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Homeopathy remains relatively
obscure in the United States, a fact bemoaned by the author in his
introduction. "Millions of people are suffering needlessly
because they don't know about homeopathy, don't believe in it, or
because it isn't covered by their health insurance," he says.
To remedy this problem, he has produced a massive reference work
for the lay person. He assures us that anyone can learn to use the
remedies, as did his mother, who is 88 yrs old. He states, "It
doesn't require medical training or a brilliant mind and you don't
need perfect knowledge for good results."
Written plainly, without medical jargon, it covers acute ailments
ranging from the common cold and arthritis pain to Anthrax, Ebola
and the plague. Each condition is described in plain English, followed
by a choice of remedies with their symptom pictures. There are sufficient
choices to make for accurate prescribing. Under "insomnia",
for example, there are fourteen remedies listed.
The book covers the important concepts of energy medicine: potentization,
minimum dose, provings, modalities, dosage, potency and case taking.
There is a chapter on pregnancy and childbirth which spans topics
from morning sickness to postpartum hemorrhage.
The section on "Preventing Illness with Homeopathy" gives
many examples of how the correct homeopathic remedy can protect
you from an infectious disease that may be in your area or headed
your way. Quoting from page 313, "Dr. Hahnemann [the founder
of homeopathy] used [the homeopathic remedy] Belladonna to prevent
Scarlet Fever during an epidemic. It worked so well that conventional
doctors began using it. Dr. R.E. Dudgeon reported that 10 doctors
used Belladonna on 1,646 children. Only 123 got the disease, yet
the usual infection rate was up to 90%. In 1838, the Prussian government
made the use of Belladonna obligatory during epidemics."
The book contains a variety of topics not found in any other single
reference work. It begins with the basics of homeopathy, including
the latest theory about how it works; it answers the question, "Why
Turn to Homeopathy" with reasons not usually mentioned (e.g.,
you can prescribe without a diagnosis, you heal faster, the remedies
are effective against viruses, the remedies remove toxins, and so
on).
Included also are the rarely mentioned topics of "How to Make
Remedies Last Forever" and "Making Remedies From Scratch".
The author addresses the problem of what to do when you don't know
the name of the ailment. A chapter on how to use a repertory is
presented for anyone who wants to further their studies. Chapter
Four discusses organ remedies (heart, lung, kidney, liver), which
offers more prescribing options. Chapter eight lists remedies for
occupations and activities ranging from "Activist" (treating
tear gas exposure and head injuries) to "Typists" (Carpal
tunnel) and Welders (burns, electric shock, breathing in hot air,
etc.).
The section, "Homeopathy Around the World" is full of
little known facts that are guaranteed to turn any skeptic around.
When you learn there are homeopathic hospitals and clinics in England,
France, Scotland, Russia, Germany and India, how can you discount
it? In "A Brief History of Homeopathy in the U.S.", the
author explains how this great healing art was undermined in the
United States.
There is a comprehensive "Resources" section which will
help you find remedies, books, journals and pharmacy supplies. It
lists homeopathic hospitals in nine countries and homeopathic organizations
in twenty one countries (with current telephone numbers) so you
can find a homeopath when traveling.
In closing, there was recently a cry for help on the hpathy.com
discussion board. A person wrote in saying a friend's baby was
dying rapidly of gangrene because of an injury and asked what remedy
would be appropriate. I looked it up in the repertory and got a
list of remedies with, of course, no explanation; not very helpful.
Before we knew it, the baby had died. A day later I happened to
say to myself, "I wonder if 'gangrene' is in Alan's book?"
Sure enough, it's there!
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