"You cannot divorce Medicine and Theology. Man exists
all the way down, from his innermost Spiritual to his outermost Natural."
James Tyler Kent ( 1849 - 1916
)
"The physician's high and only mission is to restore the sick to
health, to cure, as it is termed."
Samuel Hahnemann ( 1755 - 1843 ) |
HOMEOPATHY ( a quick precis )
Was established in the late 18th century by German physician Samuel Hahnemann, The
practice is based on the theory that the root of the cure lies in the disease
itself--similar to the vaccination principle. Accordingly, the sick should be treated with
substances that, if given in large, undiluted amounts, would produce the same symptoms as
the disease or illness. To avoid that, the substances--usually plant extracts- -are so
highly diluted that virtually no trace of the medicinal ingredient remains in the
solution. It is however neccessary to dilute the solution in increments, making sure to
vigourously shake the mixture after each 'watering down'which enables the dilution to
somehow retain a 'memory' of its original contents. This can make it so dilute that the
concentration is equivalent to one molecule in all the world's oceans, the more dilute the
solution, the more powerful it becomes. |
| It is the use of infinitesmal doses that is the most controversial aspect of
homeopathy and the reason why most conventional doctors claim it functions only as a
placebo. However, a number of controlled studies have been performed which show
the effectiveness of homeopathic medicine in treating a number of diseases. The
best summary of this research is a study published in the British Medical Journal. The
authors of this study are not homeopaths but medical school professors asked by
the Dutch government to review the existing research.
"Clinical trials of homoeopathy.", Kleijnen, Jos; Knipschild, Paul;
ter Riet, Gerben; British Medical Journal, Feb 9, 1991 v302 n6772 p516(8). |
| Members of the British Royal Family, including Prince Charles, are enthusiastic users
of homeopathy and sales of the remedies are shooting up all over Europe: 20 to 25 per cent
in the United Kingdom in 1994 over the previous year, and 30 per cent in Greece and
Portugal. |
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