Action of therapeutic agents


Thus the hypophysiological doses of Ipecac are still expectorant, like that of the habitual physiological doses; while smaller doses are antispasmodic and stops expectoration. We will see further on that this fact has been proved by Arndt Schulz….


They have three extensions. Let us fix them.

Effects of the intra-cellular space.

It is the same in biology as in physics. The phenomena observable are the functions of the plane in which it is found The laws of capilarity or of the superficial tension is applicable only to a certain order of greatness. Similar is the case with colloids, some phenomena of the osmosis. THE PRINCIPLE OF SIMILITUDE IMPLIES THE USE OF MICRODOSES OBLIGATORILY IN MOST OF THE CASES. We must act on the plane of intra-cellular phenomena. We must use the dose corresponding to the order of the importance of morbid phenomena. We must insist now on a series of facts that seem to us very important:

1. THE INVERSE EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCES CALLED, SIMILAR ACCORDING TO THE DOSES THEY ARE PRESCRIBED. It is not only the question of variations in individuals due to a variable sensitivity of a subject and another. It is not even the question of physiological effects, easy to measure and generally constant. But when one has gone beyond when using microdoses, the minimum threshold of physiological doses, one arrives at a zone, rather at a series of zones, from the hypophysiologic up to the infinitesimal doses, of the order of an astounding smallness. AND ONE FINDS FOR MANY SUBSTANCES SOME INVERSE EFFECTS ACCORDING TO THE DILUTIONS OF THE SAME REMEDY.

Thus the hypophysiological doses of Ipecac are still expectorant, like that of the habitual physiological doses; while smaller doses are antispasmodic and stops expectoration. We will see further on that this fact has been proved by Arndt Schulz.

2. THE EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCES CALLED SIMILAR ON THE SENSITIVE PATIENTS ARE OFTEN OF AN ASTOUNDING POWER AND OF A GREAT RAPIDITY. Thus it is observed that the Quinine in homoeopathic doses may stop some haemorrhages, continued and abundant within a few minutes; that in 24 to 48 hours the ingestion of sulphur in homoeopathic doses may either aggravate, or cure an acute eczema; that some minimum doses of Pareira brava are capable of checking the pains caused by an acute attack of renal lithiasis etc. But there is besides another INDIVIDUAL FACTOR, which is that from one subject to another the rapidity, the intensity, the duration of effects vary; the disappearance of symptoms more or less complete and accelerated or retarded, according to the reaction of the organism.

3. THE DURATION OF ACTION OF SUBSTANCES CALLED SIMILAR IS VARIABLE BUT IT IS RATHER PROPORTIONAL TO THE ELEVATION OF RATE OF DILUTIONS. Professor Loeper expressed thus in his lecture on the therapeutic of the functions by small doses, in December 1936, for the society of comparative pathology: It has been spoken about the “notice” and in fact the organism has often the need of that notice in order to act. It is even said that the medicines taken in grams act within 12 hours, and the remedies that are taken in milligrams act in three days. What will become of the delay for certain infinitesimal doses”?

And it is precisely there where lies an important problem, THAT OF THE CONCENTRATION AND OF ITS RELATIONS NOT ONLY WITH THE FIRST MOMENT OF ACTION OF REMEDIES, BUT WITH THE DURATION OF THEIR THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS.

The homoeopaths have discovered the solution of this problem whereas except the homoeopaths, others are not preoccupied about the duration of the action of remedies, and they have every often the habit in medicine to repeat the dose before the first dose has completed its action. It is for this reason they have sometimes some disastrous effects: intoxications, weakening of the resistance of the organism very frequently solicited.

In cases of substances called similar prescribed in infinitesimal doses the laws is the following:

THE HIGH DILUTIONS ACT SLOWLY, DEEPLY, FOR A LONG TIME, THE LOWER DILUTIONS ACT SOON SUPERFICIALLY AND FOR A SHORT TIME.

The high dilutions excite the reaction of the organism on the higher planes: mental, nervous system, central and sympathetic. The lower dilutions act specially on the lower planes, the digestive system, the outlets. Their action may be compared with the action of the physiological doses.

IN OTHER WORDS THE REACTION OF THE ORGANISM INCREASES AND LASTS PROPORTIONALLY TO THE DECONCENTRATION OF MEDICINAL SUBSTANCES.

And the more there are physiological effects, less there are reactions of the organism, and inversely.

It is thanks to the different effects of different minimum doses and researches on the optimal doses for each remedy which we have been able to find out with Dr. Nebel a scale and a gamut of these doses and of these remedies allow:

(a) to treat the temperament with high dilution.

(b) to cause to disappear the functional troubles with the medium dilutions.

(c) to obtain a proper drainage on the outlets with lower dilutions.

Mauritius Fortier-Bernoville
Mauritius (Maurice) Fortier Bernoville 1896 – 1939 MD was a French orthodox physician who converted to homeopathy to become the Chief editor of L’Homeopathie Moderne (founded in 1932; ceased publication in 1940), one of the founders of the Laboratoire Homeopathiques Modernes, and the founder of the Institut National Homeopathique Francais.

Bernoville was a major lecturer in homeopathy, and he was active in Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis, and a founder of the le Syndicat national des médecins homœopathes français in 1932, and a member of the French Society of Homeopathy, and the Society of Homeopathy in the Rhone.

Fortier-Bernoville wrote several books, including Une etude sur Phosphorus (1930), L'Homoeopathie en Medecine Infantile (1931), his best known Comment guerir par l'Homoeopathie (1929, 1937), and an interesting work on iridology, Introduction a l'etude de l'Iridologie (1932).

With Louis-Alcime Rousseau, he wrote several booklets, including Diseases of Respiratory and Digestive Systems of Children, Diabetes Mellitus, Chronic Rheumatism, treatment of hay fever (1929), The importance of chemistry and toxicology in the indications of Phosphorus (1931), and Homeopathic Medicine for Children (1931). He also wrote several short pamphlets, including What We Must Not Do in Homoeopathy, which discusses the logistics of drainage and how to avoid aggravations.

He was an opponent of Kentian homeopathy and a proponent of drainage and artificial phylectenular autotherapy as well.