Homeopathy

Mitchell Goldflies, M.D

.

Introduction Homeopathy Is Best Defined As “Energy Medicine .”

Introduction  History  Science  Application

Introduction How homeopathy may be incorporated into your present medical practice

Topics    The Origins of Homeopathy Samuel Christian Hahnemann Overview of Homeopathy

Topics  How Homeopathic Remedies are Made  Remedy Potencies  Proof of Homeopathy

Topics  Eclectic School of Homeopathy  RSI Homeopathic Products

Overview  The roots of homeopathy are in physics, not in chemistry.

 Classical homeopathy requires that the profile of the patient must first be determined.

Overview  Homeopathic remedies work by helping the body’s defense system help itself.

 Homeopathy is a holistic form of medicine.

Overview  Homeopathy takes into account the unique emotional and physical traits of the individual.

 The principles and practice of homeopathy have remained largely unchanged since their introduction about 200 years ago.

Terminology  Similimum-The Best Single Remedy Which Best Fits the Profile  Repertorization-The procedure in finding the Similimum

Terminology Proving- Recording the symptoms evoked in a healthy person taking a scientifically prepared substance

Terminology Doctrine of Signatures-The external appearance of a plant gives an indication of the ailments it would cure.

Terminology The Law of Similars- Homeopathic treatment using a dilute substance to treat symptoms which in the undiluted form will provoke the same symptoms in a healthy person.

Terminology The Law of Contraries- An illness should be treated by a substance capable of producing opposite symptoms in a healthy person.

Terminology  The Laws of Cure- Symptoms move from the top of the body downward, from the inside out, and from the most important organs to the least important.  A cure occurs in the reverse order to the onset of symptoms.

Terminology 

Similia Similibus Curentur “

like can cure like”



Homeo-

”similar”



Pathos-

”suffering”

Terminology  Remedy- Scientifically diluted natural substance used for treatment in homeopathy  Aggravations- When patient’s symptoms worsened before becoming better after taking remedy

Terminology  Mother Tincture-The solution created by dissolving a soluble substance, such as plant or animal extracts, in an alcohol/water mixture.

 Potentization-Serial dilutions of the mother tincture

Terminology  Succussing-Vigorous shaking and banging down on a hard surface at each stage of dilution of a substance  Trituration-Grinding insoluble substances until they become soluble and diluted with lactose

Terminology  Classical Homeopathy-Using a single high potency homeopathic remedy to treat symptoms  Eclectic Homeopathy- Using low potency combination homeopathic remedies to treat symptoms

Terminology  Vital Force- Subtle energy within the body that responds to the remedies and enables the body to heal itself  Miasm- Deep-seated weakness that blocks a remedy

The Origins of Homeopathy

Hippocrates 

(460-370 B.C.)



Known as the father of Medicine

Hippocrates He believed that the patient’s own powers of healing are essential to choosing an appropriate cure.

Hippocrates  Developed the principle “like can cure like”  He felt that an illness could be treated by a substance capable of producing similar symptoms to those being suffered by the patient.

Hippocrates  He maintained a collection of several hundred remedies.

 Used the root of Veratrum album (white hellebore) in the treatment of cholera

Hippocrates Veratrum album- In a large dose this highly poisonous root causes violent purging that leads to severe dehydration, mirroring the symptoms of cholera.

Hippocrates  Medical treatment was based on the Law of Contraries.

 Diarrhea was treated with aluminum hydroxide, which constipates.

Roman Influences  1 st to 5 th centuries A.D.

 Herbs introduced into the pharmacopoeia

Roman Influences Greater emphasis on importance of preventative health care and improving public hygiene

Dark Ages Little medical advancement in Europe after the decline in the Roman Empire

16 th Century  Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim  (1493-1541)  Swiss physician  Known as Paracelsus

Paracelsus

Promoted that the causes of disease were liked to external forces, not mystical forces, such as contaminated food and drink

Paracelsus

He proposed that physicians should take into account the body’s own natural ability to heal itself

Paracelsus

He laid down the foundations for modern chemistry by concentrating on practical experimentation rather than alchemy and its quest to transform base metal into a valuable one.

Paracelsus

He believed that plants and metals contained active ingredients that could be prescribed to match an illness.

Paracelsus

 Doctrine of Signatures  Chelidonium manjus (celadine) was used to treat the liver and gallbladder because the yellow juice looked like bile.

Paracelsus

He also believed that a poisonous substance that caused a disease could also cure the disease, if given in very small doses.

Paracelsus

This “like can cure like” principle did not gain popularity for another 300 years.

16

th

to 19

th

Centuries

 Medical knowledge grew steadily.

 Herbal medicine was better understood and grew in popularity.

 Work was performed in Europe to extract the active ingredients of herbs and other plants.

16

th

to 19

th

Centuries

Despite the growth in medical knowledge the general health of the population declined as more people moved to the the crowded, dirty industrial cities and standards of public hygiene deteriorated.

16

th

to 19

th

Centuries

Medical practice became invasive with many physicians using bloodletting and purging as a means of cure.

16

th

to 19

th

Centuries

Toxic materials were prescribed such as arsenic and lead which often shortened a patient’s life or weakened one so they were no longer capable of complaining.

16

th

to 19

th

Centuries

As a reaction to this homeopathy was born .

Samuel Christian Hahnemann  (1755-1843)  Born in Dresden, Germany  Entered Medical practice in 1779

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Supplemented his income as a physician by writing articles on medicine and chemistry.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann  In these writings he protested against the harsh medical practice of the time.

 He was against bloodletting, purging and the massive doses of medicine that were administered to patients, often with terrible side effects.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann He promoted:  Better public hygiene  Sensible eating  Fresh air  Exercise

Samuel Christian Hahnemann  Less cramped housing conditions  Regular bathing  Cleanliness of bed linen

Samuel Christian Hahnemann He became disillusioned with conventional medicine and gave up medical practice to work as a translator.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann  He translated

A treatise on Materia Medica,

Cullen by Dr. William  Came across the principle that “like should be treated with like” in reference to the treatment of malaria by quinine

Samuel Christian Hahnemann His first proving was performed with quinine, a substance purified from the Peruvian bark cinchona

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Within 6 years he published an article on what he termed homeopathy which means “similar to the suffering.”

Samuel Christian Hahnemann This article introduced:  Provings  Materia Medica  Potentization  Succussion  Trituration

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Patient Evaluation Must Include:  Symptoms  What factors made them better or worse  General health  The way they lived  Outlook on life

Samuel Christian Hahnemann  The evaluation resulted in a “symptoms picture.”  The closest match to the symptoms would indicate which remedy to prescribe.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann  He described this phenomenon as

Similia similibus curentur

 “like can cure like”  The closer the match, the more successful the treatment

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Based on the Law of Similars, homeopathic treatment consists of using a scientifically prepared substance that evokes in a healthy person the same symptoms manifest in that of an unhealthy person.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann This concept is utilized in conventional medicine by allergists and in the field of immunology.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann  In immunology the similars used are the causative agents.

 In homeopathy the similarities found are in the symptoms.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann  1796 he published

A New Principle for Ascertaining the Curative Powers of Drugs and Some Examination of Previous Principles

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Homeopathy-One should apply in the disease to be healed, particularly if it is chronic, that remedy which is able to stimulate another artificially produced disease as similar as possible and the former will be healed.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann  He gave very small dilute doses.

 Some of his patient’s symptoms worsened before becoming better.

 To prevent these flare-up which he called aggravations, he changed his method of dilution.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann  Succussing-Vigorous shaking and banging down on a hard surface at each stage of the dilution.

 More energy of the substance released

Samuel Christian Hahnemann  This technique produced remedies that ceased producing the strong aggravations.

 Potentizations-These new homeopathic remedies worked faster and more effectively than the more concentrated solution.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Potency of Remedy  Dilution  Strength

Samuel Christian Hahnemann  The remedy no longer contains a single molecule of the original substance.

 He proved the efficacy of about 100 homeopathic remedies.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann He believed that only a single remedy dose should be given, for the shortest period of time necessary, to stimulate the body’s healing power.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Vital Force  There is a subtle energy within the body that responds to the remedy and enables the body to heal itself.

 Responsible for the healthy running of the body, coordinating its defense against disease

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Vital Force- If disturbed by stress, a poor diet, lack of exercise, hereditary problems, or environmental changes, illness occurs.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Vital Force- The symptoms of the illness are the outward manifestation of the vital force’s attempt to correct the imbalance and restore health.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Vital Force- Homeopathic remedies energize the vital force to rid the body of illness.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Acute, Self-Limiting Illness- A person becomes ill rapidly, the illness runs its course, and then clears up on its own, with or without treatment.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Chronic Illness  A person suffers from continual or recurrent illness.

 There may be relapses.

 The general trend of health is downward.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Miasm- The chronic effect of an underlying idea that has been present in previous generations or in a individual.

Samuel Christian Hahnemann Miasm  Some people are prone to frequent, acute complaints; they always seem to acquire new symptoms and are never totally healthy.

 A deep seated weakness is present which blocks the remedy.

Hahnemann’s Followers  Dr Frederick Foster Hervey Quin (1799-1878)  Dr. Constantine Hering (1800 1880)  Dr. James Tyler Kent (1849-1916)  Richard Hughes (1836-1902)

Dr. Quin  1831- He was cured of cholera by the remedy Camphor during the epidemic in Europe.

 1832- Began practicing homeopathy in London

Dr. Quin  1850- Established the first Homeopathic Hospital in London  1854- During the cholera epidemic the death rate in his hospital was 30% less than in other hospitals.

Homeopathy in America

Established During The 1820’s

Homeopathy in America Dr. Hering  The Laws of Cure- Symptoms move from the top of the body downward; from the inside out; and from the most important organs to the lest important.  A cure occurs in the reverse order to the onset of symptoms.

Homeopathy in America Dr. Kent  Different kinds of people reacted to certain remedies more strongly than others.

 People with similar bodily shapes and personalities tended to suffer with the same types of diseases.

Homeopathy in America Dr. Kent - Classical Homeopathy  Remedies should be prescribed according to an individual’s emotional makeup, appearance and physician symptoms.

 Grouped people according to constitutional types

Homeopathy in England Richard Hughes  Pathological information only should form the basis of diagnosis.

 Used lower potencies  Split in the practice of homeopathy

Conflict in Homeopathy  Internal split in the practice of homeopathy caused it to be in a weak position to rival the orthodox medical establishment.

 As a result by the 1920’s homeopathy had been almost totally suppressed .

How Remedies are Made

Homeopathic remedies are derived from:

 Plant extracts  Animal extracts  Mineral extracts

How Remedies are Made  Extracts are diluted in varying degrees to avoid adverse effects.

 The more diluted the remedy, the more effectively they work.

How Remedies are Made Soluble Substances  Raw material is dissolved in a 90% pure alcohol & 10% distilled water mixture.

 Mixture is left to stand for 2-4 weeks, shaken occasionally  Strained through a press

How Remedies are Made Insoluble Substances

Trituration:

 Substance ground continually until becoming soluble  Diluted with lactose

How Remedies are Made  Mother Tincture: The end result of diluting soluble substance  Potentization: Further dilution of mother tincture with alcohol/water mixture

How Remedies are Made

Succussion:

At each stage of the dilution the mixture is vigorously shaken.

How Remedies are Made

Potentization:

 Transfer matter to energy  Affects the body’s electromagnetic field  Avoids adding chemical to the blood stream

Remedy Potencies Dilution Scales  Decimal scale (x)-dilution factor is 1:10  Centesimal scale (c)-dilution factor is 1:100  With dilution beyond 12c it is doubtful that a molecule of the original substance remains.

Proof of Homeopathy  1986- Treating Hay Fever  1995- 30c potencies of pollen and dust mites more effective than placebo in treating hay fever and asthma

Proof of Homeopathy 1997-

The Lancet

The results of controlled studies show that results are not due to a placebo effect.

Proof of Homeopathy 1999-

Archives of Internal Medicine,

Vol. 159 No. 17, September 27, 1999 Homeopathy is compatible with biomedical observations.

Eclectic School of Homeopathy  Low potency combination homeopathic remedies  Below 6x  Effective on both a chemical and electromagnetic level

Eclectic School of Homeopathy  Remedies are physiologically active and have magnified energy patterns due to potentization.

 Tandem synergistic substances that cover more than one single symptom

Eclectic School of Homeopathy  Combination remedy is effective in 80-90% of cases.

 No side effects  For the 10-20% of failures a qualified homeopathic MD should be consulted.

Summary  History of Homeopathy  Processing of Homeopathic Remedies  Scientific Basis of Homeopathy  Clinical Application of Homeopathy  Classical vs. Eclectic Homeopathy  Rexall Showcase International Products

Where to Get More Information  Lockie A, Geddes N,

The Complete Guide to Homeopathy

, Dorling Kindersley, New York, 1995.

 Kuraishy T,

Homeopathy In Wellness Medicine

, Pride Publishing, 1997.

Where to Get More Information  Eskinazi D, Homeopathy Revisited, Is Homeopathy Compatible with Biomedical Observations,

Archives of Internal Medicine

, Vol. 159, No, 17, Sept. 27, 1999.

 Lininger S, ,

The Natural Pharmacy,

Prima Publishing, CA, 1998.