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HOMEOPATHY
The homeopathic system of medicine was developed at the end of the eighteenth century by a German medical doctor, Samuel Hahnemann and it has successfully treated countless numbers of people for sudden and chronic illnesses for some two hundred years. At the time of its introduction, homeopathy was a radical departure from the way in which medicine had been practiced in Europe for hundreds of years. Mainstream medicine of the time advocated the use of leeches, cupping (using cups to draw the blood to the surface) and frequent blood-letting for almost any disease, together with strong cathartics (purgative medications), emetics (medications to cause vomiting) and other powerful medications of vegetable and mineral origin, often given in extremely high doses and complex mixtures. Treatment, in many cases, would kill the patient as well as the disease. Hahnemann was so appalled by the dubious methods used by his profession that he abandoned his work as a doctor. However, he continued to be deeply interested in medical theory and in 1790 he hit upon the homeopathic principle that like could be cured by like. The new theoretical approach to therapy, advocated by Hahnemann's contemporary John Brown (1735-88), was that disease persisted through lack of stimulation, and that only large doses of medications could stimulate the body back to health. Hahnemann's ideas were in complete opposition to this. Medications or remedies, should be used gently to stimulate the restorative forces of the body, and without provoking harmful side-effects which cause injury. The smallest possible doses should be given at the most widely spaced intervals, and only one medication given at a time, so that the patient's system is not overwhelmed by complexity. Hahnemann had thus provided a theoretical basis for a known cure. In theory, cures could therefore be found for many symptoms, once he had discovered a substance that was capable of causing the same symptoms in a healthy person. In true scientific spirit he prepared to experiment by testing the effects of various substances on himself, and many willing volunteers, not just among his family but also among like-minded practitioners anxious to find safer remedies. These experiments were known as "provings" and were conducted over a period of about six years. Minute quantities of many substances were self-administered by the homeopaths and their subjects, and all symptoms were carefully recorded in great detail. Any change whatsoever in the health and functioning of the body, including mental changes, the circumstances in which they arose, and even the time of day, were noted. At the same time an exhaustive inquiry was made into recorded cases of poisoning, taken from medical sources from various countries and dating back over several centuries. As the information acquired was assimilated, clear patterns could be seen, and it was possible to test substances as curatives on patients, with remarkable success. Later in the eighteenth century, the discovery of bacteria seemed to confirm the theory that disease was caused by forces outside the body and again led to the notion of treating disease with large doses of antibiotics so that the invading microbes could be forced from the body. This approach dominated mainstream medical thought and homeopathy, although still adhered to by many followers, took a back seat to this thinking. It has now become clear that microbes can become resistant to antibiotics, and that orthodox treatment often has serious side effects. Because of this, there is a new interest in homeopathy as a gentle and effective way of treating many kinds of disease. Homeopathy is inviting. It arose out of a time of rigid, and certainly primitive medical practices, where heroic therapies
such as bloodletting and strong doses of mercury were the rule of the day. It invited the entire world to experience a gentler, safer, more effective medicine, and its fame and effectiveness has spread around the world.
COMMON HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES * Aconite (Monkshood) * Aethusa (Fool's parsley) * Agaricus (Fly agaric) * Agnus castus (Chaste tree) * Ailanthus (Chinese sumac/Tree of heaven/Copal tree) * Allium (Onion) * Aloe (Aloes) * Alumina (Alumina) * Ammon. (Ammon. carb./Ammon. mur.) * Anacard. or. (Marking nut tree) * Antim. tart. (Antimony potassium tartrate/Tartar emetic) * Apis (Honeybee) * Aranea diad. (Papal cross spider) * Argent. (Argent. nit./Argent. met.) * Arnica (Leopard's bane/Mountain tobacco) * Arsenicum (Ars. alb./Arsen. iod.) * Arum triph. (Jack-in-the-Pulpit/Wild turnip/Indian turnip) * Aurum met. (Gold) * Avena (Wild Oats) * Baptisia (Wild Indigo) * Baryta carb. (Barium carbonate/Witherite) * Belladonna (Deadly nightshade) * Bellis (European daisy/Garden daisy/Bruisewort) * Benz. Ac. (Benzoic acid) * Berberis (Barberry) * Bothrops (Yellow pit viper/Fer de lance) * Bufo (Common toad) * Bryonia (White bryony/Wild hops) * Cactus grand. (Night-blooming cactus) * Calc. (Calc. carb./Calc. fluor./Calc. phos./Calc. sulf.) * Calendula (Pot marigold) * Cantharis (Spanish fly) * Capsicum (Chili Pepper) * Carbo veg. (Charcoal) * Caulophyllum (Blue cohosh) * Causticum (Potassium hydrate) * Ceanthus (Jersey tea root/Red root) * Chamomilla * Chelidonium (Celandine) * China (Cinchona / Peruvian bark) * Cicuta (Water hemlock) * Cimic. (Black cohosh) * Coffea (Coffee) * Colchicum (Autumn Crocus) * Colocynthis (Bitter apple/Bitter cucumber) * Conium (Common hemlock/Spotted hemlock) * Crocus (Saffron crocus) * Crotalus hor. (Rattlesnake/Pit viper) * Cuprum met. (Copper) * Cyclamen ( Sowbread ) * Digitalis ( Foxglove ) * Drosera ( Sundew / Red rot ) * Dulcamara ( Bittersweet / Woody Nightshade ) * Elaps ( Coral snake ) * Equisetum ( Horsetail ) * Eupator. ( Boneset ) * Euphrasia ( Eyebright ) * Ferrum ( Ferrum met. / Ferrum phos. ) * Fluor. ac. ( Hydrofluoric acid ) * Gelsemium ( Yellow jessamine ) * Glonoin. ( Glyceryl trinitrate / Nitroglycerine ) * Graphites ( Graphite / Plumbago ) * Hamamelis ( Witch Hazel ) * Hepar sulf ( Crude calcium sulfide ) * Hydrastis ( Goldenseal ) * Hyoscyamus ( Henbane ) * Hypericum ( St. John's wort ) * Ignatia ( St.-Ignatiu's-bean ) * Iodum ( Iodine ) * Ipecac ( Ipecacuanha ) * Kali (Kali bich./Kali brom./Kali carb./Kali iod./Kali mur.) * Lac can. ( Bitch's milk ) * Lachesis ( Bushmaster / Surukuku ) * Lactrodectus mac. ( Black widow spider ) * Ledum ( Wild rosemary / Marsh tea ) * Lilium ( Tiger lily ) * Lycopodium ( Wolfsclaw / Club moss ) * Lycopus ( Bugleweed / Virginia horehound ) * Mag. ( Mag. carb. / Mag. phos. ) * Medorrhinum ( Gonorrhea ) * Merc. (Merc. viv. / Merc. sol. / Merc. cor. / Merc. dulc.) * Moschus ( Musk deer ) * Mygale las. ( Cuban spider ) * Naja ( Cobra ) * Nat. ( Nat. mur. / Nat. carb. / Nat. phos. / Nat. sulf.) * Nitric ac. ( Nitric acid / Aqua fortis ) * Nux mosch. ( Nutmeg ) * Nux vomica ( Poison nut / Quaker buttons ) * Opium ( Opium poppy ) * Peony ( Peony ) * Petroleum ( Rock oil / Coal oil ) * Phos. ( Phosphorus ) * Phos. ac. ( Phosphoric acid ) * Phytolacca ( Pokeweed ) * Picric ac. ( Picric acid ) * Platinum ( Platinum ) * Plumbum met. ( Lead. ) * Podophyllum ( Mayapple ) * Psorinum ( Scabies ) * Pulsatilla ( Pasqueflower / Wind flower ) * Pyrogenium ( Pyrogenium ) * Radium brom. ( Radium bromide ) * Rhododendron ( Siberian rhododendron / Yellow snow rose ) * Rhus tox. ( Poison ivy / Poison oak ) * Ruta ( Rue / Bitter herb ) * Sabadilla ( Cebadilla / Cevadilla ) * Sabal ( Saw palmetto ) * Sanguinaria ( Blood root ) * Sanicula ( Spring water ) * Sarsaparilla ( Red-bearded ) * Secale ( Ergot / Spurred rye ) * Sepia ( Cuttlefish ) * Silica ( Silicon / Quartz / Rock crystal / Pure flint ) * Spigelia ( Pink root ) * Spongia ( Sponge ) * Stannum met. ( Tin ) * Staphysagria ( Stavesacre / Palmated larkspur ) * Stramonium ( Thorn Apple ) * Sulfur ( Sulphur / Flowers of sulfur / Brimstone ) * Syphilinum ( Syphilis ) * Tabacum ( Tobacco ) * Tarentula ( Wolf spider / Spanish spider ) * Terebinth. ( Turpentine ) * Teucrium mar. ver. ( Cat thyme ) * Theridion ( Orange spider ) * Thuja ( Tree of Life / White Cedar ) * Tuberculinum ( Tuberculosis ) * Urtica ( Stinging nettle ) * Verat. alb. ( White hellebore ) * Vipera ( Common viper / Adder ) * Zinc met. ( Zinc )
Homeopathic remedies are safe and non-toxic if used properly. Do not attempt to self medicate without either doing research as to the condition you want a remedy for, or consulting a homeopathic physician. The latter is preferable, since a homeopath is more able to prescribe the proper remedy for you.
Those people who are skeptical of homeopathy often use the approach of saying that it is not based on "scientific evidence." It is true that much of the "evidence" is anecdotal and given by practitioners who have recorded the successes, but conventional medicines' "evidence" is based upon testing that produces thin evidence at best that certain drugs are useful. This evidence also does not include the possible side effects of these drugs. The respected journal for conventional medicine has been The British Medical Journal. BMJ Clinical Evidence recently reported that "of around 2500 treatments covered (conventional treatment reviews) 13% are rated as beneficial, 23% likely to be benficial, 8% as trade off between benefits and harms, 6% unlikely to be beneficial, 4% likely to be ineffective or harmful and 46% as unknown effectiveness." Please read more about this published study by following the link below. BMJ Clinical Evidence Handbook, Summer 2007
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