This book review is reprinted with the permission from the Autumn 2010 Edition of The Homeopath.
The Society of Homeopaths
www.homeopathy-soh.org
Homeopathy in Organic Livestock Production
By Glen Dupree
2010, Acres, Austin TX, 174 pgs, paperback
ISBN 9781601730169
Reviewed by Francis Treuherz
I know nothing about cows or livestock but I do know about homeopathy and I know about books. I also shop and cook. I hope this is enough to be permitted to tell you how interesting I found this volume. The most fascinating aspect for me is about sustainable organic livestock production. It dawns on me that this may not even be possible without homeopathy which makes the proposition of this book very important. The book extends the concepts of holism by which homeopathy and homeopaths live, from the individual organism to the wider society, through the discussion of animal health in ethical, ecological and economic contexts.
The core principles and possibilities of homeopathic cures are explained to the novice reader in such a way as to not bore the experienced homeopath. The implications for nature of homeopathic care of animals in farms are extended. There are three basic types of livestock production farms, breeding operations market production operations, which sell animals for slaughter, and non-market production operations, which produce animal products rather than furnishing slaughter or breeding stock. There are also farms which are a mixture but the author looks at them separately for the sake of clarity. Acute and chronic disease states in animals are defined. The way that homeopaths might approach the different farms and the acute and chronic illness states are explained in economic and social terms as well as therapeutic terms. This is also a limited 'how to do it' book for farmers, which will enable them to move on to more complex books and treat more complex conditions. There is a short materia medica, all in a very readable style for student and experienced practitioner. We do not prescribe for animals ourselves but we should take an interest in them.
This is a not only a book for teachers and farmers at 'wellie level.' It is for all homeopaths interested in explaining how we can raise the health of the nation and avoid the nihilistic arguments about placebo.