Homeopathy/Introduction

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[edit] Invention by Dr.Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843)

Hahnemann was educated in medicine, science and linguistics. He wrote a book on his research, "The Organon of the Medical Art", and received 6 editions over his life.

That book explains what he thought was the nature of disease, the way homeopathic remedies may work and how to apply them. That is the core book for homeopaths when studying.

Homeopathy is very widely used now and homeopaths operate in many countries regardless of how affluent or poor the country is. There are now over 3000 remedies (supposedly) "proven" and available for treating all types of disease.

We will later look more at how homeopathy works on a basic level, the principles of homeopathy and more importantly how to use homeopathy to restore health. You can purchase homeopathy kits to have at home or when travelling cheaply and they may be effective in acute diseases or minor accidents. For longer term diseases, deeper rooted emotional, mental and/or physical problems, you need to visit a professional homeopath and attend a number of times. More on this later.

Finally, a word on science. It is not advanced enough yet to explain how homeopathy works. In fact, no truly scientific study has shown that homeopathy works at all.

Claims to the efficacy of homeopathic treatment beyond the placebo effect are unsupported by the collective weight of scientific and clinical evidence.^[1][2][3][4] Common homeopathic preparations are diluted beyond the point where there is any likelihood that molecules from the original solution are present in the final product; the claim that these treatments still have any pharmacological effect is thus scientifically implausible^[5][6] and violates fundamental principles of science,^[7] including the w:law of mass action.^[7] Critics also object that the number of high-quality studies that support homeopathy is small, the conclusions are not definitive, and duplication of the results, a key test of scientific validity, has proven problematic at best.^[8] The lack of convincing scientific evidence supporting its efficacy^[9] and its use of remedies without active ingredients have caused homeopathy to be regarded as w:pseudoscience;^[10] w:quackery;^[11][12][13] or, in the words of a 1998 medical review, "placebo therapy at best and quackery at worst."^[14]

Dr. James Tyler Kent Dr. James Tyler Kent was born in 1849, a native of woodhull, new York. He graduated from Electic Medical institute, cincinnati, ohio in 1871 and the Homeopathic medical college of missouri, St. Louis, where he was awarded the Diploma in 1889. He was Professor of Anatomy in the American Medical College St. Louis, 1877-78 about which time his attention was forcibly directed to Homeopathy through the serious illness of his wife, whose case refused to yield to any other treatment except Homeopathic. He then became a careful student of Hahnemann's Organon which resulted in his complete conversion to Homeopathy. He was one of the ablest teachers and exponents of the Homeopathic school in America. His contribution to the Homeopathic literature are known by their strength rather than their length and include more prominently his Repertory, Homeopathic Philosophy, Lectures on Materia Medica and Lesser Writings. Lectures on MM Lectures on Philosophy How to study Repertory Lesser Writing

Dr. Hering Dr. Constantine Hering was born on 1st Jan. 1800 in Oschath in Saxony. He studied Medicine and then at the request of his teacher Dr. Henrich Robbi studied Homeopathy in order to write a book against Homeopathy. But since his infected hand which was to have been amputated was healed by Homeopathy, he became converted to Homeopathy and became one of the most famous Homeopaths. After getting his degree from Woodsburg he went to Surinam on an expedition. There he extracted the poison of the Lachesis snake and proved it. From then on he practised, taught and wrote on Homeopathy for the rest of his life, so much so, that Hahnemann called him as one of his 'most efficient disciples' and 'as the truest and most zealous propagator of our art.' When he died on July 23rd 1880 his friend Dr. Nickle said of him "He who never rested, rests". Guiding Symptoms The Homeopathic Domestic Physician Model Cures Condensed Materia Medica Analytical Repertory of the mind

Dr. Sircar Dr. Mahendra Lal Sircar, C, I .E" M.D.. D. L., was not only the greatest Homeopath of his time in India, but also a great scientist. He was born on Nov. 2, 1833 in Paikpara, near Howrah. He appeared at the M.D. Examination in 1863 and came out first. He devoted his life wholly to the propagation of the principles of Homeopathy. The Calcutta Journal of Medicine, edited by him, was started in Jan. 1868 for this purpose. In the field of physical science, Dr. Sircar has made great contributions and was' a pioneer of .scientific research in India. Dr. J. C. Bose and Dr. P. C. Ray were also inspired by him. Recurrent malarial fever and bronchial asthma clouded the evening of his life and he died on Feb. 23, 1904.

Boger Prominent as a physician and author of a number of medical text - books, Dr.Boger came to Parkersburg U.S.A. in 1888 and had since been engaged in the practice of medicine. He graduated from the Philadephia College of Medicine. He later studied at the Hahnemann Homeopathic Medical College in Philadelphia, from which also he graduated. During his long career in medical practice and research, Boger contributed important scientific text-books including the Synoptic Key of the Materia Medica addition to his authorship of a number o" articles for medical journals. His authorship of several scientific textbooks, his analysis and construction of Repertory, his lively translation of several medical books from notable German authors and his indefatigable labour for the production of orginal works, like the Times of the Remedies and Moon phases and his provings of Samarskite etc. made him universally recognised as an author and physician of great eminence. Dr. Boger passed away on 2nd Sep, 1935, at the age of 74. Synoptic Key to MM BB Characteristic MM Times Of Remedies & moon phases Studies in the philosophy of Healing Study of MM and Case taking

[edit] Homeopathy in the 20th century

[edit] BBC Horizon Show and the current status of Homeopathy

1. ↑ Ernst E (2002). "A systematic review of systematic reviews of homeopathy". Br J Clin Pharmacol 54 (6): 577–82. Retrieved on 2008-02-12.
2. ↑ McCarney RW, Linde K, Lasserson TJ (2004). "Homeopathy for chronic asthma". Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online) (1): CD000353. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD000353.pub2.
3. ↑ McCarney R, Warner J, Fisher P, Van Haselen R (2003). "Homeopathy for dementia". Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online) (1): CD003803. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD003803.
   Homeopathy results. National Health Service. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
4. ↑ Report 12 of the Council on Scientific Affairs (A–97). American Medical Association. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
   Linde K, Jonas WB, Melchart D, Willich S (2001). "The methodological quality of randomized controlled trials of homeopathy, herbal medicines and acupuncture". International journal of epidemiology 30 (3): 526–531. DOI:10.1093/ije/30.3.526.
   Altunç U, Pittler MH, Ernst E (2007). "Homeopathy for childhood and adolescence ailments: systematic review of randomized clinical trials". Mayo Clin Proc. 82 (1): 69–75.
5. ↑ Shang A, Huwiler-Müntener K, Nartey L, et al (2005). "Are the clinical effects of homoeopathy placebo effects? Comparative study of placebo-controlled trials of homoeopathy and allopathy". Lancet 366 (9487): 726–732. DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67177-2.
6. ↑ Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Ernst2005
7. ↑ ^{a b} (1988). "When to believe the unbelievable". Nature 333 (30): 787. DOI:10.1038/333787a0.
8. ↑ Toufexis, Anastasia Is Homeopathy Good Medicine?, Time, Sep. 25, 1995, page 2 (page numbering given from online version, accessed 20 April 2008)
9. ↑ Jerry Adler. "No Way to Treat the Dying" - Newsweek, Feb 4, 2008
10. ↑ National Science Board (April 2002) Science and Engineering Indicators, Chapter 7, "Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding" - "Science Fiction and Pseudoscience" (Arlington, Virginia: National Science Foundation Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences)
11. ↑ Wahlberg, A. (2007) "A quackery with a difference—New medical pluralism and the problem of 'dangerous practitioners' in the United Kingdom," Social Science & Medicine 65(11) pp. 2307-2316: PMID 18080586
12. ↑ Atwood, K.C. (2003) "Neurocranial Restructuring' and Homeopathy, Neither Complementary nor Alternative," Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 129(12) pp. 1356-1357: PMID 14676179
13. ↑ Ndububa, V.I. (2007) "Medical quackery in Nigeria; why the silence?" Nigerian Journal of Medicine 16(4) pp. 312-317: PMID 18080586
14. ↑ Ernst E, Pittler MH (1998). "Efficacy of homeopathic arnica: a systematic review of placebo-controlled clinical trials". Archives of surgery (Chicago, Ill. : 1960) 133 (11): 1187–90. DOI:10.1001/archsurg.133.11.1187.