New Haven, Connecticut.
The activities of life are either hyper or hypo. There is a happy medium, but the continuous maintenances of same is a chimera, a dream of the philosophers.
Action and reaction, being equal and in opposite directions, find a logical counterpart in the law of similars.
Hahnemann, the medical genius of all time, using these facts as a basis of reasoning, devoted his efforts to the elaboration of a constructive system of therapeutics which fundamentally meets the need of all time.
He geared his mental mechanism with the flashes of truth along the pathway of the masters who preceded him. He built upon a substantial background, which at the time may have seemed of small value by this skeptical colleagues; nevertheless it became the nucleus for an unlimited expansion in curative possibilities.
With an ever-widening application of the law of similars in many fields of science there comes back to his followers the echo of the substantial value of his contribution to a sick humanity.
The medical scholar, irrespective of the [articular flare he many express in his treatment approach to disease, experiences at times an intriguing sense of satisfaction from some curative result obtained. The law of similars in some way has been met and recompense of mutual satisfaction result.
Hahnemann demonstrated his uncanny genius by concentration upon a known fact, although not clearly understood in his time. He proved that a definite approach to the universal law of similars in some particular channel would bring results.
He may not in the beginning have suspected the range of action to be as broad as it later proved to be with clinical verification of his proving of remedies.
We all recognize that the success of homoeopathy was due to the provings on the healthy and the potentization of the substances used.
This duality of facts opened the way for unlimited advancement in the treatment of the sick, solely dependent upon the individual ability and study hours devoted to acquiring a knowledge of same. It demanded patience and industry to an exceptional degree to find the indicated remedy.
Homoeopathy uses man as a subject for proving, differing from the common form today, which is upon animals. I gives particular attention and makes notation of the mental symptoms, and thereby offers a superior facility for remedy diagnosis in the attack upon disease. It gives a sense of reliance which never can be attained by crude pathologic or organic prescribing.
A young woman became obsessed with a loathing of life, and continuously reproached herself without any definite reason, no pathology being in evidence. Like all these cases, no amount of reasoning made an impression. Psychotherapy was a waste of time and effort. The condition grew progressively worse and was affecting metabolic balance. Thuja 1M and 10M cleared the complex and again brought a love of life, social adjustment and physical balance.
Here was a dual expression of psychic symptoms, realistic as a severe pain to a patient may be, and equally as distressing to the members of the family as any physical illness may be, which subsided under the dynamic action of one of our major miasmatic remedies.
We hear much today of the high cost of medical care, of the lack of clinical facilities for the treatment of the lower third. How easily this problem could be handled with the least cost to the taxpayer through a general knowledge of homoeopathic philosophy and training in the use of our remedies. Hospitalization would be reduced to the minimum, the extensive and expensive and expensive equipment would be reduced, and the ambulant chronic cases become economically more productive.
In the young the similar acts in a pleasing manner,. Slowness in the mental process, malnutrition and the long line of defects which develop in its train are easily corrected, In fact, prenatal treatment brings such rounded results in the mother that the child becomes outstanding in any group of children, I have yet to find any one of these children to become a problem child. There is something different about them which commands attention, and I leave it to you to explain the details.
There is much discussion and appeal for government subsidies to handle the problem or juvenile deficiency. There is growing propaganda for extension of sports and no end of suggestions for this and that diversion in courses of studies to keep up with the rapidity of changing moods in the young.
I wish to protest against this superficial approach to a basic problem. I fully agree with a program of sports and study diversion in moderation. I further wish to state that stepping up of these activities to meet the morbid changing moods of the juvenile does not cure the condition but adds to instability.
Quietly the homoeopathic physician, without extra effort, in an inexpensive and practical, manner through the medium of the indicated remedy, is meeting this problem in his daily practice.
Perverse and antisocial tendencies are being ironed our by treating the internal cause. Harmony and peace of mind again come into family life.
Some nine years ago a boy was brought to me with the following symptoms: staring eyes; jealous; defiant; rude; strikes anger resentful; destructive; restless and moving all the time. Father has a sister with recurrent attacks of excitement. The boy was definite antisocial type with a characteristic tubercular head formation, and I assure you the prognosis for medical treatment was discouraging. Mercurius, sulphur and tuberculinum in the higher range of potencies have changed this unruly boy into a splendid and successful high school lad.
Not to take up too much of your time, but I wish to refer to another of homoeopathy. This boy was a member of a family of students, parents and family being mentally alert with no patience for dullness. He was sensitive and had a definite inferiority complex on account of his school work, especially his deficiency in spelling. A relative, understanding the value of homoeopathy, paid for the treatment under protest of the family, who, as often is the case in educators, were skeptical of the inference.
Medorrhinum has this particular symptom, around which grouped other characteristics, justifying administration. The lad forged ahead after a time and today is a college student, improved in his spelling and earning his own way. The remedy was given in a series of potencies ranging up to the highest (and I assure you we need to climb to the highest in these difficult-to- cure cases).
It is my opinion and experience in practice in practice that a systematic homoeopathic treatment to an individual who needs medical attention will improve the morale and stabilize productive capacity. The potentized remedy will rehabilitate within reason-able bounds when stereotyped welfare or palliative measures fail.
I am not so optimistic as to think homoeopathy will come into general use in our distorted social and medical world of today. I fully realize the small minority who know and practice this great truth in medicine need have no fear of being overwhelmed by any great change of attitude in the immediate future. Nevertheless, as our hair grows grayer and our experience with homoeopathy lengthens into a broader and more mature grasp of the possibilities at our disposal, we feel the mellowing influence of the greatest means for the cure of the mentally and physically sick.
May we quietly at this moment search our inner self for a review of the many persons whom we have benefited by conscientious Homoeopathic treatment. Have we not gently carried them along in their difficulties with the remedies, and helped them to adjust to and manage their problem? Year after passes and they continue on their feet, much to our amazement.
Some of these folks have spent considerable sums for a diagnosis, in consultation, in hospital observation, laboratory fees and what not, solely to have an obscure diagnostic tag put upon their sickness. Others have been informed there was not evidence of pathology, to be sent away with some mental complex more firmly fixed, which drives them from one palliative measure to another without relief, but disgust for medical curative ability.
These are the cases in which we secure remarkable results by integrity in handling and industry in study. We fully realize that in some cases we fail to find the proper remedy, in other we cannot eliminate the exciting cause which irritates the symptom complex; again we find those who have reaches the incurable stage, whether by natural, environmental or postpalliative means.
After a rational understanding with the patient, we many seek to bring about the necessary correction, which, if impossible, still leaves us in the position of not having done any additional violence in treatment to the patient who in confidence has come to us for relief.
Have not the many years of therapeutic nihilism produced a serious loss of public confidence in the custodians of medical knowledge? Our lack of knowledge of the use use of many remedies in the storehouse of nature has opened many channels of attack against our well-established method of treatment. We have simply gone astray and lost our balance. In time we will come to see that mechanical, chemical, surgical or any other form of palliative approach as routine practice leads to chaos, whether it be social, financial or medical.
Education: Cincinnati College of Medicine & Surgery
Author, Distinctive Phases Of Kali Carb. and Homeopathy , the medical stabilizer