Allergy



It is difficult to conceive of the value of such testing where 24 to 30 different substances are tested at the same time. It is worse than polypharmacy, for to obtain the action of 30 drugs given at the same time would confuse results often antidotal and be not only ridiculous but absolutely asinine. It has however furnished grist for the Pharmacologist whose advertisements now relate to allergy and allergens. It has finished with endocrines and hormones, and played upon the stings of the vitamins. Anything new is for popular consumption. Else the “Drugless Drugstores” could not exist.

There is a so-called modern conception, but by no means a new one, that this allergy that is the causing factor.

The homoeopathic physician not only smiles at the idea but also at the dose minuteness that is advocated for the purpose, as it easily embraces the domain of the infinitesimal.

If we will go back into the form of this medication we will see plainly that it corresponds very closely to what was called by our forefathers Isopathy, an offshoot from Homoeopathy.

Dr. Samuel Swan of New York, very aptly put forth the difference between Isopathy and Homoeopathy thus:-

“Isopathy would give raw cucumbers to a person made sick by eating raw cucumbers to a person made sick by eating cucumbers and would make him worse. Homoeopathy would give him Cucumis in a high potency and not only cure the patient but also enable him to eat cucumbers with no untoward symptoms.”

Rosenau, as stated, advocates and praises this principle both as to remedy and dose.

All down the line of homoeopathic literature we will find many examples of this. We will mention a few:

In 1867 Adolf Lippe had a case chronic poisoning by cane sugar (in other words a supersensitiveness to this substance).

He removed it completely by Saccharum officinalis. (Hahn. Mo. Oct. 1867).

A case of Quininism cured by Cinchona sulphuricum high. (Organon Vol. iii p. 208).

The susceptibility to parsley can be cured by Petroselinum 30, says Dr. James W. ward, one of our best and most careful observers.

Asthma from eating scallops cured by Pectin, which in a high potency cured permanently.

Asthma due to susceptibility to the proteid substance in eggs, cured by repeated doses of Egg White. Boericke’s Materia Medica p. 491.

I have personally cured many cases of hay fever due to the rag- weed by Ambrosia artemesiaefolia in potency. The pharmaceutical houses today are making much capital out of the pollen extracts of the various hay fever producing plants.

Right along this line of thought come such remedies as Hydrophobinum for rabies, advocated in Homoeopathy when Pasteur was but 8 years old! Anthracinum for anthrax. Tuberculinum for tuberculinum, Pertussin for whooping cough, etc.

The hypersensitiveness to Rhus poisoning has been removed many times by the use of Rhus toxicodendron, and why it does not relieve in all cases is simply owing to a difference in sensitiveness in different people and to the many varieties of the plant.

“It has been clinically observed that allergic persons are less susceptible to contagious and infectious diseases.” (Ward.)

A study of epidemic remedies which physicians have often reported will be explained along similar paths, also constitutional remedies, and it will be found that SIMILIA SIMILIBUS CURANTUR is the law of all curative medicine.

W.A. Dewey
Dewey, Willis A. (Willis Alonzo), 1858-1938.
Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical College. Member of American Institute of Homeopathy. In addition to his editoral work he authored or collaborated on: Boericke and Dewey's Twelve Tissue Remedies, Essentials of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Essentials of Homeopathic Therapeutics and Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics.