First Aid with Homeopathy E-Book

Manuel Mateu i Ratera

• Herausgeber: Narayana
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 1332

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

This book is by far the most elaborate and successful guide to homeopathic first aid and is available in several languages. Manuel Mateu-Ratera, a highly regarded homeopath and specialist in emergency medicine, shares with us the fruits of his many years of clinical study and practice. First Aid with Homeopathy is aimed at both health professionals and people who wish to improve their skills in first aid. It describes most of the accidents which we can encounter in our daily life – at home, at work, practicing sports – as well as in serious emergencies, in extreme sports or in natural catastrophes, with their accompanying homeopathic treatment. Many situations which are not described in other homeopathic first aid books make this book unique, such as deep-sea diving trauma and mountaineering accidents. The author presents both the allopathic and homeopathic approach, and Chinese pressure points which can give immediate relief in many emergency situations. It is a great resource to have at home as well as an ideal travel companion. It covers many situations found on overseas travels, including food poisoning and various bites and stings. It is also condensed enough to take up a limited space in a suitcase or backpack. It is of inestimable use in any medical practice. An exhaustive Materia Medica describes about 200 remedies, combining their characteristics with their essences, according to Scholten, Sankaran, Vithoulkas, and Grandgeorge, among others. “I can highly recommend this book; it has been part of my work for years as a volunteer with ‘Homeopaths Without Borders’. It has travelled with me many times and has been the basis of the homeopathic first aid training in Nicaragua” Dr Maite Bravo - President of the Medical - Homeopathic Academy of Barcelona „Overall this book is an amazing resource for the home as well as a travel companion and a necessity for the clinic. I know I will refer to it frequently. (…) (It) contains a massive amount of information in a compact size. (…) Who is this comprehensive work for? In one word, everyone, be they laymen, traveller, homeopathic student or experienced professional homeopath.” Rochelle Marsden

Leseprobe

Dr Manuel Mateu-Ratera

First Aid with Homeopathy

The ultimate medical guide for travelers and athletes, also covering work-related accidents and major disasters

This book is dedicated to accident victims and their rescuers

To my family, the foundation and pillar of my life, and of this project

IMPRESSUM

Dr Manuel Mateu-Ratera

First Aid with Homeopathy

The ultimate medical guide for travelers and athletes, also covering work-related accidents and major disasters

First English edition: 2016

ISBN: 978-3-95582-121-0

© 2016 Narayana Verlag

Original Title:

Primeros auxilios con homeopatía

Guía médica para viajeros, deportistas, accidentes laborales y grandes catástrofes

Homeopatía & Medicación convencional & Acupuntura.

Medicina Integrativa

© 2014 Narayana Verlag

Translated from the Spanish by Sandra Benassini

Revision: Deborah Collins and Patricia Maché

Cover design: Jordi Valldaura. NYTT studio.

Narayana Verlag

Blumenplatz 2, 79400 Kandern, Germany

Phone [phone]

[email protected]

www.narayana-verlag.com

All rights reserved. Without the written permission of the publisher, no part of this book may be reproduced, duplicated, photocopied, translated or stored in any form by any mechanical, electronic or photographic process, with the exception of short passages for book reviews.

In so far as registered trademarks, trade names and common names are used, the usual protections apply (even if these are not marked as such).

The recommendations in this book have been compiled and checked to the best knowledge of the author and publisher. There is nevertheless no guarantee provided. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be held liable for possible detriment or damage resulting from the instructions in the book.

Contents

Advisory team and collaborators

Foreword by Deborah Collins

Foreword by Maite Bravo

Preface

New in this edition

I. Introduction

1. About homeopathy

2. The Word as therapy. Dr G. Fernández

3. Scientific evidence for homeopathy. Drs S. Abanades and M. Durán

II. Resuscitation – Vital emergencies

1. How to deal with an accident. Protocols. Dr J.M. Soto

2. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Dr J. Vera Moreno

3. Usefulness of homeopathy and acupuncture in emergencies. Dr J. Vera Moreno

4. Vital medical emergencies. Drs J. Vera Moreno, N. Pons, M. Mateu I Ratera

III. Accidents

1. Traumatisms

1.1 Blows and bruises

1.2 Wounds

1.3 Traumatic haemorrhages

1.4 Sprains, strains, tendinitis, and dislocations

1.5 Fractures

1.6 Head injuries

1.7 Spinal injuries

1.8 Dental and maxillofacial injuries

1.9 Eye injuries

A. Mechanical ocular traumas

A.1 Eyelid wounds

A.2 Conjunctival and corneal injuries: punctures, cuts, abrasions, and lacerations

A.3 Foreign bodies

A.4 Ocular contusion from blunt objects, without injury

A.5 Orbital fractures

A.6 Severe eye injuries

A.7 Ocular trauma complications

B. Caustic chemical injuries - Acids and alkalis

C. Thermal burns

D. Radiation injuries

D.1 Snow conjunctivitis

D.2 Headache from sun reflection on snow

E. Functional lesions

E.1 Ocular discomfort from overexertion – accommodative asthenopia

E.2 Dry eyes from looking at bright light

1.10 Ear injuries

1.11 Overexertion complaints

1.12 Traumatic shock

1.13 Complications of accidents and surgery

2. Venomous bites and stings - Rabies

2.1 Insect bites and anaphylactic shock

2.2 Rabid animal bites – prevention of rabies (Hydrophobia)

2.3 Poisonous bites (snakes, spiders…)

3. Thermal, chemical, and radiation injuries

3.1 Thermal and chemical injuries

Burns

Frostbite

Solar lesions

3.2 Radiation injuries

Atomic radiation – radioactivity

3.3 Injuries from electricity and lightning

4. Accidents from decompression

4.1 Mountain sickness

4.2 Dysbarism – diver’s disease

5. Asphyxiation and intoxication from gases

6. Food and toxic products poisoning

6.1 Food poisoning

6.2 Chemical and drug poisoning

7. Motion sickness – Jet lag

8. Emotional traumas

8.1 Ailments from accidents, aggression, losses or anticipation

8.2 From fright and aggressions

8.3 From good or bad news

8.4 From homesickness – travel, exile, war

8.5 From financial, material, work, and status loss

8.6 From excessive worries

8.7 From emotional loss, death of loved ones, and love disappointment

8.8 From anticipation – exams, stage fright…

8.9 From mental, physical or sexual overexertion

8.10 Fainting, apparent death from fright or accidents

8.11 Insomnia after accidents and emotions

9. Prophylaxis for travellers – infectious disease prevention

IV. First aid kits

V. Materia medica

Absinthium

Aconitum napellus

Adrenalinum

Aethusa cynapium

Agaricus muscarius

Agaricus phalloides

Allium cepa

Aloe socotrina

Ambra grisea

Ammonium carbonicum

Amylenum nitrosum

Anacardium orientale

Anas barbariae/Oscillococcinum®

Androctonus

Anthracinum

Antimonium crudum

Antimonium tartaricum

Apis mellifica

Argentum metallicum

Argentum nitricum

Arnica Montana

Arnica composite®

Arsenicum album

Arum triphyllum

Aurum metallicum

Bacillus proteus (Bach)

Badiaga

Baptisia tinctoria

Belladonna

Bellis perennis

Bitis arietans

Borax

Bothrops lanceolatus

Botulinum

Bryonia alba

Bufo rana

Cactus grandiflorus

Cadmium sulphuratum

Caladium

Calcium carbonicum

Calcium phosphoricum

Calcium picricum

Calendula officinalis

Camphora

Cantharis vesicatoria

Capsicum annuum

Carbo animalis

Carbo vegetabilis

Carbolic acid

Castor equi

Causticum

Ceanothus americanus

Cedron

Chamomilla

China officinalis

Chironex fleckeri

Chloralum hydratum

Cicuta virosa

Cimex lectularius

Cimifuga racemosa

Coca

Cocculus

Coffea cruda

Colocynthis

Conchiolinum

Conium maculatum

Crotalus horridus

Culex musca

Cuprum metallicum

Curare

Digitalis purpurea

Diospyros kaki creveld

Echinacea angustifolia

Elaps corallinus

Electricitas

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Euphorbia corollata

Euphorbia polycarpa

Euphrasia officinalis

Ferrum phosphoricum

Ficus benghalensis

Ficus religiosa

Fluoric acid

Gelsemium

Gentiana lutea

Glonoinum

Granitum Murvey

Graphites

Guarea trichiloides

Hamamelis

Hecla lava

Hedeoma puleginoides

Helleborus niger

Hepar sulphur

Hirudo medicinalis

Histaminum

Hydrocyanic acid

Hyoscyamus niger

Hypericum perforatum

Ignatia amara

Indigo tinctoria

Influenzinum

Iodum

Ipecacuanha

Kalium bichromicum

Kalium iodatum

Kreosotum

Lachesis

Lathyrus sativus

Latrodectus mactans

Lecithinum

Ledum palustre

Lobelia cardinalis

Lonicera xylosteum

Lycopodium

Lyssinum (Hydrophobinum)

Magnesium phosphoricum

Mancinella

Mandragora

Marble

Medusa

Mercurialis perennis

Mercurius corrosivus

Mercurius solubilis

Millefolium

Myristica sebifera

Naja tripudians

Naphtalinum

Natrium carbonicum

Natrium muriaticum

Natrium sulphuricum

Nitric acid

Nux moschata

Nux vomica

Opium

Oxalic acid

Petroleum crudum

Phaseolus nanus

Phosphoric acid

Phosphorus

Phytolacca

Plantago major

Platina

Plumbum

Plutonium nitricum

Podophyllum

Pulex irritans

Pulsatilla

Pyrogenium

Radium bromatum

Raphanus sativus

Ratanhia peruviana

Rhus toxicodendron

Ruta graveolens

Sambucus

Scolopendra

Secale cornutum

Selenium

Senega

Sepia officinalis

Silicea

Sol

Solanum malacoxylon

Spigelia

Stannum

Staphisagria

Sticta pulmonaria

Stramonium

Strontium carbonicum

Sulphur

Sulphuric acid

Symphytum officinale

Tabacum

Tarentula cubensis

Tarentula hispanica

Tetanotoxinum

Theridion curassavicum

Thiosinaminum

Thuja occidentalis

Thymolum

Thyreoidinum

Trillium pendulum

Uranium nitricum

Urtica urens

Vanadium

Vanilla

Veratrum album

Veratrum viride

Vespa

Vipera berus

White Marble

X-rays

Zincum metallicum

VI. Bibliography

VII. Indexes

Advisory team and collaborators

Sergio Abanades

Specialist in Clinical Pharmacology. Doctor of Pharmacology. Honorary Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Imperial College London. Clinical Investigator. Homeopathic physician. Master Teacher of Homeopathy, University of Barcelona (UB) - IL3 - Homeopathic Medical Academy of Barcelona (AMHB). Chapter on Scientific Evidence for Homeopathy. Department of Medical Research, Homeopathic Medical Academy of Barcelona.

Carles Amengual

Medical homeopath. Specialist in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Secretary for Education of the International Homeopathic Medical League. AMHB President from 1992 to 2000.

Javier Botella

Mountaineer and intensive care physician. Specialist in mountain medicine. Physician of mountaineering expeditions.

Maite Bravo

Homeopathic doctor (MFHom, London). President of the Academia Médico Homeopática de Barcelona (AMHB). Director of Homeopaths Without Borders (Spain). Projects in Nicaragua, training and assistance in homeopathy. An expert in micro-nutrition and dietetics.

Chantal Chemla

Homeopathic physician. President of the Institut National Homeopatique Français, Paris.

Deborah Collins

I want to thank Deborah Collins for making a thorough revision of the book and for making very valuable homeopathic additions to it.

Jordi Desola

Specialist in Internal medicine, Occupational Medicine, and Sports medicine. Qualification Assistant Professor of Medicine. Director of the Master of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine. Hyperbaric Therapy Unit of the Centre for Underwater Recovery and Research (CRIS-UTH), Barcelona, Spain.

Marta Durán

Specialist in Clinical Pharmacology. Doctor of Medicine. Master’s Degree in Homeopathy. Remedy research. Chapter on Scientific Evidence for Homeopathy. Department of Medical Research Homeopathic Medical Academy of Barcelona. Master Teacher of Homeopathy, University of Barcelona (UB) - IL3 - Homeopathic Medical Academy of Barcelona (AMHB). Chapter on Scientific Evidence for Homeopathy.

Gualberto Díaz

Homeopathic physician. Boiron Laboratories Medical Director. Scientific documentation.

Maria Teresa Falip

Specialist in Gynecology. Master’s Degree in Homeopathy. Secretary of the AMHB. Review and advice.

Gonzalo Fernández

Homeopathic physician. Master Teacher of Homeopathy in the UB-IL3 and AMHB. Brief Strategic Therapy Specialist. Chapter on “The Word as Therapy in Accidents”.

Teresa Forcades

MD and specialist in Internal Medicine and Public Health. Author of “Crimes of the Big Remedy Companies,” Cristianisme i Justicia, Barcelona. 2006, and the video on the swine flu vaccine: “Bells of Influenza A”. Doctor of Theology.

Sílvia García Gómez

Veterinary Specialist in homeopathy and clinical documentation. Address IberHome Scientific Laboratories. Review, documentation and advice.

Josep María García

Homeopathic physician. Professor of Materia Medica of the Master of Homeopathy, UB-IL3 and AMHB. Case reports and advice.

Montserrat Gaya

Medical Ophthalmologist. Master’s Degree in Homeopathy from the IL3-UB-AMHB. Collaborator in the chapter on Eye Injuries.

Cristina Guasp

Homeopathic physician. Pharmacy department, homeopathic at AMHB. Clinical cases.

Jacques Imberechts

President and promoter of European Homeopathy. Homeopathy Internationalis. Provings Committee Director of International Homeopathic Medical League. Advice.

José Eugenio López

Homeopathic physician. Co-director of “Revista Médica de Homeopatía”, Elsevier. Clinical cases.

Patricia Maché

I want to thank Patricia Maché for her great dedication and time consuming work in improving the English translation of my book.

Juan Manuel Marín

Homeopathic physician. Founding member of the European Forum for Vaccine Vigilance. Author of “Vacunaciones sistemáticas en cuestión” Documentation.

Joan Mora

Homeopathic doctor (MFHom London). Director of the “Revista Médica de Homeopatía”, Elsevier. Specialist in childhood immunisation. Founding member of the European Forum for Vaccine Vigilance. Master Teacher of Homeopathy (IL3-UB-AMHB). Documentation, case studies and advice.

Antonio Ortega

Homeopathic physician. ECHR school teacher and Master of Homeopathy, UB-IL3 and AMHB. SEMH member. Case reports and advice.

Josep Ortí

Homeopathic physician and specialist in geriatrics. Clinical cases.

Núria Pons

Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Pyrenees and Aran. Masters in Homeopathy, IL3-UB-AMHB. Emergency hospital experience and assists in 061.

Anton Rañé

Medical Traumatology. Expert mountaineer and specialist in Mountain Medicine.

Clara Roset

Veterinary homeopath. Master in Veterinary Homeopathy IL3-UB-AMHB.

José Luis Rovira

Homeopathic physician and specialist in traumatology.

Josep Maria Soto

Physician Anesthesiologist and Reanimator. Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Generalitat de Catalunya. Fire and Rescue specialist. EMS Manager in the South Barcelona area.

Montserrat Sotomayor

Homeopathic physician.

Jesús Vera

Medical Assistant, General Hospital. Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Vic, Spain. Homeopathic physician and acupuncturist.

Délia Vilà

Specialist in Cosmetic Surgery. Master’s Degree in Homeopathy (IL3-UB-AMHB). Case reports and advice.

Foreword by Deborah Collins

It is often an emergency situation that leads one to discover the effects of homeopathy first hand. The “Arnica-effect”, the surprise that a few small pills can work such wonders, has led countless numbers to apply homeopathy in their everyday lives. Indeed, it is not uncommon to find homeopathic first aid remedies in medicine cabinets, handbags, glove compartments and suitcases of people who might not otherwise consider consulting a homeopath. Homeopathy has long proved its worth in helping people, and also animals, to quickly and effectively recover from traumas of all kinds - from simple bumps, bruises and cuts to severe burns, broken bones, acute inflammations and heart problems. On experiencing its effects, many have gone on to explore the possibilities of homeopathy more widely, either for themselves or for their patients.

Manuel Mateu-Ratera, a highly regarded homeopath and specialist in emergency medicine, shares with us the fruits of his many years of study and practice, as applied not only in his clinic but also in his mountain climbing experience. This manual is the second edition, in which many features and new information have been added, making it more useful than ever. Major emergency situations are covered in detail and many situations which are not described in other homeopathic first aid books have been added, such as deep-sea diving trauma and mountaineering problems and accidents. Manuel describes easily applicable approaches to emergency situations, as well as the problems that can be encountered in dealing with them: remote locations, precautions to be taken by and for the rescuers, transport problems, etc. He then presents various solutions to dealing with the medical problem: standard allopathic approach, homeopathic approach, and, where applicable, insights from Chinese medicine. He has also added a passage on the use of the word in emergency situations, reminding us how important our words and attitudes are to someone in fear for their life. He has taken care to precisely note dosage and frequency of repetition of medications and remedies, and provides clear and easy-to-follow charts for quick reference.

All the homeopathic remedies mentioned in the book are described in the last section, a large materia medica which makes the differentiation between remedies easier. With its up-to-date information from modern sources, it also provides a clear view on many of our well-known as well as little-known remedies, and their use in emergency situations.

Particularly enlightening are the many brief case illustrations scattered with a free hand throughout the book, demonstrating homeopathic first aid in action and in which Manuel’s dedication and firsthand experience are evident. Some research is also added, showing that homeopathy is anything but “unproven” or “unscientific”. Manuel has been assisted by experts from many fields, each enriching the information in their own way. Apart from being a very complete resource, this makes the book a very interesting read.

This book can be read at many levels and could be of great use in many different types of environments. First of all, it is a great resource to have at home, whether or not one is versed in homeopathic or medical practice, as the basics are clearly laid out. Secondly, it is the ideal travel companion, as it covers many dangerous situations found on overseas travels, including food poisoning and various bites and stings. It is also condensed enough to take up a limited space in the suitcase or backpack. And last but certainly not least, it is of inestimable use in any medical practice, adding yet another tool to the kit of practitioners of all sorts, whether homeopathic or otherwise. Manuel’s broad and inclusive approach makes this important work accessible to those who might not feel inclined to study homeopathy but who feel the need for extra resources in their work, be it in the ambulance, the hospital emergency room, the midwife clinic, the dentist office or the operating theatre. After all, many a life has been saved with the use of remedies such as Aconitum and Arnica, and more and more are turning to methods which can help them to help themselves.

It has been a pleasure and a privilege to assist Manuel with this important book – I truly hope that it finds its way into the homes and lives of people from all walks of life, as it has much to teach us.

Deborah Collins

Foreword by Maite Bravo

It is a great pleasure for me to write the foreword for this book for two very important reasons. Firstly, the friendship that binds me to Dr Manuel Mateu-Ratera, whom I have seen evolve over the years and become, without a doubt, one of our best examples of homeopathic practitioners. Secondly, because his capacity for work, study, research, and dedication have made him a great teacher of homeopathy. Furthermore, I would like to emphasise his generosity in sharing with us all the knowledge he has gained over the years. This virtue is an example of how science and research should be of service to humanity.

In 1997, when homeopathy still had not received the recognition or the prestige it currently enjoys, Manuel Mateu-Ratera proved to be a pioneer with the publication of “First Aid with Homeopathy” (1st edition). At that time, books like these which addressed the management of homeopathic remedies in acute situations, were not available. It was a bold gamble, in which he had managed to combine scientific and practical knowledge in first aid with one of his great passions: mountaineering and taking part in an expedition to Mount Everest. As he recounts in his first book, the expeditions in which he took part provided a source of experience, a practical application of knowledge from many sources and hence, the acquisition of new ones. Accordingly, we find the essence of knowledge: knowledge, practice, experience for gathering more knowledge and above all, information and sharing. This should be the spirit of the “Doctor”.

This new book is an updated manual, rich with new experiences. It is a quick and precise guide for handling emergency situations we can come across. With this manual, we have the opportunity to learn how to treat anything from small domestic accidents to situations that may endanger our life or that of others.

The book is intended for all doctors, homeopaths or not, who want to have a practical manual at hand. It is understandable and clear. New chapters have been added, which enrich the manual. It also teaches us to “use the best of medical technology, to act safely, quickly, and effectively.”

Finally, I can recommend the book knowingly, since its first edition has been part of my work for years as a volunteer with “Homeopaths Without Borders”. It has travelled with me many times and has been the basis of the homeopathic first aid training “Health Promoters Somotillo-Nicaragua”. I can vouch for its rigour and practical effectiveness. It can effectively be an elementary treatise for medical and nursing carers.

Maite Bravo

President of the Academia Médico Homeopática de Barcelona (AMBH).

Preface

“Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses avoid them.” Albert Einstein

…And the rest of us mortals, provoke them, suffer the consequences, and do our best to solve them.

As I finished this edition, my daughter Celia asked me: “Why are you interested in writing a book about First Aid?” Several reasons came to mind. The first one was the powerful influence of Dr Pietro Bassi of Courmayeur, the mountain physician who taught me the basis of traumatology, resuscitation, and rescue techniques for mountain and road accidents, and with whom I shared six months of work. The second reason, which influenced me greatly, was the experience of living through terrible mountain accidents, where people were saved in extremis. Some accidents were unforeseeable, being either the consequence of taking risks or from nature’s unpredictable forces: serac (block of ice) falling, avalanches or cracks in the glaciers. Others were due to recklessness. Looking back, I can recall one experience that scarred me deeply; an accident I was responsible for. Climbing to the top of Pedraforca, by the Verdet, with a group of family and friends, I took a detour in the final portion of the climb and kept on going through a very steep path that required climbing using my hands. Several youngsters followed me; they considered this path fun and daring, and apparently without danger – among them was Oriol. I did not discourage them, on the contrary, I felt flattered, and we kept on going. Oriol’s father, Lluís, had been my guide in Pedraforca when I was fifteen years old. We were climbing a relatively easy rocky part, when a block of rock detached from the mountain and Oriol fell. We were free climbing and were not using ropes; a thoughtless act. Oriol started rolling down, passed over rugged terrain, and missed multiple landings without stopping. Finally, when he reached a much wider landing, he stopped. If he had continued his fall, some thirty metres further, a vertical precipice would have awaited him at the base of the main channel. His guardian angel, luck or simply destiny, helped to avoid the fatal fall. When he stopped on that landing, he was conscious; he talked and moved slowly. Everybody helped with the rescue and a helicopter took him to the hospital. The shame and guilt I felt at my own reckless decision involving young, trusting people have lasted till this day.

I told Celia: “I think this book was born from my unconscious as a way to overcome accidents, to teach others to avoid them, and tackle the assistance in accidents successfully.”

That was a painful lesson I learned, for I was the adult and was supposed to be aware of my responsibilities. I had also been very reckless, and my irresponsible behaviour had affected others. Accordingly, my position in this manual cannot be that of the expert who advises caution from a point of reason, common sense, and wise prudence but rather from the recognition that any one of us can be the cause of accidents, which can deeply affect others.

To prevent further accidents, it is crucial to know one’s own limits, as well as the risks that terrains pose. This is my deepest wish.

Once we are motivated, learning these first aid techniques and applying the knowledge of basic medicine in each situation will allow us to help others be effective, avoid intense suffering, and ultimately save lives.

New in this edition

The loyalty and perseverance of the publishers in Spanish (Editorial Kairos) and German (Hahnemann Institute), have kept the first edition alive, through multiple reprints. Life is however ever-changing and evolving. Fifteen years after the release of the first edition, I have been receiving feedback from readers, which has been vital in the writing of this second edition. Their experiences have once again nourished this book, which continues to be a guide in the case of accidents, severe or minor. Moreover, the continuous learning inherent to our profession, such as live experiences of new cases and concerns about improving the effectiveness of each prescription, has led me to encounter very interesting solutions. In this quest, I have been fortunate to be able to expand the quantity and quality of the professional advisory team, to improve the vision and rigour of the new information, and we can feel fortunate to have them all in this issue. Moreover, the offer from Narayana Publishers to take over the Spanish, French, and English editions has been very good news for the better dissemination of this manual. And, as always, the Hahnemann Institute, which continues with the publication of the German edition, remains the cornerstone in the dissemination of this manual.

Another important aspect that we have raised has been the incorporation of conventional medicine, useful in cases of resuscitation and first aid. We have also incorporated the description of the main acupuncture points, in order to treat primarily serious emergency resuscitation processes, electromechanical dissociation, and acute pain, among others. Our intention is to use the best of medical technology, to act safely, quickly, and efficiently. What guides us is the intention to assist the victim with the best means of each technique, which could be labelled as first aid or integrative first aid.

In this edition, we have added new chapters that we found useful for the user:

•How to deal with an accident. Protocols: Dr J. Mª. Soto, in charge of resuscitation and rescue specialist, anesthesiologist and rescuer, is responsible for the Emergency Medical System Operative in Barcelona.

•Measures of Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Basic and Advanced Life Support (BLS and ALS), Automatic defibrillation (AED), and usefulness of homeopathy and acupuncture in emergencies: in charge of resuscitation and a specialist in rescue situations, Dr Jesús Vera is also a specialist in homeopathy and acupuncture. This section introduces the acupuncture and acupressure points, which are more useful and quick to execute during resuscitation, cases of electromechanical dissociation and pain management.

•Vital medical emergency: this is a new chapter, which includes a comparison chart, major life-threatening medical emergencies, treatment with conventional medication, homeopathic medication, acupuncture points of resuscitation, and resuscitation techniques. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) specialists, Dr Jesús Vera and Dr Núria Pons have worked closely on this chapter. This resource can help you use and combine the best of each treatment for optimal results. This approach to resusciation is probably a novelty in the publishing world.

•The word as therapy – a useful tool to assist the injured: a chapter developed by Dr Gonzalo Fernández, experienced homeopathic physician and specialist in Brief Strategic Therapy. An interesting contribution on the best way to deal with a panic attack, and to help the injured participate in his own rescue ... an easy and simple addition in any conflictual situation.

• We have updated the documentation about Homeopathy based on scientific evidence studies, by two experienced specialists in remedy research, Drs. Sergio Abanades and Marta Durán: a very complete and useful chapter for researchers and specialists, with an extensive bibliography.

•Dysbarism – diver’s disease: this section includes a description, homeopathic and conventional treatment, and baseline data of hyperbaric oxygen therapy units. It also includes the expert assistance of Dr Jordi Desola, who generously allowed us to use his studies on physiology and pathogenesis of dysbaric diseases.

•Jet lag: characteristics, prevention, and treatment options of this increasingly current issue.

•Prophylaxis for travellers: a vital new chapter, which includes the prevention and treatment of common infectious diseases while travelling around the world, both with homeopathic treatment, such as homeoprophylaxis, and with conventional vaccines. This chapter, extensive and complex, has been developed with the participation of the advisory team mentioned in the beginning. The basic idea is to provide the reader with conventional treatment measures (vaccination, chemoprophylaxis), and homeopathic treatment options (homeoprophylaxis and isopathic vaccine nosodes), in addition to a detailed report of the disease and its risks. We believe this approach is new or little considered in homeopathic literature. We made a comparative summary for all the options available to the traveller, with each of the diseases in the area of concern. The reader will therefore have all the information and be able to choose the option he deems most appropriate.

• The chapter on Radiation injuries has been extensively revised and expanded, including new remedies and herbal medicines.

• The chapter on Food and toxic products poisoning has been expanded by adding a summary table with homeopathic antidotes, isopathic remedies, chemical and conventional medicine. It is being considered as a new publication on this topic.

• Added to the materia medica are 64 new remedies, in addition to the 128 of the first edition.

•Information about symptoms and medications listed in the repertory has been introduced in most chapters to extend the knowledge of experienced professionals. We considered that we should respond to the complexity of the reactions in accidents with an enlarged map of choice for the best remedy; information, which, as known to those skilled in homeopathy, is very helpful when the prescription fails.

• The structure and documentation of modern emergency medicine assistance has been renewed, analysing the rescuer-reanimator’s basic reference manuals. Among the most important, are:

∘ Accident and Emergency Medicine. Jiménez-Murillo/Montero-Perez. Elsevier, 2010. Considered the “bedside book” in emergency medicine and resuscitation, in Spanish.

∘ Emergency Medicine: Concepts and clinical practice. Elsevier, 2003/Rosen’s Emergency Medicine. Marx, Hockberger and Walls. Elsevier, 2006. One of the most extensive and detailed treatises documented in English.

• And, finally, the Quick guide has been placed and revised at the beginning of each chapter to give a quick overview in case of emergency consultation, which can be expanded and completed later in the same chapter, as required.

• A version for Smartphone (iPhone, Android), and a tablet (iPad ...) is being prepared to provide accurate indications of the Quick guide in every situation, with links that will be expanded as the user needs more information: from the simplest to the most complete, with the possibility to access more pictures and instructional videos.

• This is a book in progress, which will continue to improve with input, suggestions, and cured cases that you all may have.

Manuel Mateu-Ratera

I

INTRODUCTION

1. About homeopathy

To introduce homeopathy in first aid is to improve the therapeutic efficacy and potential recovery of the injured. The speed of action and safety of homeopathic remedies give the rescuer a first order therapeutic tool that can successfully complement conventional techniques in the treatment of accidents. In this edition, we have expanded the therapeutic tools with the acupuncture and acupressure resuscitation sections. The evolution of this manual will help in the way of representing the most useful techniques for resuscitation from any point of view.

This involves introducing a new concept in the field of healing: the best way to cure is achieved by stimulating the responsiveness of the organism itself. This is elementary in the field of first aid: the administration of adequate homeopathic remedies to an injured person can not only improve his odds, but can quicken his recovery, avoiding further suffering and complications.

In my own experience, I have seen the speed of action and absence of side effects resulting from homeopathy. I feel the need to share this knowledge with people dedicated to first aid and with all those who, at a time in their life, may have to attend an injured person. Its proper use can prevent suffering, shorten the recovery period, and avoid the risk of undesirable effects of conventional medicines in hypersensitive patients.

Throughout this book, we see how the remedy Ledum cured the intense itching caused by the bite of a sea spider in a few minutes, and how Hypericum decreased the intense eye pain caused by an accidental poke in the eye, when our patient was looking for snails during a rainy afternoon, in a few hours. We will also see how quickly Cantharis relieved the burning and stinging from sunburn and burns caused by hot oil, and finally, how Arnica helped resolve multiple rib contusions in a climber who fell more than 6000m in the Himalayas, allowing him to reach the top three days later.

The topics discussed in this book are related to accidents, traumas, and all types of injuries that may originate from accidental causes, whether physical, chemical, biological or emotional.

As you get used to practising first aid and treatment with homeopathic remedies, you will realise its usefulness and effectiveness. That is when the availability of a first aid kit with homeopathic remedies will become necessary and fully satisfying in any emergency.

The first aid kit, as detailed at the end of this text, should be present in all homes, schools, workplaces, and sports centres. It may also be of great use with groups of hikers, climbers or adventurers, in their risky travels through inhospitable and dangerous land. As we have expanded in this edition the chapters on radioactivity, poisoning, and travel remedies, specialised kits may be useful for international rescue teams and the military force of any country. These kits can prove to be very effective and useful tools. Like any tool, when used correctly, the homeopathic kit can provide a greater degree of autonomy to the rescuer and, in expert hands, can save the life of victims in extremely serious situations. For travellers who go to the tropics, the kit should be expanded to include specific homeopathic antidotes for poisonous animals.

The accident

Most accidents occur unexpectedly; the surprise factor is predominant in accidents. As rescuers, however, accidents should not catch us by surprise. Having appropriate training in resuscitation of the injured and always carrying a first aid kit (be it on motorways or on roads away from civilisation) can make a difference in the quality and speed of recovery of an injured person and, in extreme cases, the difference between life and death. In an accident, you may feel the greatest sense of isolation in the midst of a major urban area, far away from a phone or trapped on a blocked highway. In these circumstances, a complete homeopathic kit, first-line remedies for rescue and resuscitation, and skills in acupuncture, can be helpful for starting treatment while awaiting the arrival of rescue teams.

The meaning of accidents (psychosomatic interpretation)

It may be useful to recall the outlook that psychosomatic medicine has on accidents. The interpretations that follow are less applicable when the accident is due to third parties or for causes that are quite external. These interpretations help us understand that the accident is not simply a result of “bad luck”, but, in reality, is due to impetuosity, lack of care or to an obsession that has disconnected us from the instinct of prudence, which protects us. The accident can be a warning or an alarm signal, like those represented by the symptoms of a disease.

It is likely that accidents of casual appearance, or otherwise known as “accidental”, are not due to chance, but a response to an unconscious motive. As stated by Jack Lawson in his book on the psychosomatic symbolism of the human body:

“... what accidents achieve is also comparable to the benefits of disease: to stop and pay more attention to ourselves. [...] The injury is always a warning sign, and its severity depends on many different factors, generally so subjective that our consciousness is unable to understand them. An injury is a nonverbal message, like the punch we deliver on the table for others to be quiet, or the growl of the dog that warns us that we are nearing his territory. [...] Accidents, such as serious illnesses, always involve a change in our lives. Many times, our unconscious forces us to face a change that we dare not consciously do.” (Lawson, 1992)

According to psychosomatic theories, in order to correctly interpret an accident, it is very important to assess what part of the body has been affected and, therefore, what the injured part symbolises. The meaning and consequences are different in a head injury than in a cut or a burn on a hand. In approaching the meaning of an accident, as Lawson says: “...once the symbolism of the part concerned is known, we can act like real detectives: what or who benefited from the accident?”

Accordingly, if we know the answer to this question, we will have the answer as to why the accident happened. The subsequent use of this information depends on the therapeutic orientation and depth of action that the doctor may want or be able to achieve.

What is homeopathy?

Homeopathy is based on recognising the body’s innate ability to stay healthy, to self-regulate its functions and automatically react to external aggression with the aim of restoring health. This capacity is the vis medicatrix naturae of the ancient Greeks, which contains all living organisms and represents the healing power of nature itself. Nonetheless, this quality is limited. Homeopathy is involved in this natural effort of organising, unblocking, and stimulating the body to finally achieve effective restoration of health.

Homeopathy is involved in this process of healing by stimulating the immune system’s defensive reactions, all systems of nervous regulation, acting in favour of the body, and never against the symptoms, as conventional medicine does. Accordingly, homeopathic remedies accelerate, stimulate, and direct the healing process of the living being.

The principle of similars

This process of stimulating the body can be carried out by the remedy administration technique, gentle and simple, which is based on the so-called principle or Law of Similars. This principle defines that the most appropriate medication to cure any disease is that substance, which, when given to healthy people, produces the same or similar symptoms needed to be cured in the patient. This is the reason that, before any substance can be administered as a homeopathic remedy, it needs to be experienced in healthy subjects, in low and repeated doses, through a process called “provings”. Hippocrates wrote: “By applying the similar, a disease occurs, and by applying the same, it cures” and “cholera is cured with white hellebore, which can, moreover, provoke it” (which produces similar poisoning effects: Veratrum album). The principle of the similar was actually born with Hippocrates.

The work done during the last two centuries, collecting data from provings, describes the effects of more than 1,500 natural substances. The encyclopaedia of Constantine Hering, The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica, consisting of ten volumes of about five hundred pages each – a truly encyclopaedic work, which surprises by its thoroughness and accuracy – is one of the most important data bases in pharmacological homeopathy. The original therapeutic principles of homeopathy are contained in Samuel Hahnemann’s book, Organon of the Healing Art, written 200 years ago (Hahnemann, 1985).

The eminent immunologist, Von Behring, realised the close relationship between immunology and homeopathy: “Indeed, what else causes the epidemiological immunity in sheep vaccinated against anthrax than the influence previously exerted by a virus similar in character to that of a fatal anthrax virus? And by what technical term could we more appropriately speak of this influence exerted by a similar virus than by Hahnemann’s word “homoeopathy”?”(Orthodox medicine’s use of the law of similars - Immunology and serum therapy) - (Coulter, 1980; Inglis, 1964).

The homeopathic repertory, an essential aid

To carry out this precise search for the most similar remedy, the homeopathic specialist relies on deep knowledge of the main remedies, through the consultation of repertories containing the comprehensive and complete collection of all medications produced, which, in turn, can cure all core symptoms of the disease. For example, with a patient suffering from headaches before a storm, one would look under “Head”, the symptom “pain before a storm”, and find seven remedies that, in order of importance, are: Phosphorus, Natrium carbonicum, Rhododendron, Sepia, Silicea, Bryonia, and Lachesis. This greatly enhances the selection of the remedy.

The main repertories used come from the American homeopath James T. Kent, with its extended version by the Swiss Künzli and the German Barthel, and from the computer versions also extended: Synthesis (under the Radar program of Archibel, Belgium, led by Dr Frederik Schroyens) and Complete (under the programme MacRepertory, developed by Roger van Zandvoort and the American team of homeopaths led by David Warkentin).

The work done by the physician to find a remedy for each case requires time and thought. The process of observation and synthesis is sometimes very laborious, given the complexity of the symptoms that are considered most characteristic. Moreover, the existence of a range of therapeutic possibilities is to be analysed in detail for more accurate diagnosis of the remedy. There are many homeopathic remedies with apparently similar symptomatology, but only the simillimum will heal in each case. Experience shows that a wrong remedy has no effect on the patient or, at most, will alter or halt his symptoms temporarily, without acting curatively. Accordingly, homeopathic medical work requires good perception, a clear mind and an absence of laziness in the detailed evaluation of the patient. Each case must be considered a new case, for experience continually enriches the flow of medical data. Nonetheless, it will not apply automatically in similar cases and we must remain alert in assessing the uniqueness of each case. This effort is what makes homeopathy difficult to implement, but also extremely attractive, especially when the patient and the physician are rewarded with a positive reaction to the remedy.

Experimentation with cinchona bark and other examples

The proving of a medicinal substance in order to demonstrate the effects took place with Dr Samuel Hahnemann, in 1792, over two hundred years ago. Translating Cullen’s materia medica, Hahnemann noticed the explanation of the effectiveness of Peruvian bark in intermittent fevers. According to Cullen, its effectiveness was due to its “tonic and astringent effect on the stomach”. Doubting this rationale, Hahnemann deduced that the explanation linked the remedy effects with the symptoms of the diseases they could cure. The possibility arose that this relationship was the ability to produce, on experimentation, similar symptoms to the disease sought to be cured. Thus, he addressed in his writings, which are contained in the work of his biographer, Richard Haehl:

“Substances which produce some kind of fever (very strong coffee, pepper, arnica, ignatia-bean, arsenic) counteract these types of intermittent fever. I took, for several days, as an experiment, four drams of good china twice daily. My feed and finger tips, etc., at first became cold ; I became languid and drowsy ; then my heart began to palpitate ; my pulse became hard and quick ; an intolerable anxiety and trembling (but without a rigor) ; prostration in all the limbs ; the pulsation in the head, redness of the cheeks, thirst ; briefly, all the symptoms usually associated with intermittent fever appeared in succession, yet without the actual rigor. To sum up : all those symptoms which to me are typical of intermittent fever, as the stupefaction of the senses, a kind of rigidity of all joints, but above all the numb, disagreeable sensation which seems to have its seat in the periosteum over all the bones of the body - all made their appearance. This paroxysm lasted from two to three hours every time, and recurred when I repeated the dose and not otherwise. I discontinued the medicine and I was once more in good health. Peruvian bark, which is used as a remedy for intermittent fever, acts because it can produce symptoms similar to those of intermittent fever in healthy people.” (Haehl, 1985)

There are many examples of substances that act similarly, which coincide in their use in traditional and homeopathic remedies:

•Immunotherapy (shots) and serums therapeutics are well known.

•Allergy testing uses extracts of pollen, dust, and other allergens to desensitise the patient, in a clear application of the Law of Similars.

• Using other remedies based on the principle of Similars: Colchicum, from which colchicine is extracted to treat gout, produces many gout symptoms in homeopathic provings. So, administered repeatedly to patients, it produces acute arthritis symptoms similar to those of gout, “tingling in the big toe as if asleep, pain in the left big toe as if inflamed,” and so on.

Digitalis, or digital, has been and is used as a remedy for over two centuries to treat problems resulting from heart failure. It also produces numerous cardiac symptoms in homeopathic provings: “Slow irregular heartbeat, pulse slow and weak, pulse intermittent, jerky, slow”.

Belladonna, from which atropine is extracted, was discovered in 1920; it was found effective, in small doses, to treat infant colic. Symptoms of colic appear in homeopathic provings of Belladonna, and it has been used repeatedly to treat colic in infants with febrile seizures and delirium.

Nitroglycerin, known in homeopathy as Glonoinum, was introduced by Dr Constantine Hering. He found that by administering it to healthy people, it produced a series of cardiac symptoms that led him to use it to treat angina and other heart problems.

Application of radiotherapy and chemotherapy used to cure or alleviate cancer, also have carcinogenic properties.

The ergot derivatives (methysergide, ergotamine) used to treat migraines can also cause them.

How does homeopathy work?

As I was preparing a clinic session about fever at the hospital, I was surprised to find in Harrison’s Textbook of Internal Medicine, (one of the most publicised textbooks on internal medicine: Harrison, 1983), the explanation of fever as a defense mechanism that sets in motion an increasing immunological response and the facilitation of the removal of aggressive microbes.

Reviewing previous editions, I realised that this was the first edition which explained fever from this point of view, with input from biochemical and microscopic data. This surprised me, frankly, given that Harrison’s is a conventional medical text that regards fever as a symptom to be eradicated instead of a defensive mechanism. I now began to consider its usefulness, understanding the complicated mechanisms that it sets in motion. Excellent! This is the beginning of understanding disease, to understand that the symptoms are our body’s defense mechanism in dealing with a previous imbalance. Herein lies the difference between conventional medicine and homeopathy.

While conventional medicine treats the symptom as a manifestation that must be eradicated, homeopathy interprets symptoms as reactive and defensive expressions of the organism that we have to bring back into balance, called homeostasis.

The homeopathic physician observes the symptoms of the disease, but also analyses the reactions of the organism to the environment, its character and constitution, and investigates emotional causes that may have influenced the person prior to the onset of the disease. Take the case of a child during an asthma attack. A conventional doctor administers remedies that counteract bronchospasm (salbutamol, corticosteroids), and will later propose allergy testing. A homeopath will analyse the type of crisis, which factors improve and aggravate it, what time it appears, the type of sputum, the colour, but, mostly, the patient’s mental state, mood, and reactions, as well as physical or emotional precipitating causes, including weather.

Conventional medicine administers a bronchodilator inhaler to the same child, sometimes cortisone as a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-asthmatic, and probably a batch of vaccines if the allergy tests prove positive. The crisis will be temporarily resolved. We will notice some side effects from the medications, and they may not prevent future relapses that, in some cases, are very intense and require re-hospitalisation. Allergy shots, in a considerable percentage, do not affect the evolution of the disease, except in some cases where the asthmatic manifestation improves.

However, if this same child receives the appropriate homeopathic remedy given in very low doses, it will cause a healing reaction. This reaction is triggered by a homeopathic remedy, which, in material doses, may cause an asthma attack. That is why the medication has to be administered at very low doses in order to stimulate the opposite reaction. The homeopathic remedy is not a vaccine, but its principle is similar to that of vaccines: the administration of a substance which will stimulate the body’s defences. If we want to call it a vaccine, we should point out that this is a “tailor-made vaccine”; tailored to each particular constitution and with general effects that go beyond creating defenses against infection. Each patient will require a different type of medication appropriate to their particular way of experiencing an asthma attack.

For each patient, each disease is different

Herein lies another difference between the two ways of treating patients. Conventional medicine insists on classifying patients by disease groups which correspond to an automatic default treatment. The physician’s work is based on analysing symptoms, staging the disease, and administering the appropriate medication or therapy. The homeopathic physician, on the other hand, after having classified the disease, must investigate and classify the type of reaction the patient has: their particular way of experiencing the disease.

To a conventional physician, having inflamed tonsils could mean “acute tonsillitis”, and he will therefore administer to all patients who meet this diagnosis, oral or intramuscular penicillin as the first medicine of choice, except for those allergic to penicillin, who will probably receive other antibiotics (e.g. erythromycin).

The homeopathic physician, facing the same inflamed tonsils, may wonder: “What kind of inflammation is that?” He then will have to continue his research to classify inflamed tonsils within a subgroup that takes into account the patient’s way of reacting, laterality (right or left side), the influence of the temperature of drinks and food, the precise type of pain it causes (stinging, burning, raw, etc.), the type and times of fever, previous emotional or climatic causes that preceded it, and the patient’s particular mental state during the illness. Knowing this, he must select one remedy that fits all of these symptoms within the group of possible remedies. We seek “a specific remedy”, selecting the one that most closely matches the patient’s particular way of expressing or experiencing tonsillitis. Only then, with the most similar remedy, the simillimum, will the body react quickly, smoothly, and efficiently.

The homeopath’s job is much more extensive and complex. The homeopathic physician cannot afford to “drive on autopilot” and try the same remedy routinely for the same disease, as conventional medicine does. Doing so, he would fail miserably. The homeopathic physician needs to rack his brain a little more. On reaching the basic diagnosis, he must search for the best remedy choice for each case. It is a much more complex and difficult task, but very satisfying when you get quick and lasting results.

Regulation versus suppression

The suppression of symptoms by opposite-acting remedies (anti-acids, anti-allergic, anti-arrhythmic, anti-depressants, anti-overheating, anti-biotic, anti-diarrhoeal, anti-convulsants, anti-cough, anti-spasmodic, etc.) seems to apparently erase and cancel the symptoms but, in reality, they only serve to deepen the disease. The opposite action on a symptom, regardless of whether it takes the whole organism into consideration, may temporarily cancel the manifestations but will not erase the disorder or the cause of the disease. Consequently, the disease deepens and becomes more difficult to cure, reaching extremes of incurability if suppression is continued. In other words: watch out!

Homeopathic treatment is the opposite of suppression, since it does not suppress the symptom but stimulates the functional balance of the body, gradually obliterating progressive diseases in a completely natural way. It works from the inside out, moving to less important organs, providing a balance and general well-being as proof of its success.

During the homeopathic treatment, the patient can notice that a previously suppressed eruption recurs. This phenomenon is a good sign and confirms that the disease undoes itself and eventually disappears. In some cases, flu-like discomfort, fever, malaise or headache may appear during early treatment. These are transient and signify that the body is initiating a vigorous healing reaction. This is observed in some vaccine reactions as well.

Seeing the whole patient

Another feature of homeopathy is the global view of the patient. The smallest wart has a meaning and a relationship with the whole, with the constitution, and the physical and emotional characteristics of the person.

This holistic view of disease and the human body is not new. Since ancient times, the world has oscillated between two ways of assessing existence; the materialistic, reductionist, and analytical way, which dissects reality to see it under the microscope, believing only in what can be seen and touched, and the dynamic or integrative view, which views life as a whole, integrated and related to the intangible life force, which cannot be seen or touched by any of the more sophisticated diagnostic equipment available today. Only abstraction, synthesis, and intuition can appreciate this quality of life.

In the body, one must make sense of an inflammation, the usefulness of diarrhoea, mucus drainage, vomiting, and pain in a joint hindering movement that protects from greater mechanical injury, or a neuralgia which emerges as a form of emotional stress that affects the nervous system itself.

We have to understand the causes of depression, of any mental disorder, and investigate the environment and the patient’s emotional life (work, family, social, and emotional stress), and understand which remedy is best suited to their functional, physical and mental characteristics and can best stimulate their innate ability to react and cure.

Continuing with the example of asthma attacks, we see how three different cases are treated according to their characteristics:

• The first patient has asthma attacks after midnight, around 2am in the morning, with severe shortness of breath requiring him to sit up and cough. He has frequent thirst for small quantities, cold sweats, great prostration, restlessness, anxiety, agitation, and despair. He will only respond adequately to the remedy Arsenicum.

• The second patient also had asthma attacks at night, but later, between 2 and 4am. The asthma forces him to sit with his feet out of bed, with his elbows on his knees, holding his head, sweating profusely. He is weak and fears to be alone; he needs companionship. He is easily startled by any noise or touch, with a sensation of anxiety in his stomach. He has the characteristic swelling in the inner corner of the eyelids. He will effectively respond to the medication Kalium carbonicum. As a differential diagnosis, the medical expert will also consider Medorrhinum.

• The third patient is an asthmatic teenager, sweet-natured, but sensitive and restless. She adapts to her environment without protest, suppressing her anger so as not to disturb others. She suffers colds that are complicated by a choking cough, followed by wheezing and shortness of breath, especially when lying down. Our patient is worse from warmth in closed rooms, and is better in open air and open windows. This patient will respond rapidly to the remedy Pulsatilla.

We could go on showing dozens of different clinical cases requiring different remedies, but with the same clinical diagnosis of bronchial asthma. All are healed without the use of bronchodilators or cortisone or vaccines, as demonstrated by Dr Anna Pla’s research published in the British Homoeopathic Journal: about 26 cases of bronchial asthma treated with homeopathy, a study which earned her the first prize for clinical research in 1992, from the National Board of Homoeopathic Examiners, United States (Pla, 1992).

Scope of homeopathy

Homeopathy is indicated in the following situations:

•Chronic diseases: this is the biggest challenge of medicine and the field of action where homeopathy is demonstrating its effectiveness. Chronic diseases defined by conventional medicine as permanent and incurable can be gradually restored to health by homeopathic remedies, if carefully managed. This is the most difficult field of action in homeopathy and therefore requires the work of an expert homeopath.

•Acute diseases: prescription of the right remedy can solve in a short time, without side effects, acute situations that can range from neuralgia, migraine attack or sore throat, to major complications, such as pneumonia or serious infectious gastroenteritis. It is also suitable in the treatment of cardiac or cerebral vascular accidents, such as myocardial infarction or hemiplegia, but the care of these patients should be performed in specialised hospital units and under the guidance of expert homeopaths.

•Prevention of relapse: providing better emotional and biological balance, homeopathic treatment maintains a state that acts as optimal defense against other environmental, epidemic, and emotional stresses. It improves the general state and immune systems of patients with autoimmune diseases or cancer; it may prevent recurrence, making the illness less intense and improving the prognosis.

•Complementary in surgery and traumatology: when the disease, accident or trauma require surgical intervention, homeopathic treatment can supplement its action by treating the anxiety, shock, risk of infection, pain, and complications secondary to surgery. It improves healing and prevents further infections.

•First aid: this is the least known scope, but with great potential for application. Many patients already use homeopathic Arnica for trauma, bruises, and soreness from overexertion. Calendula is also used for healing and disinfecting wounds, Ledum or Urtica urens for insect bites, etc. The scope and possibilities of homeopathic remedies in the event of accidents and first aid are extraordinary. In town, in the countryside, on the beach, the mountains, tropical jungle or in the desert, homeopathic remedies can be used to great advantage. The selection of the remedy and its implementation is much simpler than in chronic diseases and can be done by anyone. It is therefore interesting to disseminate this knowledge to as many people as possible, so that they may use the indications and the kit to help others in a fast and effective manner.

I think it is interesting to enrich popular culture again by introducing the possibilities of homeopathic treatment. During the last decades, the ancestral culture of knowledge in dealing simply with accidents and illness in everyday life has been lost, increasing our dependence on specialisation and modernisation of medicine. The recovery of this knowledge would provide greater autonomy and a greater ability to solve the most basic health problems.

Preparation of the homeopathic remedies

Homeopathic remedies are made from any substance of nature, whether mineral, vegetal or animal, which has medicinal properties and is tested in healthy volunteers. This means that homeopathy has nothing to do with herbal or natural medicine, as many believe. No, homeopathy has absolutely nothing to do with phytotherapy (herbal treatment) or with natural or naturopathic medicine. Nonetheless, they all share some principles concerning hygiene and the concepts of health.

Homeopathy is based on a specific and well-defined pharmacological technique: the administration of remedies under the basic principle of the Law of Similars. The medicinal substance has undergone a process of progressive dilutions and succussions that makes it safer and more powerful in order to be used as a homeopathic remedy or “similar”. Let’s take Mercurius solubilis; this remedy is prepared from mercury. However, successive triturations of the pure metal, followed by progressive dilutions of 1 drop in 9 drops of water in a decimal scale (D) and 1 drop in 99 drops in a centesimal scale (C) produce different potencies of the remedy, where each new dilution and succussion progressively increase the remedy strength. This process is repeated as many times as needed and is called potentisation or dynamisation. For example, the potentisation of 30C (centesimal) is the result of the process of diluting one drop of Mercurius in 99 drops of water, succussing the new dilution 100 times and repeating this process 30 times. Therefore, the 30C Mercurius is the result of 30 times diluting one part in 99 of water, and succussing 3000 times altogether.

Using dynamisations

Low potencies, between 6 and 15D or C, are used to treat local, acute, and very superficial disorders; medium and high dynamisations, between 30 and 200C and 1000 (1M) to 10,000 (10M) Korsakov Centesimal method, are used in major and severe disorders. Hahnemannian dynamisations (C) are diluted one drop in 99 drops, succussed 100 times, each time changing the container. The Korsakov method (K or CK), proceeds in the same way, but without changing the container. C dynamisations appear to be more powerful in practice than CK. Dr. Coral Mateo, veterinary homeopath, has proved this difference administering remedies to animals, in which the placebo effect is minimal, and the reaction is very clear.

There is also a special scale called fifty-thousandth (Q or LM), in which the processing is more complex; it is shorter-acting but works more deeply and is normally reserved for the treatment of chronic diseases. It is administered repeatedly in aqueous solution. That kind of dilution is equally useful, if not more, in the treatment of acute illnesses and first aid but, as it has to be taken in solution and repeatedly, it requires more work, material, and precautions.

Characteristics of homeopathic remedies

•Increase the defenses (immune stimulation): the homeopathic remedy stimulates the immune defense mechanisms, unlike conventional remedies that only remove the symptoms of the disease. For example, while the antibiotic kills the germs that have proliferated in our throat because tonsillar and humoral defenses are impaired, the homeopathic remedy acts directly on immune mechanisms, stimulating their action to optimal levels. This is described more fully in the chapter on the Scientific evidence for homeopathy.

•Balance organic functions: considering disease as a disorder of the body’s internal balance, and taking the individual as an integrated unit, the goal of homeopathy is the restoration of this balance (homeostasis). Conventional medication acts upon a symptom or a germ or an injury, without considering this or the different reactive constitutions of the patient.

•Lack of toxicity: the preparation of homeopathic remedies in high dilutions removes the risk of organ toxicity in an almost absolute manner. Very low toxicity is an advantage in the accidental ingestion of homeopathic remedies. At most, the patient may notice small reactive symptoms from the accidental overdose; symptoms that are transient and of low intensity. On the other hand, the toxicity of conventional medicines and the risk of accidental poisoning are well known.

•Economics: the fact that homeopathic remedies are prepared from dilutions and from very small amounts, makes us understand that, although obtaining the compound is expensive, you can produce a very significant amount of homeopathic remedies from the original substance; a fact that greatly lowers the price of the final product. Homeopathic remedies, as a result, are very affordable. If in addition, only one remedy is used, the treatment is much cheaper when compared to the price of conventional medicines necessary to treat the same condition. The cost-benefit analysis is highly beneficial both ways.

•Independence: if prescribed properly, the remedy can achieve a progressive restoration of the patient’s health, which means to regain the ability to react appropriately to environmental stressors. The patient will regain his independence and autonomy, and he will be able to stop taking the medication. In conventional medicine, most chronic diseases require medication “for life”; for example, patient’s dependence on anti-hypertensive medication. The physician will say: “You can never stop taking the medication; you need to take it all your life.” The medication will keep blood pressure within safe limits but will never free the patient of his hypertension. A well-conducted homeopathic treatment can achieve a reduction of hypertension and heal the patient.

•In conclusion: homeopathic remedies are effective, safe, inexpensive, and nontoxic; they promote our autonomy and our ability to heal. It would be useful if society and health authorities would devote an effort to investigate, learn, and develop their knowledge of this medical technique, which offers great results and a future full of possibilities in the treatment and prevention of disease.

Homeopathy in accidents

Using homeopathic remedies in accidents and first aid opens new healing possibilities that are very effective in any accident inside and outside the home.