Homeopathic- medical
detente
ne*
iliifffiij**l',?'""'"i'?"trJ';'T'8+[3f
aving long been a double-agent,
trying to decide which side
should receive my undying loyality
and banner-bearingsupport, I have
at last had the good fortune to be
able to invite representatives from
both sides to present arms.
From behind the homeopathic
'curtain'
an eminent spokesman from
SA Homeopathic Association, while
the medical profession is equally
eminently represented by a wellknown PretoriaGP.
medical research is shared by many
in the medical profession; the fact
that drug companies dominate many
and that the in'
medical.practitioners;
dependence of medical research in
the universities is disrupted by the
w a y i n w h i c h t h e s e c o m p a n i e ss p o n sor it.
What belies suspicion about their
effectiveness is the fact that chronic
conditions (eg bronchitis and sinusitis) can be cleared up, leaving the
patient with no weakness in the affected area. Although this is also
seen under medical care, it is the exception rather than the rule.
It is also not true that all homeoMedication
pathic remedies work slowly: the axT h e m e d i c a l p r o f e s s i o n i s iom is that the speed of the cure is
suspiciousof homeopathic remedies relatedto the speed of the acquisition
because they work slowly, thus leav- of the illness.
ing doubt as to whether they are ef(The homeopathic spokesman
Research
warned here of some bogus homeopathic medicines available in some
The medical profession nags that
homeopathy is unscientific: research
health shops and pharmacies, thus
helping to give homeopathy a bad
conductedexcludesdouble bind testing, the use of controls, trials not bename).
ing sufficientlylarge and the placebo
Once again, the homeopathic criticism of the medical fraternity is
effect not being accounted for.
The homeopathic representative
shared by many of the latter - that
medicines are used indiscriminately
maintains that plenty of research has
by doctors and/or patients and that
been done in France, Russia, the
overdosageleads to unpleasantsideUnited Kingdom, and the USA, and
that these results have been presenteffects (not least the empty pocket
ed to the SA Medical and Dental
side-effect!).
Some doctors claim that because
Council.
The council, however, persistsin
of thorough research;side effects are
regarding these as unscientific.
minimized. However, although our
Perhaps our South African attitudes SamuelHahnemann( I 755 I 843), the
notoriously readily-prescribedantiof homeopathg.
a r e l a g g i n g b e h i n d t h e c u r r e n t founder
biotics have no side-effects,they do
change in attitude towards a tradi- f e c t i v e o r w h e t h e r t h e p a t i e n t lead to germ-immunity and are
tional scientificapproach (which has recovers spontaneously. However, wasted on viruses in nine out of ten
let us down glaringlyin casessuch as most do agree that the remedies are patients;they prevent the body from
harmless - leaving no side-effects, making its own anti-bodies for that
thalidomide research).
particulargerm.
The homeopathiccomplaint about even when overdosageoccurs.
30
F a m i l v P r a c t i c e-
June I982
Homeopathic- medical detente
Training
The medical professioncomplains
that homeopathictraining is too short
to be sufficientlythorough. This opinion is shared by many homeopaths
and in fact negotiations are being
made to rectify this.
One proposalis for all practitioners
to receivea basicscientificthree year
training after which they select a
speciality (for example, surgery),
t h e s eo p t i o n si n c l u d i n gh o m e o p a t h y .
(Once again I was cautioned that
bogus homeopaths have been making the situation appear far worse
than it is).
On the other hand, homeopaths
feel that medical training is far too
long and thus costly for the state;and
that too much emphasis is given to
surgery and medicine, with too little
attention to the patient aspect.
O u r m e d i c a ls p o k e s m a nf e e l st h a t
there can never be too much study,
that detail militates against dangero u s g u l l i b i l i t y .H o w e v e r , h e a g r e e d
that less surgery and more social
sciences would benefit a more
holisticapproach (for which a need is
being felt by many in the medical
field)t.
sions unless more compromise is to
take place. But in the areas most
needing this (researchand treatment)
it would require perhaps too fundamental a disruption on either side
for this to be conceivable.
Treatment
H e r e t h e n o n - g u l l i b l ea n d s c i e n t i f i c
rnedical practitionersshudder when
they hear how homeopaths use
constitutional factors in their
diagnosis: because they have not
been proven scientificallyto be significant. But, homeopaths hasten to
inform us, the constitutionalfactors
comprise only one aspect amongst
many which may be used in a thoroughly holistic approach to diagnosis.
For example, the mental condition
of the patient, his circumstances,
sensitivities.dislikes.historicalcondition (including inherited weaknessses) and of course, the illness are
t a k e n i n t o a c c o u n ta n d m a t c h e dw i t h
the remedies.
The fact has already been noted
that there is an increasingcall for a
more holistic approach in the medical profession.
Conclusion
Although there are growingareas
of agreement, the cold war seems
doomed to continue between the
medical and homeopathic profes-
Perhaps if we could practise the
idealssuggestedby the homeopathic
s p o k e s m a na c o m p r o m i s ew o u l d n o t
be necessary.(Remember, that any
code of ethics is in terms of an ideal
towards which the followers work).
He posits placing the full responsibility of seeking treatment with the
patient.Then it should be ensured
that each practitioner,be he homeopath, medical doctor, sangoma or
faith healer, treats a patient only
when he is reasonably confident he
can. When he is no longer confident,
h e s h o u l d e i t h e rc o m m u n i c a t et h i s t o
the patient so that he is free to seek
help elsewhere or he should refer
him to another practitionerwhom he
thinks can help.
Could this not also help to alleviate
the problem of our shortage of doctors and make life more comfortable
f o r t h e m ( t h o u g h n o t p e r h a p sf i n a n cially so) than has been the case in
the past?
References
I Hefernan, MW, "Education for Ceneral
Practice in the 19BO's," SA FamiLu Practtce
Nou/Dec 1981.
Ringingthe
changesfor
rheumatoid
arthritis
l m m u n i s a t i o na g a i n s t r h e u m a t o i d
arthritis could in the future possibly
prevent the development of this crippling diseasein some patienls.
This was said at a recent Johannesburg pressconferenceby Dr Hedldy Berry, Consultant in the Departm e n t o f R h e u m a t o l o g ya n d R e h a b i l .
itation, King's College Hospital,Denmark Hill.London.
Dr Berry, who has a specialistinterest in rheumatic diseases, con"
ducted a series of medical meetings
i n J o h a n n e s b u r g .C a p e T o w n a n d
Durban. He spoke about recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic diseasesufferers.
Discussingadvancesin therapy he
said: "One area where there has
been progress in rheumatologicalresearch has been to elicudate yet
more complicatedsystemswhich are
formed in the joints which may cont r i b u t ei n s o m e w a y t o t h e a c u t ea n d
chronic inflammatory processes."
" B u t w h a t c a u s e s r h e u m a t o i da r thritis?" he asked. "Our reselrch in
rheumatoid arthritis is much more
a d v a n c e dt h a n i n t h e m o r e c o m m o n
diseaseof osteoarthritis.We have to
think about what starts the ball rolli n"So-"
g.'
researchershave implicated
bacteria other mycoplasma. Another
area of considerable interest has
been lhe question of looking at the
genetic markers."
The Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) is a
virus which has recently been
possibly implicated as a causative
agent in some patientswith rheumatoid arthritis.
This virus is present in patients
with glandulai fever. These patients
develop rheumatoid factor - rather
like patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Dr Berry added: "l do not think it is
fair to think that all rheumatoid arthritics have this virus or that this is
the only cause of the disease. tt is
one factor,-whichmay have possible
relevance."
It is important to remember that no
single drug is effectivein all patients.
They have to find drugs which per'Ringing
the
sonally suit them best.
changes' and remaining hopeful is
essential"
For fuftheF inlomation cilcro to m3
F a m i l yP r a c t i c e-
June 1982
31