are used to provide specific prophylaxis. The genus remedies can be found for new or unknown miasms. The nosodes can only be used when the cause of the disease is known. When epidemic diseases threaten the population, specific prophylactic remedies can be applied immediately. Specific protection is useful when one is traveling in areas with dangerous endemic miasms. The homœopath may also use specific protection when treating epidemics to offset exposure. Constitutional and specific prophylactics are a functional polarity that completes our therapeutic treasury.

• It is the life-force which cures diseases because a dead man needs no more medicines." Samuel Hahnemann

MANAGEMENT OF AN EPIDEMIC.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

• HEALTH EDUCATION TO THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE IMPARTED REGARDING THE PRESENT EPIDEMIC AND IT’S GENERAL CONTROL MEASURES LIKE PERSONAL HYGEIN ,PROPER WASTE DISPOSAL AND INSECT CONTROL.

SELECTION OF SUITABLE HOMOEOPATHIC PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

• 1.CASE TAKING • 2.TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMES • 3. REPERTORISATION AND ANALYSIS • 5.SELECTION OF MEDICINE • 6 SELECTION OF POTENCY • 7.SELECTION OF DOSE

CASE TAKING

• SHOULD BE DONE IN SPECIAL CASE RECORD FORMS.

• MODEL IS ATTACHED

TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMS

• THE SYMPTOMS PRESENTED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE PATIENTS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE TOTALITY.

ANALYSIS (USING SYNTHESIS REPERTORY) RADAR • YOU CAN USE RADAR WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE INTENSITY OF SYMPTOMES

MANY TYPES OF ANALYSIS IN RADAR

• ANALYSING THE SOME OF SYMPTOMS (SORT ALPHA.) THE REMEDY WHICH COVERES THE GREATEST NUMBER OF SYMPTOMS IS GIVEN THE HIGHEST PROBABILITY

• ANALYSING THE SOME OF SYMPTOMS (SORT DEG.) THE REMEDY WHICH COVERES THE GREATEST NUMBER OF SYMPTOMS IS GIVEN THE HIGHEST PROBABILITY

• ANALYSING THE SUM OF DEGREES SORT (ALPHA) THE REMEDY WHICH COVERES THE HIGHEST DEGREE IN THE REPERTORY GIVES THE BEST PROBABILITY

• ANALYSING THE SUM OF DEGREES SORT (SPT) THE REMEDY WHICH COVERES THE HIGHEST DEGREE IN THE REPERTORY GIVES THE BEST PROBABILITY

• ANALYSIS ACCORDING TO THE SUM OF SYMPTOMS AND SUM OF DEGREES.

• THE RESULTS OF BOTH PREVIOUS METHODS ARE ADDED • THIS GIVES IMPORTANCE TO TOTALITY AND DEGREE.

• CONSIDERING THE PROMINENCE OF A REMEDY • THIS METHOD CONSIDERES THE PROMINENCE OF REMEDIES IN THE SECOND THIRD AND FOURTH DEGREE AND USES A CERETAIN FORMULA TO UPGRADE THE MORE PROMINENT REMEDY IN EACH RUBRIC. AS A RESULT THOSE REMEDIES IN WHICH A SYMPTOM OCCURES IN THE MOST PROMINENT WAY WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST SCORE.

VITHOULKAS EXPERT SYSTEM

• HERE WE HAVE TO CONSIDER SYMPTOMS IN VARIOUS INTENSITIES FOR EACH SYMPTOMS . • YOU CAN INCLUDE ALL SYMPTOMS PRESENTED BY THE PATIENT.THERE IS NO LIMIT.

INTENSITY 1

• SYMPTOMS CLEARLY PRESENT

INTENSITY-2

• SYMPTOMS VERY FREQUENT OR VERY INTENSE

INTENSITY-3

• SYMPTOMS VERY FREQUENT AND VERY INTENSE

INTENSITY-4

• SYMPTOMS VERY VERY FREQUENT AND INTENSE

• NOT MORE THAN 80% OF THE SYMPTOMS SHOULD HAVE AN INTENSITY OF 1 • NOT MORE THAN 80% OF THE SYMPTOMS SHOULD HAVE AN INTENSITY OF 2

• NOT MORE THAN 50% OF THE SYMPTOMS SHOULD HAVE AN INTENSITY OF 3 • NOT MORE THAN 20 % OF THE SYMPTOMS SHOULD HAVE AN INTENSITY OF 4

SELECTION OF REMEDY

• THE REMEDY CAN BE SELECTED FROM THE SUITABLE ANALYTICAL METHOD LIKE VES,SUM OF DEGREE AND SYMPTOMS OR PROMINENCE • THE ABOVE SELECTED REMEDY CAN ONLY BE FINALISED WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF MATERIA MEDICA.

SELECTION OF POTENCY

• 30 TH IS THE MOST SUITABLE POTENCY BECAUSE THE GENUS EPIDEMICUS IS TO BE APPLIED TO A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE HAVING A WIDE RANGE OF SUCEPTIBILITY. PERSONS WITH LOW SUCEPTIBLITY MAY NOT RESPOND TO HIGHER POTENCIES • THE DYNAMIC ACTION OF THE POTENCIES BELOW 30 CAN’T BE PREDICTED .

• ONLY WITH DYNAMIC ACTION OF HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES RAPID IMMUNITY CAN BE ESTABLISHED

SELECTION OF DOSE

• THE DOSE WILL BE BASED ON THE MEDICINE SELECTED.

• EACH MEDICINE HAVE A DIFFERENT DURATION OF ACTION • AFTER ADMINISTERING THE FIRST DOSE THE SECOND DOSE CAN BE ADMINISTERED AFTER THE MAXIMUM KNOWN DURATION OF THE MEDICINE.

• THIS SHOULD BE REPEATED UNTIL THE EPIDEMIC IS UNDER CONTROL.

EXAMPLE WITH SCARLET FEVER

Examples from a Pertussis Epidemic

FROM HISTORY

• Several surveys have also been published evaluating the efficacy of homeoprophylaxis. A.D Fox treated 97 children with treated

Pertussin

with only 63% of the patients responding, showed that as many as 18% may have to prevent whooping cough. His survey in 1987, developed whooping cough after the treatment. Golden, in the same survey mentioned above, reported that his homeoprophylactic regimen was 89% effective in preventing the diseases

• Studies during epidemics have also given some valuable information. In 1902, during a smallpox epidemic in Iowa, Dr. Eaton reported that 2806 patients were treated with

Variolinum

. Of the 547 patients who were definitely exposed, only 14 developed the disease. Overall protection rate was 97%.24 In 1958, during an influenza epidemic in Great Britain, 1100 workers were given prophylaxis and 500 workers were given no treatment. There was no statistical difference in the attack rates between the groups. And in 1974, during a meningococcus outbreak in Brazil, 18,640 patients were given times more effective than no treatment)

Meningococcinum

prophylaxis while 6,430 received no treatment. The treatment group reported 4 cases to 32 cases in the no treatment group (23

• Wayne Jonas provides us with the best-constructed study on homeoprophylaxis in 1999. A nosode for tularemia was tested against placebo and allopathic vaccination in 142 mice that were subsequently infected with tularemia. Six different potencies of the nosode were used to account for that variable. The nosode was given before and after the challenge. The results showed that allopathic vaccination produced 100% protection from death. The tularemia nosode produced 22% protection compared to placebo. Clearly the nosode had some efficacy, but much less than vaccination.

• But when data from the epidemics of the past is taken as a whole, Genus Epidemicus prescribing clearly appears to be effective. Discussions with numerous homeopaths today reveals that this method has survived into modern practice, primarily due to its efficacy. Moreover, the theory of Genus Epidemicus prescribing is consistent with all primary homeopathic principles laid down in the

Organon

, and proven over the past 200 years of practice. The concept of similar disease is virtually identical to the practice of conducting a proving. Symptoms are taken from a variety of individuals, with varied constitutions, and summed together to form the totality of the response to the presented stress. Although further study on the prophylactic effect of this style of prescribing is warranted, Genus Epidemicus prescribing should be a tool in every homeopath¹s repertoire, both for prophylaxis and for treatment.

REFERENCES

•

Dr.SAMUEL HAHNEMAANN’S ORGANON OF MEDICINE

•

LIFE AND LETTERES OF Dr. SAMUEL HAHNEMANN BY THOMAS LINDSLE BRADFORD

•

TODD.A.HOOVER, M.D

•

WILL TAYLOR, M.D

•

THANK YOU