Heal with Homeopathy: The Essential Handbook

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Introduction

When my publishers suggested that I write a handbook on homeopathy, I wondered what I could do to make it different from the plethora of homeopathy books available in the market. For one, I thought that sharing my fifty years of homeopathic experience and knowledge would be a differentiator. And two, if I presented the book in an easy-to-read format, it would increase its utility to my readers.

In this book I have given a brief history of homeopathy and cleared the cobwebs around some common myths. I have dealt at some length with a very special aspect of homeopathy—personality types and telltale signs of tongues, faces and the like which form an extremely important part of observation for homeopathic diagnosis. The bulk of the book contains information about organs and diseases from head to toe, with common causes, symptoms, likely complications and homeopathic treatment, together with advice on self-help.

One reason why some persons have doubts about homeopathy is the lack of clinical research about its practices. As far as possible, I have collated and mentioned them for most disorders. Just as the proof of the pudding lies in its eating, the success of this book will be the relief that it brings to humanity at large. My aim has always been to spread the benefits of homeopathy—a safe and natural system of medicine—to as many people as possible. I hope this book serves that purpose.

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History of Homeopathy

DR SAMUEL HAHNEMANN: A LEGACY OF HEALING

The Painter’s Son and His Masterpiece

Germany, the land of great poets and thinkers, has been home to great intellectuals who made it to the annals of history. One such scholar was Dr Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann. Dr Samuel Hahnemann was born on 10 April 1755 in the small town of Saxony in Germany. Born in a poor family, he endured the burden of poverty and helplessness, but despite his circumstances, he showed great potential from a very young age itself.

Early Life

‘Never be a passive listener’—these words of wisdom from his father, Christian Gottfried Hahnemann, often rang in little Samuel’s ears. Samuel’s father was a porcelain painter; he had the artistic ability to embellish even the tiniest of crockeries. He tried to make a living out of it, but to his disappointment, he could only earn a little. He could not afford to send little Samuel to school due to his poor financial condition. So he nurtured his son from the age of five with what he called ‘thinking lessons’. And as they often say, education alone does not stimulate the mind; it is the words of wisdom that come from the experience of the elderly that leave a true mark on the individual. This turned out to be particularly true for little Samuel, for the words uttered by his father were etched deeply in his mind.

It was only at 13 years of age that Samuel stepped foot in a school. With a curious mind and exceptional linguistic abilities, he soon displayed his brilliance to his teachers. He started assisting his fellow students and taught them the intricacies of the Greek language. In school, Samuel began to explore life’s complexities. As he grew up, his intelligence and intellect developed day-by-day. Besides languages, Samuel was fascinated with nature. He took a keen interest in learning about plants and their medicinal properties.

The Adolescent’s Medicinal Abode

With a keen interest in research and discovery, at the age of 20 he enrolled himself at the University of Leipzig to study medicine. He never knew contentment because in his early years he had experienced the sacrifice that poverty demanded. Even at the University of Leipzig, he was not happy due to the lack of facilities. However, his lack of finances did not allow him a choice. To manage his livelihood, he translated copies of books into different languages. He managed to make some money through his translations and by coaching wealthy Greeks who wished to learn German.

Samuel Hahnemann sailed through his course at the University of Leipzig and acquired a degree in medicine. To further his education, he moved to Vienna. But his poor financial status was a big constraint. His intellect and dedication to learning caught the attention of Professor Joseph von Quarin, a royal physician who provided him an authorisation to practise medicine as a family physician. Hahnemann served Samuel von Brukenthal, the governor of Hermannstadt, Romania. After some time, he left Hermannstadt’s service and decided to study MD in Enlargen, Bavaria. But he was not content or happy. He often felt that the medical practices being followed were irrational. He continuously aspired for something better and bigger in life. Due to his disenchantment with his medical career, he refused the offer of serving as a physician in the rural community.

Of Loving, Losing and Rising

At this time, Samuel Hahnemann was neither content nor happy nor rich. Even though he was not earning enough, there was a fire in him to learn and discover new things. So, after spending a few years in Hettstedt, Germany, he travelled to another German city, Dessau. There he met and married Johanna who, over the years, bore him eleven kids. But Samuel failed to provide even the basic necessities to his family. Their condition worsened day by day, to the point where they used raw potatoes to clean their laundry as they could not afford soap. At that time, Samuel lost one of his sons in an accident. He could not even grieve properly because he had a large family to take care of. He wandered from one place to another to find something that could keep him and his family safe and provided for.

During all the adversities, Samuel Hahnemann continued to translate books and introduce medical insights that started gaining recognition. His life took a turn for the better as he started getting money and recognition.

The Breakthrough

As Samuel continued to translate books, he got a chance to translate William Cullen’s Lectures on Materia Medica. Cullen’s work evoked in him his long-lost love for plants and medicinal herbs. This became his favourite among all the books he translated. Just twenty pages into the book, he came across a very aromatic and bitter substance known as Peruvian bark (Cinchona bark). William Cullen’s disclosure that ‘Cinchona bark possessed specific febrifugal (fever-relieving) action due to its bitterness’ raised Samuel’s curiosity. He was determined to try this for himself. He remembered his father’s words, ‘Never be a passive listener’. How could he read something and just let it go? That was against the thinking lessons that his father had given him.

Samuel prepared a decoction of Cinchona bark and drank it himself. After some time, he started to experience symptoms similar to that of malaria. He was surprised to learn that while Cinchona bark could heal fever in an unwell individual, it could also induce fever in a healthy person. This gave rise to the principle of ‘similars’—what induces symptoms in a healthy person healed similar symptoms when present in an unhealthy person.

To satisfy his inquisitiveness, Samuel continued his experiments. He made decoctions of different substances and experimented on himself and his followers. Later he introduced the word ‘homeopathy’ in an essay that he wrote—‘homo’ meaning ‘similar’ and ‘pathos’ meaning ‘suffering’.

Around this time, his beloved wife Johanna passed away. He later remarried a French artist, Melanie, and settled in Paris. His practice and his research grew and his concepts spread across the globe.

Dr Samuel Hahnemann lived a life of struggles, storms and discoveries and passed away on 2 July 1843 at the age of 88 years. He was buried along with some others in the same grave. Years later, his remains were exhumed and entombed in a mausoleum at Pere Lachaise Cemetery—Paris’s largest cemetery spread over 110 acres. Notable figures who are buried there are Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison and J.R.D. Tata.

Hahnemann did not let his unsettled heart and circumstances come in the way of his calling. He laid the foundation of an entirely new system of medicine that is celebrated and practised even today.

HOMEOPATHY THE WORLD OVER

Today Homeopathy is the second-largest system of medicine in the world according to the World Health Organization (WHO), with over 500 million people benefiting from it. It is practised in 186 countries across the world and is growing at the rate of 25 per cent per annum. In contrast, the pharmaceutical industry is growing at a rate of 10 per cent. Homeopathy is already a US$3 billion market and is expected to grow to US$6 billion by 2025. This is in spite of it being one of the youngest systems of medicine.

Homeopathy’s growth in the last few years has been accelerated due to the growing awareness of iatrogenic disorders. Iatrogenic disorders are problems created by the side effects of allopathic medicine. It is estimated that over 300 people die daily in the US alone due to side effects of the treatment they are undergoing. Iatrogenic disorders are widespread due to the self-administration of allopathic medicines. On the other hand, homeopathic medicines are safe, free from side effects, cost-effective, non-invasive and palatable.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic that struck the world gave an opportunity for homeopathy to prove its efficacy. Particularly in India, Arsenicum album 30 was prescribed as a preventive to a large number of people to boost their immunity. The Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy distributed this prophylactic to over 1.7 million beneficiaries with the help of students from about a hundred medical colleges. Overall, 15 million people benefited from homeopathy during the first wave of infections. This extensive coverage was possible due to the minimal cost of medication and its easy storage and transport. Around 50 per cent of Gujarat’s population was given this prophylaxis by their state government.¹

Homeopathy is popular all over the world. Over 30 million Europeans believe in homeopathy. The royal family of England has trusted and used homeopathy for three generations. Medical colleges in South America have accepted homeopathy and it is widely taught there. Homeopathy has been integrated into the national healthcare systems of numerous countries including Germany, United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Mexico, according to a paper published by the WHO. France is the largest market in terms of sales of homeopathy products, followed by Germany. This is mainly due to their availability as over-the-counter (OTC) goods in regular pharmacies. In Australia homeopathy is clubbed with naturopathy.

A review conducted on homeopathy by the Swiss government came to the conclusion that homeopathy was clinically effective and pocket friendly. Hundreds of millions of dollars could be saved every year in Western countries through the greater use of homeopathic treatments, without any side effects.²

While during Hahnemann’s time there were only 200 homeopathic drugs, today there are over 8,000 proven homeopathic remedies. Compare this growth to the one in allopathy, which takes around 15 years to introduce a new drug.³

It is estimated that almost 50 per cent of veterinary doctors in the UK use homeopathy. With its sweet pills, it provides a non-invasive form of treatment in cases of skin diseases, kidney problems, arthritis and even behavioural problems in animals. Its use in livestock reduces the use of antibiotics, keeping humans healthier.

A new branch of homeopathy called ‘Agro Homeopathy’ reduces the use of pesticides in agriculture and helps in growing exotic fruits.

Homeopathy in India

Homeopathy came to India through the court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab who was suffering from paralysis of his vocal cords and had lost his voice. The maharaja was not willing to take Western medicines and invited an Austrian homeopathic doctor, Dr Johann Martin Honigberger, to treat him. The maharaja wanted to witness the preparation of his medicine. Dr Honigberger agreed and brought with him the tincture of Dulcamara and three empty corked phials. The remedy was prepared in front of the maharaja and a single drop was given to him. To the maharaja’s surprise, his voice returned within three days of the treatment. The maharaja showed his appreciation by presenting two gold bracelets and two Kashmiri shawls to Dr Honigberger and requested him to continue staying in India. This is how homeopathy came to India. Later, the missionaries popularised it through free clinics across the country. By then, homeopathy was here to stay.

Homeopathy was recognised as an official system of medicine in India in 1973. A separate ministry for complementary medicine called AYUSH was formed in 2014. AYUSH stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy. Homeopathic treatments are now being reimbursed by insurance companies. Homeopathic outpatient departments (OPDs) are run in many private and government hospitals. Amongst these are the Bombay Hospital and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

India now has 300,000 homeopathy doctors with 20,000 new doctors being added every year. Over 100 million patients in the country have benefited from homeopathy and the number is continuously growing.

Homeopathy in Italy

In 1848, there was a rebellion against King Ferdinand, the king of the two Sicilies (a former kingdom which included Naples and Sicily). The king successfully defeated the rebels with the help of the Austrian army. During this period, the chief officer of the Austrian army suffered from an incurable eye disease. The king called a homeopathic doctor named Dr Marenzeller who cured the patient in a few days. Since then, homeopathy received great support in Italy, though it received formal recognition only in the 1980s.

Homeopathy in the UK

In 1854, when the cholera epidemic struck the UK, Dr Quin, a popular homeopath of London Homeopathic Hospital, proved the efficacy of homeopathic treatment. The hospital where he practised homeopathy had a mortality rate of 16 per cent, whereas hospitals where allopathy was administered had a mortality rate of 53 per cent. Dr Quin gained much recognition after this and he served as a personal physician to Queen Victoria’s father-in-law.

Homeopathy spread rapidly in the UK, and in 1859 a hospital for homeopathic treatments was inaugurated. Homeopathy is patronised by the royal family and is a part of the National Health Service (NHS).

Homeopathy in the US

In the US, the first person to practise homeopathy was Dr Hans Burch Gram. The first homeopathy college in the country was established in 1835 by a German physician, Dr Constantine Hering. In his college, Dr Hering was asked to prove that homeopathy did not work. However, while doing the research for this and seeing the effects of homeopathy, he developed a belief in the system. Today, over 10 million people in the US use homeopathy.

Homeopathy in Russia

In 1824, Dr Adam sowed the seeds of homeopathy in

St. Petersburg. He had become acquainted with Hahnemann in Germany and was impressed by his teachings. Dr Adam decided to spread homeopathy in Russia. It was Emperor Nicholas I who played a vital role in giving official recognition to homeopathy in 1833. After facing criticism over the years, homeopathy today is now growing by leaps and bounds all over Russia.

Homeopathy in Japan

Homeopathy entered Japan through the visit of Queen Elizabeth in 1975. During her visit to Japan, she wanted to consult a homeopath for her health issues. She requested the foreign ministry to fix an appointment for her with a homeopath. However, there was no homeopath in the country and a homeopath from another country, who happened to be living in Japan at that time, had to be called to treat her.

Over the next five years, the Japanese started believing in the curative powers of homeopathy and it spread to every corner of the country. Dr Torako Yui, a pioneer and the president of the Japanese Homoeopathic Medical Association, should be credited for establishing and growing homeopathy in Japan single-handedly. She established the Japan Royal Academy of Homoeopathy in 1997, and today there are over a thousand homeopaths practising homeopathy in Japan.

Homeopathy in Greece

In Greece, homeopathy is allowed to be practised only by medical doctors. MDs can choose the line of therapy they want to use for their patients. We, at Dr Batra’s®, are running a homeopathic division in a large infertility clinic in Athens. We cannot prescribe directly for patients and can only advise the MD doctors there.

George Vithoulkas, a Greek, came to India to qualify as a homeopath from the Bombay Homeopathic Medical College. He later set out to popularise homeopathy in Greece. In 1969 he set up a college for homeopathic doctors which attracts, even today, students from all over the world.

Homeopathy in Germany

Homeopathy was founded by Dr Samuel Hahnemann, a German doctor. It grew in popularity there and the largest homeopathic pharma companies in the world were based in Germany. However, after the Second World War, due to the pace of development and the building of autobahns (highways) along farmlands, lead was found in medicinal plants. This caused the closure of century-old German homeopathic pharma companies. However, the sale of complex homeopathic OTCs is very popular in Germany. Like in the rest of Europe, homeopathy is only allowed to be practised by qualified MD doctors in Germany as well.

PROS AND CONS OF HOMEOPATHY

Pros

For over 250 years, homeopathy has been recognised as a safe and effective method of treating illnesses.

It can be safely used during pregnancy and for newborns.

In chronic cases, homeopathy can be used over a long period of time without toxicity or side effects.

Homeopaths are called ‘candy doctors’ as kids love taking sweet homeopathic pills.

Homeopathy medicines are derived from natural substances like plants, roots and herbs.

Homeopathy medicines can be consumed with conventional medicines and they do not affect their efficacy.

Homeopathy treats the individual, not the disease.

It has a holistic approach and treats the mind and body, together.

It goes to the root of the problem and offers long-term relief from problems.

It builds immunity.

With the use of homeopathy, one can treat diseases in their early stages, before they produce structural or cellular changes in the body.

Many basic defects of childhood such as delayed dentition, delayed walking, delayed talking and their effects on later life can be remedied if treated in the early stages.

Any mental abnormalities such as dullness, irritability, pride, suspicion, fear, anxiety and so on can be treated safely by homeopathy.

Cons

Choosing the right