Testimony of Great Homoeopaths

June 21, 2006

by David Little

Classical Homeopath and author

Many great classical homoeopaths have used homoeopathic remedies to prevent disease. The testimony of such luminaries such as Hahnemann, Hering, Boeinnghausen, Kent, Allen and Boger can be found throughout homoeopathic literature. Here is just a small sampling of the experiences.

1. Hahnemann suggested in Cure and Prevention of Scarlet Fever (1801) that Belladonna can be used to prevent scarlet fever. In Cause and Prevention of the Asiatic Cholera (1831) Hahnemann noted that the skillful use of Camphor, Cuprum Met and Veratrum Album.can prevent as well as cure cholera.

2. In 1833 Dr. Hering wrote a paper in which he discussed the potenital of Psorine to prevent an infection of the itch miasma (arch. xii, 3).

3. The Baron von Boenninghausen was a keen practitioner of homoeo-prophylaxis. Vide Concerning the Curative Effects of Thuja in Small-pox from Boenninghausen's Lesser Writings. "The decidedly favorable results caused me not only to use the same remedy with all the following small-pox patients, but to also use the same remedy in several houses where small-pox had broken out, as a prophylactic, and lo! also here the result was favorable, and no case came to my knowledge where, after using Thuja, any other member of the family had been infected." After his experiment with Thuja, the Baron went on to study the effects of Hering's nosode made from the small-pox virus, Variolinum. His preventative use of this nosode made from the small-pox virus was very successful. This lead the Baron to say; "Variolinum 200th is far superior to crude vaccination and absolutely safe."

4. In 1884 Dr. Burrnet wrote: "Speaking for myself, I have for the last nine years been in the habit of using vaccine matter (Vaccininum) in the 30 homeopathic centiesimal potency, whenever small-pox was about, and I have thus far not seen any one so far treated get variola".

5. James Taylor Kent wrote in his Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica (page 1000) that the Tuberculin nosode has the potential to prevent TB from infection in those predisposed toward the miasma. "If Tuberculinum bovinum be given in 10m, 50m, and CM potencies, two doses of each at long intervals, all children and young people who have inherited tuberculsosis many be immuned from their inheritance and their resilency will be restored."

6. Willaim Boericke wrote in the Pocket Manuel of Homoeopathic Materia Medica that the Baptisia has a prophylatic power over typhoid, clears carrier of the disease, and could be of service in a iatrogenic typhoid miasma produced by orthodox immunizations. "Baptisia in low dilutions produces a form of anit-bodies to the bacteria typhosus, viz., agglutinins. Thus it raises the natural bodily resistiance to the invasion of the bacilary intoxication, which produces the typhoid syndrome. Typhoid carriers. After inoculation with anti-typhiod serum."

7. Dr. Wheeler suggests that a nosode in 30th potency will provide protection from a specific infectious disease for at least a fortnight.

8. In 1907 Dr Eaton collated the results of several homeopathic doctors in Iowa during a small-pox epidemic and reported the result to a paper read at the American Institute of Homoeopathy.
a. Persons given Variolinum 30c was 2806
b. Definite exposures to small-pox was 547
c. Small cases after taking Variiolinum was 14
d. Efficacy 97%
Of his experience Eation said, "We must not do Homeopathy the injustice of giving this, one of its most sucessful and useful outgrowths, a partial and equivocal recognition, just because it happens to be strange to us. This splendid piece of practice is not new, it has it roots in the past, though we may not have known it. And we must not injure the cause by refusing to recongnise its value just because we happen not to have been coversant with it."

9. Dorothy Shepherd wrote "Nosodes of disease products of the actual disease are often most active preventative". She then goes on to give several examples for her long career. She did clinic trials in boarding schools where epidemics were rampant. References to these experiences can be found in her book, Homeopathy and Epidemic Diseases. She also confirmed the effectiveness of the nosode, Pertussin, in the prevention of whooping cough.

10. Diptherinum was used by Allen for 25 years as a prophylactic and he never saw a case in a person who had contacted the disease. He challenged the profession to test this assertion and publish their failures.

11. This is a quote from C.M Boger on Homeo-prophylaxis from the Homeopathic Recorder under remedy, Psorinum.
"It (psorinum) is useful in suppressed itch, in fact, all nosodes seem to be most successful in types of disease similar to the ones from which they have been derived or in helping to clear up and bring about reaction in imperfectly cured cases of the same disease; thus Tuberculin does its best work in incipient consumption, pneumonia and other respiratory affections which do not react properly. THEY ARE ALSO USED AS PROPHYLATICS, INDUCING A MORE CERTAIN IMMUNITY THAN CAN OTHERWISE BE OBTAINED; this is especially true of Variolinum, the small-pox nosode which I have tested to my entire satisfaction, even allowing unvaccinated persons under its influence to nurse and sleep with the small-pox victim, the children of the family doing the same; out of more than a dozen of such exposures I have not had a single infection".
This is the experience of ye ole homeopath who prepared the Boger's Boenninghausen Repertory, Boger's Synoptic Key and General Analysis in a card file repertory. A man of vast experience. Our generation of homeopaths must investigate the words of such a wise grandfather.

12. Dr. Grimmer, famous for his work in cancer, perfered the use of a single of a high potency which he claimed could provide protection up to a year. This was the fruit of his experience.

13. Dr. P Chavan (Paris 1932) demonstrated the Schick reaction in the laboratory with the unproven nosode Diptherotoxinum 4M and 8M. After one to two months the antitoxins were measured in the blood of those taking the nosode. A Dr. Roux repeated the experiment in 1946 and got the same results. This unproven nosode provided laboratory confirmation of lasting immunity. The blood antitoxins seemed to last up to 5 years with one dose.

14. In August 1974 in Guarantingueta, Brazil there was a severe epidemic of menningitis. 18,640 children were given Menningococcinum 10CH while 6,340 children did not recieve this unproven nosode. Out of the 18, 640 children 4 cases of menningitis developed. Out of the 6,340 children 34 cases were noted. This is the type of clinical trial that will show homeopaths whether nosodes have the potential to prevent epidemic diseases or not.