This pandemic is causing anxiety for a lot of our patients and possibly some of us too, who are continuing to work and support patients.
Currently the management recommendations put in place by the U.K Chief Medical Officer are commendable however until now there are no
orthodox treatments available for COVID-19 only support, of additional oxygen or a respirator if required and available.
The Homoeopathic community is keen for a pharmacy to have permission to make a nosode to support those interested in this approach. There is ample evidence that the protocol of a nosode could reduce the incidence and protect some of the population who are interested in this method. We would also suggest ongoing compliance with social distancing and good hygiene.
Whilst we understand the principles and benefits of individually applied homoeopathic medicine, Hahnemann did use the Genus Epidemicus approach when necessary.
He successfully used Belladonna for an epidemic of Scarlet Fever and Cholera.
The following examples illustrate the use of prophylaxis-
The positive outcome in the pragmatic clinical trial conducted by the Brazilian Public Health System in Petrópolis to prevent influenza and acute respiratory tract infections in children, in a blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial is well documented.
More recently (2007, 2008) the highly successful experience of Cuba with homoeoprophylaxsis reducing disease incidence of Leptospirosis after hurricane damage.
The results of such trials indicate a large reduction in disease incidence and control of the epidemic. The results support homoeopathic prophylactic formulation as a feasible strategy. The Indian homoeopaths are lobbying their own ministers and Government to remind them of the efficacy of homoeopathy in such catastrophic times. In fact, Dr Subrata Banerjea was in Bangladesh working for the Indian Government initiative in a cholera epidemic in 1988, comparing the effectiveness of Homoeopathy, Allopathy and Ayurvedic medicine. Homoeopathy achieved very good best results.
There is plenty of historical evidence to support the use of homoeopathy in calamitous situations. Epidemics of cholera, small pox influenza and leptospirosis are highlighted below.
Indeed in §101 Hahnemann states that in…’a first case of epidemic disease that presents itself to the physician’s notice he does not at once obtain a knowledge of a complete picture as it is only by close observation of several cases of every such collective disease that he can be conversant with the totality of its signs and symptoms……even can succeed in finding a suitable, homoeopathically adapted remedy for it.’
Boenninghausen had some excellent success in using Thuja occidentalis in this manner in the prophylactic treatment of smallpox.
