In conclusion let me say, that the foregoing may sound to you plausible – or the reverse. But as practical medical men, your feeling must be,”Does it work?”
In order to show you that it does work I will take a few of the simplest cases, exemplifying Homoeopathy in some of its phases.
I am not going to weary you with details, but merely relate salient points.
An officer invalided home with Trench Fever. He had been ill for a year.
Now Hahnemann lays it down that the mental, the peculiar and the characteristic symptoms of the patient himself, apart from his malady are to be especially considered in regard to the choice of the remedy.
This man had frightful irritability of temper. His fever started always at 9 a.m.
He had the usual pain, restlessness, and jerking of extremities; these worse at night.
One remedy only, Chamomilla, has just this symptoms-complex : and a single dose of Chamomilla, in high potency, quickly cured him, and sent him back to the line.
Here you notice….
The like remedy
The single drug.
The infrequent dose.
The small dose.
Non-interference with vital reaction.
Potentisation.
A mother of small children, with acute food-poisoning had been vomiting and purging all night, and was supported down to out-patient department by her husband, at 2.30 p.m., cold, collapsed, anxious – almost “done”.
Her symptoms were typically those of Arsenic, and Arsenicum in high potency sent her home a couple of hours later, warm and smiling; and again well.
You see here and rapid homoeopathic action in every acute sickness. The mere acute the sickness, the quicker and the more complete the curative reaction.
I was asked one night, at midnight, to see a man who had had champagne and oysters for dinner, and who was doubled up with colicky abdominal pain. There were beads of sweat on his forehead. His only relief by pressing his hands deeply into his abdomen. He could only answer in a whisper. He felt so ill that he thought three was no chance of work next day. Giving him a dose of Colocynth, in potency, I timed him, and in three minutes he gave a sigh, and stretched out his legs and said,’ I’m better,” And he went to business next day. Here the remedy had to be Colocynth, not Arsenicum : because Colocynth is the only remedy with abdominal pains relieved by doubling up and pressure.
At 10.30 p.m. one night, I was called to a man suffering from urticaria – anaphylactic – after anti-tetanus serum. He was almost beside himself with fear and anxiety : very restless, couldn’t keep still: certain he was going to die. Thirsty, felt hot, great fear of being alone. Very apprehensive. Everything had to be done at once. Rheumatic pains intolerance : said the were driving him crazy.
Hahnemann says : ‘Whenever Aconite is chosen homoeopathically you must observe the moral symptoms, and be careful that it closely resembles them : the anguish of mind and body, the restlessness : the disquiet not to be allayed.”
Here Aconite in the 30th potency gave almost instant relief, and in fifteen minutes the patients was quite himself again. This was one of the most dramatic things I have ever seen.
I was once urgently called to see a patient acutely ill with rheumatic fever, who was the despair of all who come in contact with him. Nurse after nurse had had to go, and the doctor in attendance was at his wit’s end. A dose of Chamomilla brought almost instant peace : the temperature promptly dropped, and the patient got well.
One might multiply such cases indefinitely : and remember, they are common not to any one prescriber, but to Homoeopathy.
In these days of advancing science when the foolishness of Homoeopathy is proving wisdom, and the amazing prescience of Hahnemann is obtaining every day new confirmation, what is there to prevent the most sceptical from, at least experimenting with the power that has come to us?
Those who test Homoeopathy and make the experiment do not escape. Over and over again doctors have studied Homoeopathy, or have been commissioned to look into it, in order to expose it – only to become its most enthusiastic adherents and exponents.
I suppose not one of us has approached Homoeopathy otherwise than with doubt and mistrust : but facts have been too strong for scepticism.
Sir Thomas Horder, the other day, spoke of the present pause in therapeutic advance. He felt it would be broken by brilliant advance were toil some humility, and imagination. From what part of the scientific horizon the light would come, it was not possible to say : the sky must be scanned in every quarter. Perhaps some promising direction had been overlooked… would the lamp again be lighted by that strange and inexplicable flash of genius, the genius that scouted all science, because it was itself the mother of science.
May I suggest that the Genius may be Hahnemann : and this the promising direction that has been inexplicably overlooked? Hahnemann antedated science; and his prophetic eye discerned “the dawn that was to brighten into the most brilliant day of medical art.”
It was 107 years ago that Hahnemann wrote :”I rejoice at the benefit Homoeopathy has already conferred on humanity and look forward with intense pleasure to the not distant time when, though I shall no longer be here below, a future generation of mankind will do justice to this gift of a gracious God, and will thankfully avail themselves of the blessed means. He has provided for the alleviation of their bodily and mental sufferings”.
Weir received his medical education first at Glasgow University MB ChB 1907, and then on a sabbatical year in Chicago under the tutelage of Dr James Tyler Kent of Hering Medical College during 1908-9. Weir reputedly first learned of homeopathy through his contact with Dr Robert Gibson Miller.
John Weir wrote- Some of the Outstanding Homeopathic Remedies for Acute Conditions with Margaret Tyler, Homeopathy and its Importance in Treatment of Chronic Disease, The Trend of Modern Medicine, The Science and Art of Homeopathy, Brit Homeo Jnl, The Present Day Attitude of the Medical Profession Towards Homeopathy, Brit Homeo Jnl XVI, 1926, p.212ff, Homeopathy: a System of Therapeutics, The Hahnemann Convalescent Home, Bournemouth, Brit Homeo Jnl 20, 1931, 200-201, Homeopathy an Explanation of its Principles, British Homeopathy During the Last 100 Years, Brit Homeo Jnl 23, 1932: etc