My experience with hom eopathy B. D. M U K E R J I , B.SC., M.B., B.S. , F .F .A .~ .C .S . , D.A.

Consultant Anaesthetist, Bromsgrove and Redditch Health District

I became interested in homceopathy six months ago, when my hay fever was cured by Dr. Jack.

I had my first attack of hay fever in 1971. I t lasted for approximately four months, from April till August. I treated it myself with various antihistamines, with partial success and temporary reliefs and of course numerous side effects.

In 1972 1 had a similar attack with same course of events. In 1973 when I had the third attack, I decided to see a specialist. He pre-

scribed a few antihistamines and also had the special de-sensitizing vaccine prepared for me after skin tes t s - - I was allergic to grass pollens, sheep's wool and house dust. I finished taking the full course of 18 injections by April 1974. My hay fever started once again and was as bad as in the previous years. I was looking forward to seeing Father Christmas.

In 1975 I tried the three-injection course of Pollinex, again without any S u c c e s s .

In 1976 I decided to repeat the course of Pollinex injections. After taking the third and last injection, I had a severe anaphylaetic reaction within three minutes of a subcutaneous injection. My face was flushed and my chest was tightening up very fast. I knew what the Coroner's verdict would be in this case. I took immediately 1 ml of 1 : 1000 adrenaline intramuscularly and collapsed. My blood pressure recorded subsequently was 50 mmHg systolic. I Stayed overnight at the hospital and in the morning the Consultant in charge suggested that Dr. Jack might have a remedy for me.

However, I was optimistic and thought that I might not have any more attacks. I t proved otherwise. A few days later the symptoms reappeared and then I went to see Dr. Jack. He tried various drugs, as listed in the chart below. The most effective of these were Euphrasia 12 for eye symptoms, Allium cepa 30 for nasal symptoms and Timothy grass 30 for chest symptoms. Within a week of starting the homceopathic medicines, I stopped taking all the antihistamines, drops, inhalers, etc.

P R O P H Y L A C T I C B R O N C l t O D I L A T O R

From my experience in mountaineering earlier this year, I realized that once I got tired and started puffing, I got a mild bronchospasm and wheeze, like asthma sufferers. When I went mountaineering again in July, I thought it would be a good idea to t ry Timothy grass as a prophylactic bronchodilator. So I did t ry it and it did work.

Based on a paper read at the Symposium on Homceopathic Medicine held at Birmingham on 13 November 1976.

M Y E X P E R I E I ~ C E W I T H H O N I G ~ O ] ? A T H Y 91

I was amazed. My legs were tired and weary, but I had no dyspnoea or wheeze at all. A few weeks later I had a severe attack of bronchial irritation which cleared in 2 minutes after taking a pill of Timothy grass.

To sum up, I have added up for comparison, the cost of allopathic and homceo- pathic drugs consumed by myself.

A L L O P A T H I C DRUGS (1971--76)

with approx, cost to the NHS

Tablets and capsules

Actified Piriton Eskornade

s per 100 tabs. s per 50 tabs. s per 30 caps.

Inhalers, sprays, drops, etc. Beconase s Alupent s Rynacrom s Rynaerom insufftator 85p Rynacrom nasal spray s Antistine-Privine nasal spray 26p Otrivine-Antistine eye drops 48p

per 100 caps.

Desensitization injections 1st course of 18 inj. s Pollinex inj. 2 courses s ~-

Total s

H O M G ~ O P A T H I C

DRUGS (1976) with approx, cost to the NHS

Euphrasia 60p Allium cepa 60p Timothy grass 60p Sabadilla 60p Aralia 60p Mixed pollens 60p

Total approx. s

To this one may add the inconvenience of administration of allopathic drugs, sprays and injections, storage problems, expiry dates (and consequent wastage), not forgetting the side effects, including anaphylactic reactions which I believe are not uncommon.

A miracle happens only once, but when it happens repeatedly, it is medicine.