Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Dr Elizabeth Thompson, a Homeopath Idol


Dr Elizabeth Thompson is a Consultant Homeopathic Physician and Lead Clinician at the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital, which handles referrals for all chronic diseases including urgent oncology related referrals. At the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital, patients are seen either at the Homeopathic Hospital Outpatients Department or at the 'Satellite' Clinic.

Some people make the world more special just by being in it.
Great job Dr. Thompson. My best wishes to You!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Doctrine of Signatures


The Doctrine of Signatures is a very old notion which predates homeopathy and was already mentioned in the writings of the Swiss physician Paracelsus von Hohenheim (1493-1541). It proposes the idea that God gave everything in nature its unique healing powers and left a clue for us to discover in the appearance of each plant or substance. For example, the dark lines on the petals of Digitalis purpurea are reminiscent of blood vessels. Indeed, Digitalis is a well-known allopathic drug for heart problems and also has an affinity for this organ in its homeopathic preparation. Similarly, the yellow juice of Chelidonium majus reminds one of the yellowish complexion typical of patients with liver problems. Chelidonium is known for its affinity to the liver.
As a scientific system, there is no basis for confirming these associations that folk medicine has given us. What they do provide us with is a very good basis for a mnemonic system. In studying materia medica, you can take advantage of Euphrasia's pupil-like markings as a way to remember that Eyebright is a major remedy for the eyes.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia !!!


By: Brian Kirschner

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia will celebrate the 188th anniversary of its founding on Feb. 19, 2009, with a number of events, including an honorary degree to be bestowed upon John A. (Jack) Borneman, III, P’52, RPh, alumnus, and chairman, founder and past president of the Homœopathic Pharmacopœia Convention of the United States. Founders' Day recalls the University's establishment on Feb. 23, 1821, by 68 prominent Philadelphia apothecaries.

At 2 p.m., a full processional in the AstraZeneca Auditorium of the McNeil Science and Technology Center will mark the start of an official ceremony that will award Borneman with an honorary doctorate of science degree for his “entrepreneurial spirit and leadership in the homeopathic medicine industry and continued dedication to innovation and excellence.” To further mark the occasion, University President Dr. Philip P. Gerbino will announce two awards recognizing a current student and faculty member who represent the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of the University’s founders, and who have engaged in research or some form of scholarly pursuit that results in new developments or discoveries.

“Founder’s Day is a wonderful occasion to celebrate our legacy and the growth of University of the Sciences. The University has a rich and long-standing tradition of producing leaders who have shaped new dimensions of professionalism, pharmacy, and healthcare,” said Dr. Gerbino. “Jack Borneman is among those leaders. Jack has been at the forefront of standards and change for homeopathy, creating a foundation from which future generations of homeopaths can continue to build upon.”

Borneman has spent his lifetime committed to the development and regulation of homeopathic medicine within the United States. He is the third of four generations of “John Bornemans” to attend the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. Upon graduation, Borneman joined the firm of John A. Borneman and Sons, Homœopathic Pharmacists, begun by his grandfather in 1907. In 1980, Borneman was a founding director of the newly incorporated Homœeopathic Pharmacopœia Convention of the United States (HPCUS), and in 1983, he was elected the second president of the organization. In the course of his 25 years as president, his leadership evolved HPCUS into a respected international body of scientists and experts consulted by governments world-wide as the leader in homeopathic regulation. His work has led to the wide availability of standardized, high-quality medications to the general public. In Aug. 2008, Borneman assumed the role of HPCUS chairman of the board, where he continues to be a gentle guiding force in a rapidly growing industry. He continues to lecture on homeopathy to both pharmacy and physician assistant students at University of the Sciences, and maintains a practice in community pharmacy and patient care at Treatment Options Pharmacy in King of Prussia, Pa.

When the University was founded in the 19th century, the practice of pharmacy still relied heavily on centuries-old folk wisdom passed down from apothecary to apothecary. In 1821, 68 prominent Philadelphia apothecaries met in Carpenter's Hall to establish the basis for the improved scientific standards we enjoy today and to train more competent apprentices and students. They pledged “to invite a spirit of pharmaceutical investigation" and to guard the public from "the introduction of spurious, adulterated, deteriorated, or otherwise mischievous articles." A year later, they organized and incorporated the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (PCP)—the first college of pharmacy in North America—now a part of University of the Sciences. The group ushered in a new era of the practice of pharmacy—the identification, selection, compounding, and analysis of drugs­—and laid the foundation for a legacy of future advances and discoveries.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

AIDS and Homeopathy Project - NEWS!



by Robin Logan:

Amid controversy, well known British Homeopath, Jeremy Sherr, complete with wife and children, has recently left the Malvern Hills in the West of England, for Moshi in Tanzania, to, in his words, "get out there and cure as many people as possible". Sherr, with colleagues in several countries, spent 10 years attempting to raise funds for a Homeopathy and AIDS research project. While there is a lot of funding available for AIDS research, they found that the moment Homeopathy was mentioned, doors were slammed shut.

After much frustration with bureaucracy and hard work only to be followed by disappointments, Sherr decided to head off to Africa and start treating AIDS sufferers in the hope of collecting enough evidence to convince the skeptics and raise the profile of Homeopathy as a viable and affordable treatment for AIDS. He is under no illusions as to the enormity of that task however, and recent responses from Homeopathy's detractors are not for the feint hearted.

Over the last year skeptics in the medical and scientific establishment have become increasing vociferous. Homeopathy was once considered innocuous by most non-believers and Homeopaths on the whole were left alone. Now, what Sherr calls "The Pharmaceutical Inquisition" has been growing in intensity, and Sherr's 'journalfromafrica' blog has not escaped attention. Severe criticisms of his attitude to anti-retroviral drugs, his approach to clinical trials and even his suggestion that Homeopathy can be of any use at all, have resulted in him removing several entries from the blog, including those describing the aims of, and background to, the project and descriptions of some of the first AIDS cases treated.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Royal London Homeopathic Hospital


HRH Princess Alexandra, Patron of the Blackie Foundation Trust, a charity which funds research into homeopathy, paid an informal visit to the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital in November where she met patients and staff and viewed the newly established Library and Information Service (CAMLIS).
Dr Margery Blackie was a consultant at the hospital for many years and her portrait looks down on the library. A special exhibition of Dr Blackie’s personal memorabilia was on view for the Princess which includes copies of Dr Blackie's best selling book The Patient, not the Cure translated into many languages.

Homeopathy in Cardiac Arrhythmia

Source: Korrespondierender Autor: Larysa Hutsol, Mykola Hutsol, Irene Tsymbal, Vinnitsa National Medical University, Vinnitsa Clinical Town Hospital, PO Box 10, Vinnitsa 21004, Ukraine.

The management of arrhythmias is known to be one of the key problems of modern cardiology because this pathology often results in sudden death. However, according to numerous clinical trials, the allopathic remedies at present used for arrhythmias control are reported to have many serious side effects and contraindications.
This investigation aims to study the efficacy of homeopathic treatment of atrial fibrillation which is one of the most severe forms of cardiac rhythm disorders.

Methods: For several years we have studied 23 elderly patients suffering from atrial fibrillation. The patients were treated only with homeopathicc drugs which were chosen according to Similarity Law. The patients took 1 to 3 remedies in high potency periodically or constantly for 1 to 7 years.

Results: In 87,3% of the patients clinical improvement was marked by the end of the third week of the treatment. 2 months after the beginning of the homeotherapy all the patients reported a stable normalization of cardiac rhythm as well as a stable improvement in their ability to work, a reduction of cardialgia frequency and intensity and a significant decrease of the number of concomitant pathology symptoms.

This work is illustrated with interesting results of the homeopathic management of a patient suffering from atrial fibrillation, Ischemic Heart Disease and Essential Hypertension.

Conclusion: We believe that Classical Homeopathy is an effective way to control atrial fibrillation even in elderly patients having severe organic cardiovascular pathology. As this method is free of any side effects, it seems to be an ideal choice for therapeutical intervention in such cases.

Evaluation of individualized homeopathic treatment for seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Source: Department of General Practice, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, ACHG-KULeuven, Kapucijnenvoer, Leuven, Belgium. mieke.goossens@med.kuleuven.be

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QoL) is an important outcome measure in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), a condition for which homeopathy is frequently used. OBJECTIVE: The assessment of the effect of homeopathic medical prescriptions with the Rhino-conjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) in the treatment of SAR. METHODS: A prospective, open, non-comparative study was conducted in Belgium. Patients aged between 14 and 68 years with SAR were treated by one of seven homeopathic physicians. Patients completed the RQLQ at baseline and again after three and four weeks of homeopathic treatment. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were screened, of whom 46 met the study eligibility criteria (average age 36 years, 70% female). The mean RQLQ score at baseline was 3.40 (+/-.98). After three and four weeks of homeopathic treatment it had fallen to 1.97 (+/-1.32) (P=0.0001), and 1.6 (+/-1.28) (P=0.0001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: After homeopathic treatment, patients reported an alleviation of their symptoms of allergic rhinitis as reported in the RQLQ. A formal Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) is indicated.

PMID: 19135954 [PubMed - in process]