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Can Homoeopathy Be Dangerous ?
Healer Do No
Harm!
The question had been asked, "can Homoeopathy be dangerous?”
Homoeopathy is an extremely safe healing art when the
practitioner is well trained in Classical Homoeopathy is only
dangerous when the cardinal principles that Samuel Hahnemann
integrated into Homoeopathy are ignored.
The cardinal principles are
similars cure likes, the single remedy, the minimum dose, and
the potentised remedy. These four principles form the checks and
balances, which make Homoeopathy a safe and effective healing
art. When the cardinal principles and methodology of The Organon
of the Healing Arts are carefully learned it provides the
foundation of a safe, rapid and gentle cure.
On this solid
basis a homeopathician learns how to avoid and counter the
potential side effects encounter during the process of healing.
For this reason it is important to learn proper case management
procedures. One of the most important areas of study is the
nature of various remedy reactions and there causes. If this
basic material is understood Homoeopathy is extremely safe when
compared with other systems. If, however, Homoeopathic remedies
are used without an understanding of the basic principles and
methodology of Homoeopathy they have the potential to be
dangerous. Homoeopathy provides its own safety net, which cannot
be found in other systems that use Homoeopathic potencies in
non-homoeopathic ways.
It is most
important point is to understand Homoeopathic posology and
methodology very well. This avoids most of the potential trouble
and offers effective counter measures for those negative
situations, which may arise. In order to offer some light on
this subject we are understood the following criteria are for
the study and reviews the safe factors integrated into
Homoeopathy by Samuel Hahnemann.
The Four Cardinal Principles of Homoeopathy: -
1. Similars cure Similars: - Homoeopathy uses the
*similar remedy* to cure similar diseases. All Homoeopathic
remedies are tested on healthy provers so that the symptoms they
produce and demonstrate the nature of the illnesses they will
cure. After careful provings they are tested in clinical trials
on those who are ill with similar disorders. After a detailed
assessment of their potential causative rubrics and
symptomatology these similar remedies are entered into the
Homoeopathic repertory and materia medica. On the basis of
totality of symptoms we are selected the remedy from the
reference book that is called “simillimum”.
All diseases
have an effect on the entire human organism, which manifest as
signs and symptoms on the mental and physical levels. The
instinctive vital force attempts to externalize constitutional
disharmony in the form of local affections and one-sided
complaints in the more external parts. These movement outward
acts as a pressure valve which seeks to protect the inner most
sensitive organs of the mind, nervous system, lungs, heart,
liver, kidneys, etc. Therefore, the constitutional vital force
may set up a local discharge, a regional affection or a
persistent one-sided complaint to palliate an internal disorder.
If a local
manifestation of this constitutional derangement is treated
one-sidedly by a single symptom or a common disease name it may
suppress this palliatory expression of the vital force causing
the disease to metastasize to the interior regions producing a
more complex pathological state. This is a primary aspect of the
suppression syndrome as recorded in the Introduction of the
Organon of the Medicine & Homeopathic Philosophy and Theory of
Chronic Disease. Homoeopathic and allopathic remedies when used
improperly can cause such phenomena.
In this way a
Homoeopath avoids treating any one single symptom and the use
nosological disease names as a basis for a prescription. A
homoeopath uses the symptoms of the complete mind-body complex
as the basis for the administration of a Homoeopathic remedy. In
this way the suppressive potential of Homoeopathic remedies is
neutralized.
2. Single
Remedy: - Homoeopaths do not look at each individual disease
name or symptom in isolation. They look at the entire
constitutional expression of the individual through the totality
of the symptoms. As each individual represents a single
mind/body organism any mistunement of the unitary vital force
produces a syndrome of signs and symptoms. This singular
constitutional state is most similar to the single remedy that
is the simillimum of the entire derangement. (Portrait of
Disease match with Portrait of Remedy - Org, § 6) The
singularity of the similar remedy reflects the integrated nature
of the defensive powers as well as the unitary nature of the
vital force. The single remedy allows the vital force to
concentrate its maximum healing power on the essential picture
of the illness rather then dispersing vital energy in reaction
to several medicinal influences simultaneously.
Previously our
master Hahnemann and Dr Agidi were also experimented with dual
remedies in 1832 but found them ineffective and their actions
difficult to assess. For these reasons he left them completely
behind. These are a few of the reasons homoeopaths do not use
combination remedies.
A Homoeopathic
remedy works by being similar to the disease state but slightly
stronger due to potentisation. The primary action of the
Homoeopathic remedy is opposed by the secondary healing action
of the vital force, which leads to the cure. This is Hahnemann's
model of how Homoeopathic remedies are working. (Org.§-63 to
66). The Homoeopathic materia medica is based on proving of the
healthy as well as clinical confirmations on the ill. In this
way a homoeopath knows the remedial actions of their potentised
remedies.
It is those
with sensitive constitutions, hidden pathology, and weakened
vitality who are prone to be hypersensitive to Homoeopathic
remedies. They make up a significant percentage of our
contemporary cases. If such a constitution is too warm, and they
are given a cold remedial potency, the vital force will oppose
this primary coolness by producing more secondary heat making
the disease worse not better.
Such phenomenon
has been documented. If we give a combination of remedies with a
shy remedy, an aggressive remedy, a cold remedy, a hot remedy, a
dry remedy and a moist remedy, the secondary action of the vital
force may become fragmented running the danger of confusing
secondary reactions, coincidental suppression and disruption of
the natural symptom pattern. Such reactions are often mistaken
for deeper layers, a cleansing crises or new diseases by those
who have not mastered the fundamentals of Homoeopathic
methodology. Such difficulties can be avoided by a proper
education in Homoeopathic philosophy.
3. Minimal
Dose: - Hahnemann learned early in his career that medical
practice was a dangerous. The side effects, He experience with
orthodox medicine upset he so much he quit using allopathic
drugs and treatments. After this bitter experience he decided to
practice the natural healing arts in the tradition of
Hippocrates, the father of western medicine. This was the
beginning of Homoeopathy.
Hahnemann was
very careful with his doses of Homoeopathic remedies. Many
homoeopaths misunderstand the nature of the minimal dose. Most
modern homoeopaths believe that there is no difference in the
action of one Homoeopathic pill and one thousand and infinitum.
They confuse the small amount of original substance in a high
potency with the maxim of the minimal dose. In truth they are
two different synergistic principles. The concept that the dose
does not matter can be traced to Kent and can be found in his
classic Lectures on Homoeopathic Philosophy in the chapter
called On Simple Substance. In this work Kent's explains the
Swendenbogian theory that energy is based on a fourth state of
matter called the "simple substance". Hahnemann notice right
from the very start that a homoeopath must be very careful with
both the potency and size of the dose. He found that the size of
dose was as important as the potency factor in the producing the
phenomena of aggravation. For this reason the amount of the dose
is as carefully regulated as the level of the potency in
Homoeopathy. (Org. § 275)
Modern physics
states that all forms of energy are contained in small energy
packets called quantums. In the same way, Hahnemann taught that
each pill of a Homoeopathic remedy possessed a certain amount or
"quantum" of medicinal energy. In a sense the potency of a
remedy represents the waveform or frequency of the energy and
the number of pills represents the amplitude or power of the
signal. This is why the power of Homoeopathic doses increases
each time the practitioner uses more pills when preparing the
remedy for ingestion. Previously our master was experienced with
the hazardous effect of the uses of the too much pills in
Homeopathic practice.
The minimum
dose means that the Homoeopath should use the least amount of
medicinal stimulation necessary to stimulate a healing reaction.
This is why the maxim of the minimal dose includes three
variable factors, i.e. the size of the dose, the level of the
potency, and the number of times the remedy is used. Hahnemann
recommends that a Homoeopathic remedy be given in a dose as
"sufficiently minute i.e. as small as possible". This is because
even the correct Homoeopathic remedy given in proper potency in
an unnecessarily large amount will aggravate the case and delay
the cure. In patients with severe pathological tissue changes,
hypersensitivity, or suffer from lack of vitality, large doses
may be dangerous.
4. Potentized Remedy: -Some combinations are low potencies, some
are high potencies, and some are mixtures of both. Some have
several potencies of several remedies. None of the potencies in
such combinations can be individualized to the disease state or
symptoms. There is absolutely no standard of manufacture nor
uniform code of administration. Potentised remedies are
extremely powerful and should not be treated like some new age
holistic "good for everyone" health product.
Most
combination practitioners do not understand the Homoeopathic
posology system or how to apply it to an individual state of
disease. This is because they do not understand the science and
philosophy of Homoeopathy. This is because such negative
phenomena depend on variable causes and circumstances and are
not absolute in nature. Nevertheless, the percentage of cases
that they do occur should be of concern to healers in all
fields. All the cardinal principles make Homoeopathy a safe,
effective and scientific system.
Why do classical homoeopaths respect these
principles so much?
Because over the years in our ignorance we have given the wrong
remedies and caused negative affects, suppressed symptoms with
partial simillimums, given the wrong potency, used too large a
dose, disrupted the vital force with untimely repetition, and
aggravated cases to the point of danger on occasions. Such
difficult moments are great teachers. They cause one to go back
to basics and see where one has gone wrong. Our cautions are not
given lightly nor with lack of personal experience. We have also
witnessed suppressions, over medication, and symptom disruptions
coming from other healing disciplines. Remember the first
Hippocratic maxim is "Healer do no Harm!"
The night can
be long and sleepless for a homoeopath with a conscience.
Hahnemann learned by trial and error and so must we. That is the
lonely path a healer must tread. No one has a perfect tract
record.
In our
day-to-day practice we are encountering with difficult cases and
discussed with our senior colleagues they are given correct
guidelines. We have case histories, which demonstrate the
negative affects of giving an incorrect Homoeopathic remedy and
the wrong potency and dosage. We have accepted our mistakes and
try to learn from them, as all responsible healers must do.
If one
carefully follows the cardinal principles of Homoeopathy such
difficulties can be reduced to a minimum and mistakes easily
rectified. Without the Homoeopathic principles the power of
potentise remedies is very difficult to control.
Of course, many are looking for a short cut because they lack
the dedication it takes to be a real Homoeopathicain. If one
takes a "short cut" in the beginning, one’s knowledge is "cut
short" in the end. You get out exactly what you put in!
REFERENCES:
-
1 The Chronic Diseaes, B.Jain Publishers PVT. LTD.
2 Life and Letters of Hahnemann, B.Jain Publishers PVT. LTD
3 Sarkar B.K- Organon of Medicine, M. Bhattacharya and co.(P)
Ltd. |
