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Unworthy Comments

A Nobel Prize winner carelessly disparages Homeopathy.

On January 2016, Venkatraman Ramakrishnan the Nobel winning scientist and Royal Society President, speaking at Panjab University, stated: “No one in chemistry believes in homeopathy. It works because of placebo effect.” Venkatraman is a man of science, and so I was even more exasperated to hear those words come from him. However, in that moment he wasn’t speaking as a scientist but just tossing out a common cliché. That careless comment was unworthy of him. Beyond that, it could lead to the further undermining of homeopathy. Those who would close homeopathic hospitals, withdraw funding, sue homeopathic pharmacies and persecute individual homeopaths, may find fertile ground in his statement.

Still, we must remember that even the best scientists make mistakes. The 19th century chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius, one of the great minds of his time, failed to grasp the new ideas in organic chemistry. He held back progress for years by discrediting those ideas. I don’t think Venkatraman wants to have that sort of legacy. Rather than defend his error, he could open his mind and use those special research abilities to educate himself. He could learn that homeopathy is solidly based on the scientific method. He could discover its marvelous successes in the worst epidemics in history. He could review some of the thousands of case files covering everything from dengue fever and typhoid to cardiac arrhythmias and kidney disease. He might also learn to distinguish the specious studies contrived by Pharma surrogates, from the huge collection of genuine ones. Venkatraman could also reflect on the brilliant and honorable people who spend a lifetime studying and practicing homeopathy.

It’s hard for me to believe that Venkatraman Ramakrishnan would knowingly want to disparage one of the greatest medical discoveries offered to the world. He would not want to discount this paradigm changing concept of healing. We all make mistakes but sometimes, if we are very lucky, we get a chance to correct those mistakes and undo wrongs done.

Here is your chance Venkatraman.

IN THIS ISSUE:

The Montreal Institute of Classical Homeopathy (MICH) does a special college presentation of articles and cases. Clinical Supervisor Kate Hudson is interviewed by homeopath Suzana DaCosta.

MICH Articles:

Judyann McNamara founder of MICH and originally a physicist, addresses how homeopathy fits in with the newest research in physics and physiology. In a second article she discusses the teaching of advanced perspectives at MICH.

MICH CASES:

Melissa Dair and Lauren Trimble – anxiety

Melissa Dair – epilepsy

Adam Fiore – disturbed cognition and hypertension

Christiane Magee and Kate Hudson – trigeminal neuralgia

Melissa Dair and Roberta Vienneau – irritable bowel disease

INTERVIEW

Dr. Dinesh Chauhan author of The Scientifically Intuitive Case Witnessing Process: A journey of three steps, is interviewed by homeopath Vatsala Sperling.

NEW PAPERS

Heidi Wedd –Homeopath and midwife – Homeopathy in Birthing

Lynne Shrubb –RHomDescribes her path to homeopathy and the healing of her son through homeopathy.

Dr. Devang Shah – Insights into skillful use of the repertory.

Declan Hammond – (co-founder – Irish School of Homeopathy) – Talks about losing his son and shares the needs of parents who have lost children.

Dr. Banaras Khan Awan – Powerpoint about Pulsatilla

Dr. Muhammed Rafeeque – Insight into LM’s

Lauren HubeleGemnotherapy as an adjunct to homeopathy

Elaine Lewis – TIDBITS

Alan V. Schmukler – TIPS & SECRETS

CASES

Petr Hoffman Two tonsillitis cases analyzed and solved with classical homeopathy.

Dr. Shraddha Samant – Psoriasis

Dr. Pankaja Katekari – Allergic Rhinitis

Dr. Sandeep Kumar Mishra – Hydrocele in a baby

Dr. Zinkal Tilva – Hypertension (sensation case)

Dr. Abdequaem Chimthanawala – Hirschsprung Disease – powerpoint

Cynthia Kingsbury – Premenstrual Syndrome

Veterinary

Ask the Holistic VetDr. Deva Khalsa, holistic veterinarian answers veterinary questions from readers. Send your questions to [email protected]

Dr. Ronit Aboutboul – Case of a cat with gum inflammation

Research

Dr. N.C. Sukul The eminent doctor and researcher discusses his research into homeopathy.

Robert Medhurst – He presents part 38 in his important series on research into homeopathy.

Book Reviews

Practical Handbook of Veterinary Homeopathy: Healing Our Companion Animals From Inside Out, by Wendy Thacher Jensen, D.V.M.- reviewed by homeopath Vatsala Sperling

Divided Legacy vol 1, 2, 3 by Harris Coulter – Reviewed by Dana Ullman

Dynamic Gemmotherapy, Integrative Embryonic Phytotherapy – by Dr. Joe Rozencwajg, NMD – Reviewed by Vatsala Sperling

QUIZZES

Elaine Lewis – Try your hand at her monthly quiz.

Petr Zacharias – Founder of Prague College of Homeopathy –Understanding what needs to be cured.

Ask the Plant Doctors:  Radko Tichavsky, Mark Moodie and Pawan Singhania answer reader’s questions about crops and houseplants.

There’ s more! Remember to see the new Cartoon and Crossword puzzle. Get Involved!  Send your questions and comments, cases, articles, book reviews and interviews to: [email protected]

About the author

Alan V. Schmukler

Alan V. Schmukler is a homeopath, Chief Editor of Homeopathy for Everyone and author of ”Homeopathy An A to Z Home Handbook”, (also in French, German, Greek, Polish and Portuguese). He is Hpathy’s resident cartoonist and also produces Hpathy’s Tips & Secrets column and homeopathy Crossword puzzles each month. Alan is a recipient of the National Center for Homeopathy Martha Oelman Community Service Award. Visit Alan at his website: Here.

12 Comments

  • Alan, great editorial! But I think you are being too kind! A chemist (is he even an MD?) “knows” that all the hundreds of thousands of people who have been cured by homeopathy were all examples of “placebo”! Really? V.R., far from being just a chemist, is also, apparently a psychic! Because he seems to have powers the average person doesn’t possess! Just think, he knows all about patients and cases he’s never seen! I think he must therefore receive another Nobel Prize–is there a prize for Chutzpah? Because I think he’s earned it!

      • Perhaps he looks too full of speculations and his formulas and theory,. that he’s been too blinded to see any new aspect of the medical science. And perhaps he’ll never understand, because in order to learn something we must empty ourselves first out of our beliefs first..
        Well said Mr.Alan.

        • I think that’s what happened. A way of seeing is a way of not seeing. He’s focused on the micro and missing the macro.

  • Recently I was watching a TV show on Cancer where reputed doctors were part of the panel. At the time of taking direct questions from viewer, the moment one viewer mentioned that for his symptoms he has consulted a homeopathy doctor, they all started laughing and made a categorical remark that cancer detection is only possible through Allopathy instruments and tests.
    I wonder how could a test be allopathy or homeopathy (because allopathy doctors get direct cut through these tests?). At the time of medication you don’t have much to prescribe other than some fixed formula of drugs and then chimotherapy, radiation etc. and one day you declare; though our medication is absolutely perfect, patient is not responding to this great treatment.
    I think its all the might of money. You can bulldoze any patient, show them fear and five star treatment techniques. There is no such buisiness model existing in homeopathy.

    • Hi Anurag,

      That’s a good point. The allopathic system because of its connection to Pharma and the medical device corporations, has become greed based.

  • I thought a great genius like our Hahnemann would promptly be recognized as such by any other geniuses. Or Venkatraman Ramakrishnan is not one of them?
    By writing six Organons, Hahnemann proved that he was also an extremely decent, honest man. Every new changes he introduced in the theory he was engendering caused him a loss of part of his loyal followers and a lot o time with hot arguments and accusations.
    But what else could do a decent man?
    I hope the idiot “genius” of the day be enough decent to apologize for his declaration.
    Because we know that homeopathy works, we will consider this accuser as deshonest, since stupid he cannot be.

    • He’s been working in an ivory tower environment, so it’s possible he’s totally ignorant of homeopathy. But there seems to be a prejudice there as well, since he never explored a medicine used by 100 million of his countrymen. I’m hoping he’ll apologize, otherwise his comments may be used by homeopathy’s enemies.

  • Respected Dr Alan thanks for your comment on Venkatraman;s belief,however personal, as never been substantiated.He could have taken the challenge of proving how and why many cases of Cancer ,Asthma etc were cured with his so called ”placebo”. I had the opportunity of treating an allopathic doctor who happens to be the son -in -law of a great scientist Prof Satyendranath Bose.(world famous for Bose-Einstein theory).He told me that while doing his Resident house-surgeonship in Medical college he was suffering from an intractable type of Eczema,which could not be cured with Allopathy.His father-in-law prof S N Bose took him to his homeopath friend Dr J N Majumdar MB,M Sc,FRCS, MRCP, DMS.Who prescribed Silicea -1000 one dose only.And that Venkatraman ‘s ”placebo cured him forever.

  • Every one has a right to smear himself with sandal paste and feel good , but he has no right to throw mud on a neighbor. Ignore Venkat , he knows not what he is saying!

  • Dear Dr Alan,

    It is most unfortunate of some experts of a particular field to pass judgements or comments on subjects alien to them ..
    Even Prof Vithoulkas has also written recently about Venkatraman’s bragging .

    Actually it shows his poor knowledge about anything outside Chemistry..
    I hope ,he listens, and retracts.

    rajib nain

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