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Bach remedies—are they or aren't they…?
British Homoeopathic Journal April 1995, Vol. 84, pp. 108-111
International press abstracts and reviews
Trends in the US market place JAY BORNEMAN In this article the author reviews a report on the US homoeopathic market resulting from a survey of 1600 natural foods retailers chosen at random. The report includes an estimate of the world market for homoeopathy of approximately US $1.15 billion, broken down as France $500million, Germany $250 million, US $200 million, Italy $50million, UK $50 million, Switzerland $35million,and Canada $11. There is no mention of other European and non-European markets like the Netherlands and India. If all these countries were included the market would probably total upwards of $5 billion. The stores stated that their sales had increased by 23% between 1991 and 1992. The most typical medicines are sold for coughs, colds and flu, allergy, sinus congestion, muscle soreness stress and insomnia. Arnica was reported as the best selling remedy. 90% of stores stocked both simplexes and complexes. The figures may represent chicken feed compared to the multinational pharmaceutical giants, but show that the increasing interest being observed here is happening elsewhere in the world too. The state of the homoeopathic industry. Resonance 1994; 16 (3): 23. Thoughts on the vital force JAZZ RASOOL This paper, the first of 2, by a physicist investigates the physical nature of the vital force, said to be the healing art of homoeopathy. It deals with the theoretical background and looks into quantum physics to investigate the bizarre predictions that physicists say makes for the behaviour of matter and mind'. Have I lost you yet? The vital force is the mediator between a homoeopathic medicine and its effective cure or amelioration of an individual's negative state of health. Homoeopaths, when asked to
explain the physical basis of the vital force often resort to concepts related to electricity and magnetism. The author asks if you have ever thought to ask what happens to you physically when you dissolve a homoeopathic medicine under the tongue or massage in a balm on the skin. What physical mechanisms are responsible for bringing about a cure or at least an improvement? I fear we are a long way from cracking that tough nut. Some prospective answers are discussed in the article. Fascinating--but heavy going for a person whose main interests lie at the sharp end with patients. I may give part 2 a miss! Mindyour matter. The Homoeopath 1994; 53: 205-9.
Bach remediesmare they or aren't they...? C. RICHARDSON-BOEDLER The debate on whether Bach remedies should or should not have been included in the new British Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia occupies many late night sessions at meetings and conferences around the country. For my part they definitely are not homoeopathic and should not be there. Bach was essentially a herbalist, and his flower medicines fall somewhere between homoeopathy and herbalism. How's that for sitting on the fence? There are many different brands of flower remedies, such as those from New Zealand, and from California. Bach are the best known in the UK. It has been suggested that some manufacturers are deviating from the original methods of Bach in preparing the remedies. Ms Richardson-Boedler opens with the statement 'My experience is that the Bach remedies not only heal the addressed mental/emotional disturbance, but organise the vital force in terms of clarity and coherence of s y m p t o m a t i c expression in mind and body'. Bach's work began with the observation that some physical treatments were difficult to bear for the patients and not always effec108
Volume 84, Number2, April 1995
tive, and that actually the mind/emotions were the formative factors in disease, determining the symptomatic expression of the disease as well as its response to the administered medicines. In addition to his flower remedies Bach created seven Bowel nosodes
(Proteus, Dysentery, Morgan, Faecalis, Coli, Gaertner and Bacillus No. 7) from samples of the bowel flora. These nosodes were related to h o m o e o p a t h i c r e m e d i e s by the Patersons who established a link between each nosode and certain groups of remedies usually lead by a prominent polychrest. This is an interesting account of the use of Bach remedies, but I found the style with long sentences rather irritating. None the less, a useful contribution to a subject not well understood by many. The catalytic healing effect of Bach remedies in homoeopathic treatment. The Homoeopath 1994; 54: 246-250. More on flower remedies P. MEYER Ms Meyer uses the term ' a l c h e m y ' to describe the action of flower essences. She is in good company for this term is included in the title of a recently published American book entitled The alchemy of healing by Edward Whitmont (Berkely, California.North Atlantic Books 1993). Alchemy as an ancient chemical science with the grand aims of converting base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease and the means to prolong life indefinitely. The power of transforming the common into precious is what flower essences are supposed to possess. Their primary action is to raise consciousness from base to higher lever. She claims that 'they gently and lovingly enhance lives by transforming negative feelings'. The author goes on to define flower essences as 'liquid potentized preparations each carrying a distinct imprint of the character of a particular flower'. Liquid potentized preparations they are n o t - - a t least in Hahnemannian terms. The remedies are made by placing the blooms from certain wild flowers in a bowl half filled with fresh spring water for several hours in the morning sun. A 'mother essence' results and having strained off the flower heads this is mixed with brandy and diluted to give a stock bottle. If your are looking for a gentle introduc-
109 tion to flower remedies---or essences--this article will do the business. Magical flower essences. The Wholistic Practitioner. Winter 1994; 1-4. Antidotes S. CHANDRA PAUL One of the off shoots of the homoeopathic doctrine writes Dr Paul, is its principle of antidoting. In an article published on the subject in 1798 entitled 'Antidotes to some p o w e r f u l v e g e t a b l e s u b s t a n c e s ' Samuel Hahnemann classified antidotes into four groups: a) Evacuation--vomiting, purging b)Enveloping--surrounding a foreign body with an appropriate chemical mass c) Chemically altering--neutralizing an acid or alkaline poison d) Chemically interfering with potential influence on body (e.g. coffee for opium) A short list of medicines and possible antidotes is given. The author outlines a couple of case studies illustrating the use of these medicines. If the repertorization is accurate then the availability of antidotes is academic, but it is good to know that they exist--just in case. Antidotes in Homoeopathy.
Quinquina Homoeopathic Quarterly 1993; 2 (2): 23-6.
Controlled clinical trial and treatment of ENT/respiratory tract infections C. CORNU et al. A preliminary survey was made of homoeopathic physicians to assess the feasibility of a placebo-controlled clinical trial of the treatm e n t of recurrent E N T / r e s p i r a t o r y tract infections in children, the diversity of the drugs prescribed and the acceptability of a clinical trial to homoeopathic physicians. A questionnaire was sent to 237 homoeopathic physicians, asking for details of prescriptions for 10 consecutive children consulting for ENT/respiratory recurrent infections, and for 2 simulated cases. Their views on homoeopathic treatment evaluation were also sought. Only 18 (20%) questionnaires were returned completed. These gave 309 different acute treatments and 422 different preventive treatments for the 10 consecutive patients, and 87 different prescriptions for the simulated cases. A total of 467 different drugs were used. The physicians who replied were in
International press abstracts and reviews
Trends in the US market place JAY BORNEMAN In this article the author reviews a report on the US homoeopathic market resulting from a survey of 1600 natural foods retailers chosen at random. The report includes an estimate of the world market for homoeopathy of approximately US $1.15 billion, broken down as France $500million, Germany $250 million, US $200 million, Italy $50million, UK $50 million, Switzerland $35million,and Canada $11. There is no mention of other European and non-European markets like the Netherlands and India. If all these countries were included the market would probably total upwards of $5 billion. The stores stated that their sales had increased by 23% between 1991 and 1992. The most typical medicines are sold for coughs, colds and flu, allergy, sinus congestion, muscle soreness stress and insomnia. Arnica was reported as the best selling remedy. 90% of stores stocked both simplexes and complexes. The figures may represent chicken feed compared to the multinational pharmaceutical giants, but show that the increasing interest being observed here is happening elsewhere in the world too. The state of the homoeopathic industry. Resonance 1994; 16 (3): 23. Thoughts on the vital force JAZZ RASOOL This paper, the first of 2, by a physicist investigates the physical nature of the vital force, said to be the healing art of homoeopathy. It deals with the theoretical background and looks into quantum physics to investigate the bizarre predictions that physicists say makes for the behaviour of matter and mind'. Have I lost you yet? The vital force is the mediator between a homoeopathic medicine and its effective cure or amelioration of an individual's negative state of health. Homoeopaths, when asked to
explain the physical basis of the vital force often resort to concepts related to electricity and magnetism. The author asks if you have ever thought to ask what happens to you physically when you dissolve a homoeopathic medicine under the tongue or massage in a balm on the skin. What physical mechanisms are responsible for bringing about a cure or at least an improvement? I fear we are a long way from cracking that tough nut. Some prospective answers are discussed in the article. Fascinating--but heavy going for a person whose main interests lie at the sharp end with patients. I may give part 2 a miss! Mindyour matter. The Homoeopath 1994; 53: 205-9.
Bach remediesmare they or aren't they...? C. RICHARDSON-BOEDLER The debate on whether Bach remedies should or should not have been included in the new British Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia occupies many late night sessions at meetings and conferences around the country. For my part they definitely are not homoeopathic and should not be there. Bach was essentially a herbalist, and his flower medicines fall somewhere between homoeopathy and herbalism. How's that for sitting on the fence? There are many different brands of flower remedies, such as those from New Zealand, and from California. Bach are the best known in the UK. It has been suggested that some manufacturers are deviating from the original methods of Bach in preparing the remedies. Ms Richardson-Boedler opens with the statement 'My experience is that the Bach remedies not only heal the addressed mental/emotional disturbance, but organise the vital force in terms of clarity and coherence of s y m p t o m a t i c expression in mind and body'. Bach's work began with the observation that some physical treatments were difficult to bear for the patients and not always effec108
Volume 84, Number2, April 1995
tive, and that actually the mind/emotions were the formative factors in disease, determining the symptomatic expression of the disease as well as its response to the administered medicines. In addition to his flower remedies Bach created seven Bowel nosodes
(Proteus, Dysentery, Morgan, Faecalis, Coli, Gaertner and Bacillus No. 7) from samples of the bowel flora. These nosodes were related to h o m o e o p a t h i c r e m e d i e s by the Patersons who established a link between each nosode and certain groups of remedies usually lead by a prominent polychrest. This is an interesting account of the use of Bach remedies, but I found the style with long sentences rather irritating. None the less, a useful contribution to a subject not well understood by many. The catalytic healing effect of Bach remedies in homoeopathic treatment. The Homoeopath 1994; 54: 246-250. More on flower remedies P. MEYER Ms Meyer uses the term ' a l c h e m y ' to describe the action of flower essences. She is in good company for this term is included in the title of a recently published American book entitled The alchemy of healing by Edward Whitmont (Berkely, California.North Atlantic Books 1993). Alchemy as an ancient chemical science with the grand aims of converting base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease and the means to prolong life indefinitely. The power of transforming the common into precious is what flower essences are supposed to possess. Their primary action is to raise consciousness from base to higher lever. She claims that 'they gently and lovingly enhance lives by transforming negative feelings'. The author goes on to define flower essences as 'liquid potentized preparations each carrying a distinct imprint of the character of a particular flower'. Liquid potentized preparations they are n o t - - a t least in Hahnemannian terms. The remedies are made by placing the blooms from certain wild flowers in a bowl half filled with fresh spring water for several hours in the morning sun. A 'mother essence' results and having strained off the flower heads this is mixed with brandy and diluted to give a stock bottle. If your are looking for a gentle introduc-
109 tion to flower remedies---or essences--this article will do the business. Magical flower essences. The Wholistic Practitioner. Winter 1994; 1-4. Antidotes S. CHANDRA PAUL One of the off shoots of the homoeopathic doctrine writes Dr Paul, is its principle of antidoting. In an article published on the subject in 1798 entitled 'Antidotes to some p o w e r f u l v e g e t a b l e s u b s t a n c e s ' Samuel Hahnemann classified antidotes into four groups: a) Evacuation--vomiting, purging b)Enveloping--surrounding a foreign body with an appropriate chemical mass c) Chemically altering--neutralizing an acid or alkaline poison d) Chemically interfering with potential influence on body (e.g. coffee for opium) A short list of medicines and possible antidotes is given. The author outlines a couple of case studies illustrating the use of these medicines. If the repertorization is accurate then the availability of antidotes is academic, but it is good to know that they exist--just in case. Antidotes in Homoeopathy.
Quinquina Homoeopathic Quarterly 1993; 2 (2): 23-6.
Controlled clinical trial and treatment of ENT/respiratory tract infections C. CORNU et al. A preliminary survey was made of homoeopathic physicians to assess the feasibility of a placebo-controlled clinical trial of the treatm e n t of recurrent E N T / r e s p i r a t o r y tract infections in children, the diversity of the drugs prescribed and the acceptability of a clinical trial to homoeopathic physicians. A questionnaire was sent to 237 homoeopathic physicians, asking for details of prescriptions for 10 consecutive children consulting for ENT/respiratory recurrent infections, and for 2 simulated cases. Their views on homoeopathic treatment evaluation were also sought. Only 18 (20%) questionnaires were returned completed. These gave 309 different acute treatments and 422 different preventive treatments for the 10 consecutive patients, and 87 different prescriptions for the simulated cases. A total of 467 different drugs were used. The physicians who replied were in