S B L

Homoeopathy fits into the class of therapeutic methods that augment the body's own defenses. The basis of homoeopathy suggests that a micro dose of a substance will heal whatever pattern of symptoms this substance causes in large dose. This principle is also observed in the use of vaccinations and allergy treatments, though homoeopathic medicines are both considerably smaller and safer and more individualized to the person they are being used to treat.

Although homoeopathic medicines stimulate the body's own defenses, how they do so remains a mystery. One study published in the European Journal of Pharmacology showed that a homoeopathic medicine, Silicea stimulated macrophages (macrophages are a part of the body's immune system which engulf bacteria and foreign substances). How or why Silicea was able to have this action or why exceedingly small doses of it are so active is unknown.

Homoeopathic medicine do not simply stimulate the body's immune system to treat sick people, for they can also calm it when this is necessary for the healing of the individual. An example of this latter effect was observed in a study of the homoeopathic treatment of people with rheumatoid arthritis, a condition which is considered an auto-immune illness. People with auto-immune ailments suffer because their body's immune system is over-active and it attacks the person's own cells, not just bacteria, viruses, or foreign substances.

Homoeopaths use such small doses that they couldn't possibly have any physiological effect.

Although we don't understand precisely how homoeopathic medicines work, there is clear evidence that the medicines are active and can heal. Homoeopathy became popular in America and Europe during the 1800s because of its success in treating the many infectious diseases that raged during the time, including yellow fever, scarlet fever, cholera and many others. The death rate in homoeopathic hospitals was between one-half to one-eight of those in conventional medical hospitals. Homoeopathic medicines also have been shown to work on infants and on various animals(including dogs, cats, horses and cows) where they cannot possibly be acting only as a placebo.

Homoeopaths also find that people who are being treated with homoeopathic medicine for a chronic disease sometimes experience a temporary exacerabation in their symptoms as the body's defenses are being stimulated. Homoeopaths have found that a "healing crisis" is sometimes necessary to achieve healing. Such temporary worsening of symptoms cannot be the result of a placebo response.

There has also been some good scientific research published in medical journals and other scientific publications. The LANCET(September 20,1997) published, 89 double-blind or randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials based on that homoeopathic medicines had a 2.45 times greater effect than placebo.

The small doses used by homoeopaths only have an effect when a person has a sensitivity to the dose given. If a wrong medicine is given nothing happens. Each homoeopathic medicine is effective when it is properly prescribed. The trick is to find the correct homoeopathic medicine that fits the person's unique pattern of symptoms. In any case, homoeopathic medicines do not have adverse side effects.

For instance, Arsenicum album (white arsenic) is a very common homoeopathic medicine. There are numerous acute and chronic conditions for which it is effective, ranging from food poisoning and digestive disorders, to fatigue and various anxiety states, and to asthma and insomnia. It is effective according to basic homoeopathic principles because it has the capacity to heal those specific patterns of symptoms it is known to cause if taken in large dose. Arsenicum album will not be effective in treating a person whose symptoms do not match the symptoms that arsenic is known to cause.

Allopathic medicines are often tested only on animals. By contrast, each homoeopathic remedy has had documented provings done on humans. Healthy humans agree to take a substance and have their symptoms recorded. This shows also the safety of homoeopathy, when even test subjects suffer no ill effects after the testing is over.

ADVANTAGES OF HOMOEOPATHY

Scientific