Title: HOMOEOPATHIC CONCEPT OF
1WELCOME
2 HOMOEOPATHIC CONCEPT OF PREVENTION
3 PRESENTATION
BY Dr.J.HARIKRISHNA
PILLAI , MD( Hom)
4HISTORY OF HOMOEOPATHIC PROPHYLAXIS
THE FIRST USED
HOMOEOPATHIC PROPHYLATIC MEDICINE WAS
BELLADONNA. Dr.SAMUEL HAHNEMANN HIMSELF USED THIS
MEDICINE TO PREVENT SCARLET FEVER IN THE YEAR 1799
5SOCPE AND LIMITATIONS OF HOMOEOPATHIC PREVENTIVE
MEDICINE
SCOPE 1.HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES CAN BE SAFELY USED
AS PREVENTIVE MEDICINE 2. THIS MEDICINES CAN BE
ADVISED FOR PREGNANT WOMEN 3.DISEASE DIAGNOSIS IS
NOT A REQUIREMENT 4. VIRAL AND BACTERIAL
DISEASES CAN BE PREVENTED. LIMITATIONS CANT BE
SAFELY APPLIED IN THE PREVENTION OF DISEASES
WHICH ARE 100 FATAL Eg. RABIES
6HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES AND IMMUNITY
- We get sick not just because of micro organisms.
Many micro organisms, both pathogenic and
non-pathogenic, are always present in our body or
regularly enter our body through the nose, mouth,
or other roots of entry or opening. We do not get
sick when our immune system is strong enough to
fight them, keeping our body healthy. But when
our immunity goes down, the micro organisms
multiply in our body and cause sickness. So the
basic cause of sickness is the decreased or
deficient immunity or body resistance. Micro
organisms like bacteria and viruses are only
secondary factors, except in occasions like
epidemics in which a large number of organisms
enter the body simultaneously and become the
cause of the disease condition. In such a
situation, the micro organisms gain dominance and
destroy the immunity in the process of their
fight for the upper hand.
7- In all the above conditions the homoeopathic
treatment is the most beneficial since the
destruction of the immunity has already taken
place and needs to be stimulated to the healthy
level of existence for the cure to take place and
for the complete restoration of health. Hence, in
order to get a complete cure, it is most
essential to increase or correct our immunity or
body resistance, rather than just kill or destroy
the microorganism. This is the situation in which
conventional antibiotic therapy fails to attain
the goal. Antibiotics are able to kill the micro
organisms (only bacteria) , but they are not able
to increase the immunity of the body. This is one
of the reasons why patients who get relief after
the antibiotic therapy suffer secondary
infections because the immune system still
remains deficient in strength. So when such
individuals get exposed to organisms, the latter
enter the body and multiply, producing secondary
infection.
8- On the other hand, when the patient get cured
with homoeopathic medicines, The patient regains
immunity, strength and vitality completely and
there is less or no chance to get a secondary
infection unless (1) The patients expose
themselves to conditions which can decrease the
immunity of the body (2) The maintaining cause
like the inhalation of toxic gases or fumes etc.
in the case of occupational diseases persist, or
(3) a large number of micro organisms enter into
the body, which are beyond the destruction ,
capacity of the immune system, as in the case of
epidemic diseases. But it is important to
remember that homoeopathic medicine has already
established its supremacy in curing epidemics all
over the world, eg the epidemics of the 19th
century like cholera, particularly in Europe.
9HOW HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINE INCREASES THE IMMUNITY
OR RESISTANCE POWER OF THE BODY
- As mentioned earlier, homoeopathic medicines are
able to increase the immunity of our body. But
how is this possible?. A homoeopathic physician
makes a homoeopathic prescription through the
holistic approach by considering the totality of
symptoms manifested in a patient. These include
the mental, emotional spiritual and physical
peculiarities of a patient and also the uncommon
peculiar signs and symptoms of the manifestations
of the disease in each patient. The same disease
has different manifestations in different
individuals because the extent of damage to the
immunity and other functions in the body are
different in different individuals. These
manifestations represent the corresponding
reflection of their inner abnormality, which is
hidden from our perception. Hence, a Homoeopathic
physician gets hold of the hidden interior
through perceivable expressions like the totality
of symptoms of the patient, by looking the
patient as a whole.
10EFFECT OF HOMOEOPATHIC PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND
GENUS EPIDEMICUS
- An epidemic (epiupon, demospeople) is the
unusual occurrence in a community or region,
specific health related behaviour or other
related event, clearly in excess of expected
occurrence. The term expected occurrence is one
of the key words in the definition as in one
locality where no cases of a particular diseases
is reported even one case should be potential
epidemic. Where as in another locality when
hundreds of cases of that particular diseases is
endemically prevalent/it requires lot many cases
of it to be considered as an epidemic.
11Significance of Homeopathy in epidemics
- In a country as large as ours, the occurrence of
epidemic is not infrequent and they usually
spread like wild fire creating chaos. And it is
in this chaos that homeopathy hopes to restore
order. When there arises situations where the
cause of the disease appears to be an enigma and
every other system of medicine is clueless
regarding what preventive / curative medicine is
to be given, homeopathy has been able to solve
the problem.
12- Even when in the course of the epidemic there can
be changes in the strains of the causative
organism and the new drug cannot be found out in
time, homeopathy can overcome the crises. This is
possible because unlike the commonly used
medicines, which are directed towards the
destruction of causative organisms, homeopathic
medicines aim to improve the immune system of the
individual. Here the basis of selection of remedy
is not dependent upon the nature of organism, but
on the signs and symptoms of the diseased
individual.
13- The age old adage \\ prevention is better than
cure" holds good here. When few cases of epidemic
diseases are studied carefully in all their
aspects a single medicine can be selected which
will correspond with the characteristic symptoms
of the disease as well as that of the patient.
Homeopathy gives importance not only to the
symptoms of the disease but also that peculiar
symptoms exhibited by the patients and that is
why they differ even when the disease is the
same. The climatic conditions during the time of
epidemic also plays role in remedy selection.
14- In epidemics of such nature that are transmitted
only through bites of infected insects, the most
important preventive step is vector control.
However due to practical problems like large
population, poverty, poor hygiene and lack of man
power this becomes a long drawn procedure. Hence
the best solution is to administer preventive
medicines in the fastest and the most extensive
way.
15Reasons for homeopathic preventive medicine
becoming the best option in epidemics
- l) Economic viability Cost of the homeopathic
medicine is minimal from the consumer point of
view. - 2) Distribution of medicine
- Homeopathic medicines though packaged as
medicated globules, which makes the transport
distribution and administration easy.
16- 3) Action of medicine
- Action is rapid in case of epidemic diseases of
virulent nature and the immunity rendered to
healthy persons or an unaffected person is
immediate provided the dose taken is accurate. - 4) Change in nature of disease During an
epidemic many a times it is found that maturation
of the infective organism has resulted in the
change in nature of epidemic and this requiring
an exhaustive research to found a different
medicine since homoeopathic medicines aim to
boost the individual's own immune system, genetic
mutation will no affect the person. - 5) Unidentified cause In case of epidemic where
the infective organism is not found or if found
is not always the signs and symptoms
characteristic of the disease to rely upon
17Investigation of epidemic diseases and the
selection of genus epidemic
- Dr Sammuel Hahnemann has described investigation
of epidemic diseases and also the selection of
Genus epidemicus after studying the nature
endemic prevalent in the given area in the
aphorisms 100, 101, 102 in Organon of medicine
18HOW Dr.HAHNEMANN DISCOVERED THE PREVENTIVE
ACTION OF HOMOEOPATHIC
MEDICINES
- " I reasoned thus, a remedy that is capable of
quickly checking a disease in its onset, must be
its best preventive and the following
occurrence strengthened me in the correctness of
this conclusion Some weeks previously three
children of another family lay ill of a very bad
scarlet fever the eldest daughter alone, who, up
to that period, had been taking Belladonna
internally for an external affection on the
joints of her fingers, to my great astonishment
did not catch the fever, although during the
prevalence of other epidemics she had always been
the first to take them. This circumstance
completely confirmed my idea. I now hesitated not
to administer to the other five children of this
numerous family this divine remedy, as a
preservative, in very small doses, and, as the
particular action of this plant does not last
above three days, I repeated the dose every
seventy two hours, and they all remained
perfectly well without the slightest symptoms
throughout the whole course of the epidemic, and
amid the most virulent scarlatina emanations from
the sisters who lay ill with the disease.
Dr.Hahnemann
19- 100
- In investigating the totality of the symptoms of
epidemic and sporadic diseases it is quite
immaterial whether or not something similar has
ever appeared in the world before under the same
or any other name. The novelty or peculiarity of
a disease of that kind makes no difference either
in the mode of examining or of treating it, as
the physician must at any way regard the pure
picture of every prevailing disease as if it were
something new and unknown and investigate it
thoroughly for itself, if he desires to practice
medicine in a real and radical manner , never
substituting conjuncture for actual observation,
never taking for granted that the case of disease
before him is already wholly or partially known,
but always carefully examining it in all, it's
phases and this mode of procedure is all the
more requisite in such cases , as a careful
examination will show that every prevailing
disease is in many respect a phenomenon of a
unique character, differing vastly from all
previous epidemics to which certain names have
been falsely applied -- with the exception of
those epidemics resulting from a contagious
principle that always remain the same, such as
small pox, measles etc.
20- l0l
- It may easily happen that in the first case of an
epidemic disease that presents itself to the
physician's notice, he does not at once obtain a
knowledge of its complete picture, as it is only
by a close observation of several cases of every
such collective disease that he become
conversant, with the totality of its' signs and
symptoms .The carefully observing physician can,
however, from the examination of even the first
and second patients, often arrive so nearly at a
knowledge of the true state as to have in his
mind a characteristic portrait of it, and even to
succeed in finding a suitable, homoeopathically
adopted remedy for it.
21- l02
- In the course of writing down the symptoms of
several cases of this kind the sketch of the
disease picture becomes ever more and more
complete, not more spun out and verbose but more
significant (more characteristic) , and including
more of the peculiarities of this collective
disease on the one hand, the general symptoms,
(eg. Loss of appetite, Sleeplessness etc.) Become
precisely defined as to their peculiarities, and
on other, the more marked and special symptoms
which are peculiar to but few diseases and of
rarer occurrence, at least in the same
combination, become prominent and constitute what
is characteristic of this malady, all those
affected with the disease prevailing at a given
time have certainly contracted it from one and
the same source and hence are suffering from the
same disease but the whole extend of such an
epidemic disease and the totality of its
symptoms (the knowledge there of, which is
essential for enabling us to choose the most
suitable homoeopathic remedy for this array of
symptoms, is obtained by a complete survey of
the morbid picture) cannot be learned from one
single patient ,but is only to be perfectly
deduced (abstracted) and ascertained from the
suffering of several patients of different
constitutions.
22- "The above preparation of copper, together with
good and moderate diet, and proper attention to
cleanliness, is the most certain preventive and
protective remedy those in health should take,
once every week, a small globule of it (Cupr.
30C) in the morning fasting, and not drink
anything immediately afterwards, but this should
not be done until the cholera is in the locality
itself, or in the neighbourhood." (The Lesser
Writings of Samuel Hahnemann S. Hahnemann
(Dudgeon Edition), Cure and Prevention of Asiatic
Cholera, page 755.)
23- The key to finding a specific prophylactic is
constructing a clear picture of the prevailing
epidemic. Hahnemann did not give a prophylactic
remedy unless there was a clear and present
danger of contracting the disease. This is why he
said to wait until the disease is in the near or
in the locality. He did not want the general
populace to take preventative remedies out of
fear and phobia. Dread of the miasms have woven
themselves so deeply into the collective human
psyche that it invokes archetypal fears as seen
in Lyssophobia. This is where the terror of
getting a disease leads to psychological
disturbances and can even psychosomatically mimic
the symptoms of the disease! Nether the
allopathic doctor nor homoeopath should succumb
to such exaggerated fears by given too many
medicines.
24 DIFFERENT METHODES OF HOMOEOPATHIC PROPHLAXIS
- There are three major methods of
homœoprophylaxis. These are the constitutional
approach, the genus epidemicus remedies, and the
nosodes. All of these methods are very effective
and can be used together according to the time
and circumstances.
25 CONSTITUTIONAL PREVENTION
- . The study of preventive medicine should begin
with an examination of the diathetic
constitution, innate temperament and
predispositions. The genetic blue print holds the
key to predispositions. The foundation of
prevention is the remedy for the chronic disease,
that is selected by the essential nature of the
totality of the symptoms. Constitutional
treatment removes the susceptibility to
infectious miasms as well as strengthening the
vital force. The chronic remedy provides the best
general protection from all diseases. This method
is the central strategy of Homœopathy because it
removes the greatest number of predispositions. -
26- The effectiveness of constitutional treatment in
the prevention of manifold diseases can not be
denied. Anti-miasmatic treatment in the early
years of life prevents manifold diseases.
Susceptibility to acute miasms is based on the
chronic miasms. If we treat the chronic miasms we
remove the predispositions to acute miasms and
their complications. Those that suffer the most
from the common childhood infections like mumps
and measles have psora or some other miasm.
Anti-miasmic treatment makes the human organism
more immune to infectious disease.
272. Genus Epidemicus Remedies
- The second method of prophylaxis is the genus
epidemicus remedies. These remedies are chosen by
the totality of the symptoms of an epidemic as
reflected in a group of patient. This offers
specific protection against epidemic, endemic and
pandemic diseases. For example, homœopaths in
India have confirmed that Lathyrus Sativa is an
effective genus epidemicus remedy for polio. The
signs, befallments and symptoms of Lathyrus have
a close correspondence to this disease."Homœopat
hic physicians are satisfied that they have very
safe and better polio prevention in Lathyrus
Sativa when properly given." (Homœo Prophylactic
Remedies Sethi.)
283. Nosode Prophylaxis
- The third method involves the use of the nosodes
that are made from the same or similar disease
genus. The homœopaths who worked for the public
health departments of the USA gained great
experience with the use of nosodes against
smallpox epidemics. In August 1974 in Brazil, a
major epidemic of meningitis threatened the
countryside. Homœopaths gave 18,640 children
Meningococcinum 10C, and 6,340 children were used
as controls. . Out of the 18,640 children given
Meningococcinum 10C there were 4 cases. Out of
the 6,340 children in the control group there
were 34 cases.
29- The above study shows the positive potential and
minimal cost of a mass public health program
based on a single homœopathic remedy. Any simple
health care worker can be trained to assist in
such a program. Genus epidemicus remedies and
nosodes are used to provide specific prophylaxis.
The genus remedies can be found for new or
unknown miasms. The nosodes can only be used when
the cause of the disease is known. When epidemic
diseases threaten the population, specific
prophylactic remedies can be applied immediately.
Specific protection is useful when one is
traveling in areas with dangerous endemic miasms.
The homœopath may also use specific protection
when treating epidemics to offset exposure.
Constitutional and specific prophylactics are a
functional polarity that completes our
therapeutic treasury.
30- It is the life-force which cures diseases because
a dead man needs no more medicines."Samuel
Hahnemann
31 MANAGEMENT OF AN EPIDEMIC. GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
- HEALTH EDUCATION TO THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE IMPARTED
REGARDING THE PRESENT EPIDEMIC AND ITS GENERAL
CONTROL MEASURES LIKE PERSONAL HYGEIN ,PROPER
WASTE DISPOSAL AND INSECT CONTROL.
32 SELECTION OF SUITABLE HOMOEOPATHIC
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
- 1.CASE TAKING
- 2.TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMES
- 3. REPERTORISATION AND ANALYSIS
- 5.SELECTION OF MEDICINE
- 6 SELECTION OF POTENCY
- 7.SELECTION OF DOSE
33CASE TAKING
- SHOULD BE DONE IN SPECIAL CASE RECORD FORMS.
- MODEL IS ATTACHED
34TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMS
- THE SYMPTOMS PRESENTED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE
PATIENTS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE TOTALITY.
35 ANALYSIS (USING SYNTHESIS REPERTORY)
RADAR
- YOU CAN USE RADAR WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE
INTENSITY OF SYMPTOMES
36MANY TYPES OF ANALYSISIN RADAR
- ANALYSING THE SOME OF SYMPTOMS (SORT ALPHA.)
- THE REMEDY WHICH COVERES THE GREATEST NUMBER OF
SYMPTOMS IS GIVEN THE HIGHEST PROBABILITY
37- ANALYSING THE SOME OF SYMPTOMS (SORT DEG.)
- THE REMEDY WHICH COVERES THE GREATEST NUMBER
OF SYMPTOMS IS GIVEN THE HIGHEST PROBABILITY
38- ANALYSING THE SUM OF DEGREES
- SORT (ALPHA)
- THE REMEDY WHICH COVERES THE HIGHEST DEGREE IN
THE REPERTORY GIVES THE BEST PROBABILITY
39- ANALYSING THE SUM OF DEGREES
- SORT (SPT)
- THE REMEDY WHICH COVERES THE HIGHEST DEGREE IN
THE REPERTORY GIVES THE BEST PROBABILITY
40- ANALYSIS ACCORDING TO THE SUM OF SYMPTOMS AND SUM
OF DEGREES. - THE RESULTS OF BOTH PREVIOUS METHODS ARE ADDED
- THIS GIVES IMPORTANCE TO TOTALITY AND DEGREE.
41- CONSIDERING THE PROMINENCE OF A REMEDY
- THIS METHOD CONSIDERES THE PROMINENCE OF REMEDIES
IN THE SECOND THIRD AND FOURTH DEGREE AND USES A
CERETAIN FORMULA TO UPGRADE THE MORE PROMINENT
REMEDY IN EACH RUBRIC. AS A RESULT THOSE REMEDIES
IN WHICH A SYMPTOM OCCURES IN THE MOST PROMINENT
WAY WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST SCORE.
42VITHOULKAS EXPERT SYSTEM
- HERE WE HAVE TO CONSIDER SYMPTOMS IN VARIOUS
INTENSITIES FOR EACH SYMPTOMS . - YOU CAN INCLUDE ALL SYMPTOMS PRESENTED BY THE
PATIENT.THERE IS NO LIMIT.
43INTENSITY 1
44INTENSITY-2
- SYMPTOMS VERY FREQUENT OR VERY INTENSE
45INTENSITY-3
- SYMPTOMS VERY FREQUENT AND VERY INTENSE
46INTENSITY-4
- SYMPTOMS VERY VERY FREQUENT AND INTENSE
47- NOT MORE THAN 80 OF THE SYMPTOMS SHOULD HAVE AN
INTENSITY OF 1 - NOT MORE THAN 80 OF THE SYMPTOMS SHOULD HAVE AN
INTENSITY OF 2
48- NOT MORE THAN 50 OF THE SYMPTOMS SHOULD HAVE AN
INTENSITY OF 3 - NOT MORE THAN 20 OF THE SYMPTOMS SHOULD HAVE AN
INTENSITY OF 4
49SELECTION OF REMEDY
- THE REMEDY CAN BE SELECTED FROM THE SUITABLE
ANALYTICAL METHOD LIKE VES,SUM OF DEGREE AND
SYMPTOMS OR PROMINENCE - THE ABOVE SELECTED REMEDY CAN ONLY BE FINALISED
WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF MATERIA MEDICA.
50SELECTION OF POTENCY
- 30TH IS THE MOST SUITABLE POTENCY BECAUSE THE
GENUS EPIDEMICUS IS TO BE APPLIED TO A LARGE
GROUP OF PEOPLE HAVING A WIDE RANGE OF
SUCEPTIBILITY. PERSONS WITH LOW SUCEPTIBLITY MAY
NOT RESPOND TO HIGHER POTENCIES - THE DYNAMIC ACTION OF THE POTENCIES BELOW 30
CANT BE PREDICTED . - ONLY WITH DYNAMIC ACTION OF HOMOEOPATHIC
MEDICINES RAPID IMMUNITY CAN BE ESTABLISHED
51SELECTION OF DOSE
- THE DOSE WILL BE BASED ON THE MEDICINE SELECTED.
- EACH MEDICINE HAVE A DIFFERENT DURATION OF ACTION
- AFTER ADMINISTERING THE FIRST DOSE THE SECOND
DOSE CAN BE ADMINISTERED AFTER THE MAXIMUM KNOWN
DURATION OF THE MEDICINE. - THIS SHOULD BE REPEATED UNTIL THE EPIDEMIC IS
UNDER CONTROL.
52EXAMPLE WITH SCARLET FEVER
53Examples from a Pertussis Epidemic
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59FROM HISTORY
- Several surveys have also been published
evaluating the efficacy of homeoprophylaxis. A.D
Fox treated 97 children with Pertussin to prevent
whooping cough. His survey in 1987, with only 63
of the patients responding, showed that as many
as 18 may have developed whooping cough after
the treatment. Golden, in the same survey
mentioned above, reported that his
homeoprophylactic regimen was 89 effective in
preventing the diseases treated
60- Studies during epidemics have also given some
valuable information. In 1902, during a smallpox
epidemic in Iowa, Dr. Eaton reported that 2806
patients were treated with Variolinum. Of the 547
patients who were definitely exposed, only 14
developed the disease. Overall protection rate
was 97.24 In 1958, during an influenza epidemic
in Great Britain, 1100 workers were given
prophylaxis and 500 workers were given no
treatment. There was no statistical difference in
the attack rates between the groups. And in 1974,
during a meningococcus outbreak in Brazil, 18,640
patients were given Meningococcinum prophylaxis
while 6,430 received no treatment. The treatment
group reported 4 cases to 32 cases in the no
treatment group (23 times more effective than no
treatment)
61- Wayne Jonas provides us with the best-constructed
study on homeoprophylaxis in 1999. A nosode for
tularemia was tested against placebo and
allopathic vaccination in 142 mice that were
subsequently infected with tularemia. Six
different potencies of the nosode were used to
account for that variable. The nosode was given
before and after the challenge. The results
showed that allopathic vaccination produced 100
protection from death. The tularemia nosode
produced 22 protection compared to placebo.
Clearly the nosode had some efficacy, but much
less than vaccination.
62- But when data from the epidemics of the past is
taken as a whole, Genus Epidemicus prescribing
clearly appears to be effective. Discussions with
numerous homeopaths today reveals that this
method has survived into modern practice,
primarily due to its efficacy. Moreover, the
theory of Genus Epidemicus prescribing is
consistent with all primary homeopathic
principles laid down in the Organon, and proven
over the past 200 years of practice. The concept
of similar disease is virtually identical to the
practice of conducting a proving. Symptoms are
taken from a variety of individuals, with varied
constitutions, and summed together to form the
totality of the response to the presented stress.
Although further study on the prophylactic effect
of this style of prescribing is warranted, Genus
Epidemicus prescribing should be a tool in every
homeopath¹s repertoire, both for prophylaxis and
for treatment.
63 REFERENCES
- Dr.SAMUEL HAHNEMAANNS ORGANON OF MEDICINE
- LIFE AND LETTERES OF Dr. SAMUEL HAHNEMANN BY
THOMAS LINDSLE BRADFORD - TODD.A.HOOVER, M.D
- WILL TAYLOR, M.D
64