This book review is reprinted with the permission of the National Center for Homeopathy
Homeopathy: Natural
Medicine for the
Whole Person
by Peter Adams
1996, paperback,
131 pages, $9.95
Homeopathic Vibrations:
A Guide for Natural Living
by David Dancu
1996, paperback,
221 pages, $19.95
Homeopathy in
Primary Care
by Bob Leckridge
1997,
paperback, 281 pages
Homeopathic Self-Care:
The quick and easy guide for
the whole family
by Robert Ullman, ND and
Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman, ND
1997 paperback, 448 pages, $18
Reviewed by Julian Winston
Introduction
I have decided to review all the above books at once because they have a common thread: they all concern therapeutics-the selection of the remedy for the condition.
They all approach it a bit differently. The book by Peter Adams (who is a registered homeopath in the UK) is part of a series called "Healthy Essentials-a series of practical books which give the facts you need to know about natural therapies and describe how they work for you."
The book gives a brief description of homeopathy as a system and then discusses self-treatment of a variety of illnesses. A brief repertory of illnesses and a brief materia medica are included.
The book by David Dancu is more of a general overview of homeopathic philosophy and practice. It discusses case-taking, miasms, and long-term case management. If it had stayed within those bounds I might not have included it in this review, but it does give a brief materia medica of 62 remedies and presents differentials for a series of acute and chronic conditions. In the introduction, the author says that he intended the book for the homeopathic student, but "Part way through, I changed my intent to include issues for anyone wishing to use homeopathic remedies."
What Dancu appears to be trying to do in his book is to teach everything about homeopathy, including all the subtleties of case taking, analysis, follow up, posology-the whole thing.
The result is a very scattered work that flies from topic to topic with very little basic grounding. Since each chapter could easily be a whole book, the end result is superficial coverage of an immense topic. Perhaps when used in conjunction with an in-person class that expands on the topics, the book might be of use.
Bob Leckridge is a family physician practicing in Glasgow, Scotland, and working with the homeopathic program at the Glasgow Hospital. He wrote Homeopathy in Primary Care "to enhance primary care medicine and ... to enhance the practice of homeopathy."
Within these stated goals the book does well. It is intended as a starting point for the general practitioner-already trained in medicine-to begin the study of homeopathy.
Homeopathy in Primary Care takes us through the beginnings of case-taking, case analysis, selection of dose, etc. It does it in a clear, no-nonsense way. At the end of each chapter is a summary outline of what was covered. The next part of the book is a section of remedy differentials based upon specific clinical indications. The indications are divided into four categories: "No Effective Allopathic Treatment" (glandular fever, chicken pox); "Unsafe situations for allopathic treatment" (anticipatory anxiety dysfunctional labor); "Unacceptable side-effects profile" (anxiety, depression); and "Reduction of allopathic treatment" (asthma, eczema). At times, the author presents mini-cases to show how homeopathy could help these particular problems. This chapter is followed by a 117-page materia medica-with a single remedy discussed on each page. The remedies are all from "List A" of the UK Faculty of Homoeopathy exam requirements. These are the remedies one is expected to know to pass the Faculty of Homoeopathy exam. Leckridge describes the four levels of remedy study-the notable symptom, the keynotes, the condensed materia medica, and the in-depth study. He then gives only level one and two in this book. As an example, Natrum carbonicum has the short description of "Reserved. Unselfish. Tendency to sacrifice," followed by five keynotes and two modalities.
We are all familiar with the previous works of the Ullmans who have given us a wonderful introduction to homeopathy in The Patient's Guide to Homeopathic Medicine and a most valuable book in their Ritalin Free Kids. With their latest book, they move their focus into self-care.
They say, in the introduction, "Having treated patients for fifteen years, we have had many opportunities to learn exactly which questions to ask. A busy practice has taught us to make the process of acute prescribing as quick and as efficient as possible ... It is extremely important to differentiate between conditions that are appropriate for self treatment, and which are not. Many books on homeopathic self-care do not make the distinction clear. Some are written by authors with no clinical experience."
The book is exceptionally well structured and beautifully presented. Each "condition" is described briefly and the possible complications are outlined (i.e, when it might be serious enough to get medical help). They then have three categories: "Look" (What are you looking for?), "Listen" (What does the person sound like? What do they say?), and "Ask" (What question could you ask?). There is a brief description of common pointers they have found useful for differentiation, a suggestion about potency and administration, a paragraph about "what to expect from homeopathic self-care," and a final paragraph about other self-care suggestions. This information is followed by a chart differentiating the remedies according to key symptoms, mental symptoms, body symptoms, modalities, and food and drink desires and aversions. The material is clearly presented and easy to use.
Reading for fact
Since all the books discuss homeopathy generally, and attempt to give a historical overview of homeopathy, I read them, first, with an eye toward spotting inaccuracies of fact. Of the four, I found problems with two. The errors in the Adams book are minor. The listing of resources was not well checked-especially the "foreign" listings. The address given for the New Zealand Institute for Classical Homoeopathy is seven years out of date, and many of the addresses in Australia have changed as well.
The Dancu book presents us with many errors of fact. On page 15, Dancu says that Hahnemann used 470 remedies that he published in his Materia Medica. This figure is repeated one other time in the book. Hahnemann only proved 106 remedies which comprise his Materia Medica. He was using a few others by the end of his life, but certainly not more than 150. Where does the 470 figure come from? The Kent Repertory, compiled over 50 years after Hahnemann's death, has only 649 remedies listed.
Dancu says, "In 1910, the Flexner Report was commissioned by the government to evaluate conditions of various medical schools in the United States." The Flexner Report was commissioned by the Carnegie Foundation-an independent group. It had nothing to do with the government.
On page 17 Dancu says, "For over 50 years, the practice of homeopathy in the United States was limited to lay practitioners and alternative oriented groups." Really? Tell that to Drs. Maesimund Panos, Henry Williams, Wyrth Post Baker, and Allen Neiswander- to name a few. It was not until the 1970s that "lay-prescribers" began to become known. Until then, homeopathy in the United States was in the hands of the trained medical professionals who took postgraduate work to learn homeopathy. And it was these dedicated folks who kept homeopathy alive.
On page 22 he says that in the Organon, "Potency varied in range from the centesimal to the decimal." Hahnemann never spoke of decimal dilutions [X potencies] in his work. The first decimals were made after Hahnemann's death.
On page 41 he mentions, "The Complete Repertory, called MacRepertory" The Complete Repertory was written by Roger VanZandvoort. It is not the same as the MacRepertory computer program.
On page 59 Dancu says that Hering's Condensed Materia Medica is "ten volumes reduced to a single volume." The Condensed Materia Medica came before the 10 volumes of The Guiding Symptoms and was an early attempt at a materia medica by Hering. It was the base for the subsequent work.
On page 60 he says that Morrison's Desktop Guide covers over 200 remedies, but on the next page he says it covers 156 remedies in detail. Which is it?
On page 70 he spells Ignatia as Ignacia, and continues the spelling throughout the book. Indeed, the remedy name is often pronounced "ig-na-see-ah" but that does not change its spelling!
The author is aware of these errors and has promised they will be corrected in the second edition.
The question of self-prescribing
The bigger problem I have with these books simply lies in the "do-it- yourself " mentality they generate. Of the four, I have the least problem with the Leckridge book, and that is because it is a book aimed at physicians-people who are already in practice and would like to begin to use homeopathy. It says, "these are conditions we see for which we have no effective treatment," and then goes on to describe-quite minimally-several possible remedies that might be useful. He cautions that if the picture is not an exact fit, then perhaps another remedy may be used, and suggests that the case be referred to a homeopathic specialist. It is an introduction for professionals and although it seems very "this for that" and often on broad indications, it could fill its purpose as an introduction very well.
The other books really make me very uneasy. As a director of a formal four-year homeopathic school in New Zealand, I know how we teach materia medica and therapeutics, and the limitations we place on our students in their ability to practice. One of the hardest concepts to teach is the relationship between acute disease and chronic disease. There are those who do believe that acute diseases are very rare-that what we see as acute disease is often a flare-up of the underlying chronic illness. A single sore throat is certainly treatable. But a second sore throat might point the way to a deeper underlying condition-which homeopathy can certainly treat. But this is the domain of the professional and well-trained homeopath-not one who is reading instructions in a book.
In the Adams book, Chapter 7 is a short repertory-an "index of illnesses" with suggested remedies following them. The author suggests finding the "illness" and then reading up on the remedies listed in the short materia medica within the book. Among the categories listed are: "Breathing difficulties and Asthma attacks," "Emotional Problems," "Hay Fever," and "Kidney Problems." All of these are potentially serious health problems or chronic prescribing territory. They should not be approached by an untrained prescriber.
Although the book cautions about the differences between acute illness and chronic illness, on page 108 we find the statement: "If you decide to treat a chronic skin condition stick to the potencies 6X, 12X, and 6C to minimize aggravation." This is frightening advice! Chronic skin problems are among the most difficult cases that professional homeopaths handle. To think that you can treat such cases with this book is folly To advise that you can treat them is incredibly irresponsible.
While Dancu's book primarily discusses the principles of homeopathy, it becomes a therapeutics book when he discusses "treatment" in two chapters. The first, titled "Acute disharmonies: the short term," lists a series of categories, followed by sub-categories with remedies listed under. The categories are a mixed bag-from genuine first-aid (e.g, accidents, insect bites, sports injuries, and travel sickness), through treating acute flare-ups of a chronic problem (e.g., allergies with sub-categories: to animals, to chemicals, to foods, etc.). But the acute section also includes hay fever, colds, coughs, headaches (tension, migraine, hormonal), and women's ailments (cystitis, discharges, genital herpes, menses, pelvic inflammatory disease, and vaginitis).
Although the author says, "It is best not to use these limited remedy pictures and labels alone. Take a complete case and use this section as a guideline," and cautions that, "Poor choice of a remedy may cause greater harm as it may cover symptoms which need further evaluation," the horse is already out of the barn. The list is there, and the remedies are clearly seen.
To compound this, the next chapter is called "Chronic illness: the long term." Dancu says, "The following are a few of the labels used to describe these diseases," and he gives a listing-again with possible remedies for the following conditions: asthma, backache, cancer, chronic fatigue, herpes zoster, obesity psychological (rage, obstinate, insomnia, stress, etc.).
Although he cautions that the case must be taken, it is foolhardy to give such a list and to think that some will not take it for gospel.
I once interviewed an older physician. I asked him about some of his memorable cases, and he told me about them. When I asked, "What remedy did you give?" his reply was, "I gave the indicated one."
Hahnemann was loathe to print his cases because it might give people an idea that "this remedy was for that disease." A book like the Dancu book above would be much stronger without even mentioning remedies and conditions. Do not hold out sweets if you do not want the children to take them. Do not give recipes for treating diseases and then say, "but don't use these-take the whole case..."
The Ullmans seem to have a similar problem. Frankly, I was appalled at the mix of chronic and acute that is in the book. On page 14 they discuss the differentiation between first-aid, acute, and chronic prescribing, and caution that chronic prescribing should be left to a professional with years of training. It is certainly the right sentiment, but I do not think they adequately discuss the issue and its implications.
This becomes clear (to me) when they discuss the treatment of "diaper rash." Under the "Listen" section they have the following quotes:
"Sammy was born with a bright red rash on his butt-Medorrhinum"
"Little Carly scratches herself raw, especially after I bathe her-Sulphur."
In my humble opinion, the only advice about diaper rash that should be in a self-care book is to use Calendula cream and powder-along with general sanitary advice.
A baby whose condition points to the use of Sulphur or Medorrhinum is a baby with a chronic problem-and as such, it should be seen and prescribed for by the experienced homeopath and not dabbled at with nosodes on the self-care level.
Another category is "Constipation" with a quote under "Listen" as "I am so confused. I want to eat potatoes and rice-Alumina." In my view, unless the constipation is a recent occurrence, the condition is, generally, a chronic problem. Constipation which is helped by Alumina is certainly not an acute condition.
The first chapter is called "What you need to know to self-prescribe." Well, one of the first things you really need to know is the difference between a genuine acute and an acute flare-up of the chronic condition. The authors say that it is "extremely important to differentiate between conditions that are appropriate for self treatment, and which are not." I do not think that this differentiation is made clear to the reader, and the selection of conditions to be treated is certainly deeper than those which I would suggest to the students under my tutelage.
A conclusion
The first homeopathic self-help book was authored by Constantine Hering in 1835 (The Domestic Homeopathic Physician). It was under constant revision through his lifetime, and remains a classic of the genre.
Over the years, many others have written self-help books- Small, Pulte, Johnson, Laurie, Ruddock, Malan, Gutman, Shepherd, Tyler, Stephenson, Panos-to name a few. I have 83 books in my library under the heading of "Domestic Medicine."
When I was learning homeopathy in 1970, I found that the books that were of most use to me were the differentials created by Tyler in her Pointers to the Common Remedies, Gibson's First Aid: Homeopathy in Accidents and Ailments, and my trusty Boericke Materia Medica with Repertory.
Of the books reviewed here, the easiest to use, without a doubt, would be the Ullman book. It is exceptionally clear in the presentation. My reservations have to do with the treating of acute conditions which are often just the surfaces of a deeper chronic case.
I am not about to write another self-help book-there are more than enough on the market now. But if I were to write one, I would be very careful to include only those conditions which were first- aid (i.e., you were well until the wall fell on you, or until you ate the rotten meat, or until the bee stung you), and those rare acute conditions that are really acute-and a way to define them in the individual case. To treat all other cases, one should either get more training themselves or seek out a professional homeopath. It gives money to the schools and to the homeopaths and doesn't get peole thinking that with a single book one can take care of the world.
In the introduction to his book, David Dancu writes:
I question the statement that there are no good guides to
homeopathic concepts and settle in for the evening with my Close's
Genius of Homeopathy, Roberts' Principles and Art of Cure, and Wright-Hubbard's Brief Study Course in Homeopathy. And before I turn off
light, I'll check to see that Kent's Lectures on Homeopathic Philosophy
and Hahnemann's Organon are still on the shelf.
HOMEOPATHY TODAY
JUNE 1998