External Application in Homoeopathy

ABSTRACT

External application in homeopathy is not allowed by over master Samuel Hahnemann except in some special condition which is mentioned in 6^th edition of organon of medicine from sec 284 to sec 285. Our master wrote in introduction to organon that “hitherto no one has ever taught this homoeopathic mode of cure, no one has carried it out in practice. But if the truth is only to be found in this method, as I can prove it to be, we might expect that, even though it remained unperceived for thousands of years, distinct traces of it would yet be discovered in every age.

Keywords: Homoeopathy, External Application, Local application, Medicine

INTRODUCTION

From time immemorial, External applications have been used among physicians from Aesculapius down to the present day. This method of treatment was based on the teaching and general belief that if the outward manifestations were removed, the disease was cured. But Hahnemann, after his new discovery of homoeopathy, proclaimed that, external application is nothing but the outward reflexion of the internal derangement of the spiritual dynamic vital force which, when disturbed, expresses itself on the surface as signs.

External applications are not in the strict principle of Homoeopathy. Treatment of diseases by internal medication is the speciality of Homoeopathy. Diseases manifest by signs and symptoms, which are the sole guide of our homoeopathic method of treatment.

No disease is external or local. The immaterial spirit-like vital force throws out the internal malady on the external surface. The nature of external syınptoms indicate the nature of internal sickness. By removal of external affections by external application the disease is never cured. On the other hand, they may attack some vital organs of our body, and as a result, we lose the image of the diseases. But for accidental cases, injuries, lacerations, burns etc. we need some local cleansing, and dressing of the part.

Hahnemann Views About The External Applications:

Hahnemann gave some arguments against the external applications in his ‘Organon of Medicine (5th edition) in Sec. 196 to Sec. 203. But later on, he saw the necessity of external application, while advocating the administration of medicine per mouth. He felt that, oral route is not the only route for administration of medicine.

So, he clearly explained, in the 6th edition of Organon of Medicine, in Sec. 284 and Sec. 285, about the use of external application. He said that curative remedy should be continued internally while the same remedy is used externally as an ointment, liniment, lotion, cerate etc. In inveterate and difficult cases of Sycosis (when the Sycosis remains along with the excrescences), Thuja may be applied externally. This is the only condition where external application of medicine has been advocated by Hahnemann.

Therefore, Hahnemann wrote: ―It is not useful, either in acute local diseases of recent origin or in local affections that have already existed a long time, to rub in or apply externally to the spot an external remedy, even though it be the specific and, when used internally, salutary by reason of its homeopathicity, even although it should be at the same time administered internally.

H.A. Roberts Views About the External Applications:

The Principles and Art of Cure by Roberts, H.A. mentioned that ―Medicine having the power of curing internally, should not be employed exclusively as a topical application to the local symptoms of chronic miasmatic diseases. LOCAL applications–what visions these words bring to mind! Mustard plasters, onion poultices, boneset and brine–in fact, anything in common usage that could be applied by the home nurse or procured by the most skilful physician.

Tenets of Organon Towards the Employment of External Applications in his Organon of Medicine

Hahnemann describes about the external applications. In the 5th edition of ‘Organon of Medicine’ we see Hahnemann’s arguments against the external applications, i.e., disadvantages of external applications from Sec. 196 to Sec. 203.

Sec. 196 – Sec. 197: Administration of truly homoeopathic medicine both internally and externally, simultaneously It may be argued that in such topical lesions (so called local diseases), local application of drug, which is curable along with internal application, may be more beneficial. The greatest advantage of this local application is that; the local symptoms will disappear sooner than the internal symptoms. This was often thought that complete cure has been done. Due to this premature disappearance of the local symptoms, it is difficult and impossible to determine whether the internal disease has also been cured by internal medicine or not. 

Sec. 198: Administration of suitable homoeopathic medicine only externally Only topical application in these local diseases are also in admissible because of the above reasons, moreover, after removal of the local symptoms, by a topical application. We will have to deal with less characteristic, less striking and more fluctuating indistinct internal symptoms to select our remedy which will no doubt be very difficult.

Only external applications to local diseases of miasmatic origin.

Removal of local affections, but the too indefinite uncharacteristic

and inconstant symptoms are left behind.

No clear picture of the case is available.

Difficult to individualise the case.

Difficult to treat.

Sec. 282: If the fig-warts have existed for sometime without treatment, they will need for their perfect cure, the external application of their specific medicines as well as internal use at the same time.

List of External Application

1. Glyceroles
2. Ointments
3. Liniments
4. Opodeldocs
5. Lotions
6. Cerates
7. Poultices
8. Fomentations
9. Plasters
10. Oil

          (i) Oil Bouchi (ii) Oil Mullein

                 (iii) Oil Olive (iv) Oil rosemary 

   (v) Arnica hair oil (vi) Oil of Winter-green

11. Injections
12. Surgical dressing

Vehicles as Bases for External Applications

 (A) Liquid vehicles used for external applications: 

1. Purified water 

2. Glycerin 

 3. Olive oil

 4. Almond oil

 5. Rosemary oil

 6. Sesame or Teel oil

(B) Semi-solid vehicles used for external applications:

 1. Vaseline (soft-paraffin).

     (i) Yellow soft paraffin 

     (ii) White soft paraffin

2. Waxes

     (a) Bees waxes- 

      (i) Yellow bees wax 

      (ii) White bees wax 

     (b) Spermaceti 

     (c) Lanolin (anhydrous)

3. Prepared lard 

4. Isinglass

5.Soap-

 (i) Soft soap

 (ii) Hard soap

 (iii) Curd soap

6. Starch

REMEDIES AND THEIR LOCAL USE

• Alstonia Scholaris: – Used locally, for ulcers and rheumatic pains.
• Anemopsis Californica:-  Locally used as a spray. Mucus membrane medicine. Chronic forms of inflammation of the schneiderian membrane (mucosa of nose) with considerable relaxation and profuse discharge. Chief value in catarrh states, with full stuffy sensation in head and throat.
• Argemone Mexicana: – Fresh juice is applied to ulcers and warts.
• Arnica: – Locally, the tincture, but should never be applied hot or at all when abrasions or cuts are present.  Arnica used as hair oil.* it works better in those who have perspiration is scanty in comparison to Jaborandi which is used when perspiration is perfuse.
• Balsamum Peruvianum: – as a stimulant to raw surfaces in indolent ulcers, scabies, cracked nipples, rhagades, itch. Promotes granulation, removes fetor. A 1% solution in alcohol or ether may be used with the atomizer in respiratory affections. Internally, as an expectorant, in chronic bronchitis.
• Borax: – locally in pruritus pudenda. A piece of borax, the size of a pea, dissolved in mouth, acts magically in restoring the voice, in case of sudden hoarseness brought on by cold, and frequently for an hour or so, it renders the voice silvery and clear.
• Calendula Officinalis: – locally. Aqueous calendula for all wounds, the greatest healing agent. For burns, sores, fissures and abrasions, etc., use calendula cerate. Calendula cream or ointment for chapped hands.
• Cantharis: – locally, in burns and eczema, 1x and 2x, in water, or as cerate.  In herpes zoaster locally, in all cases, a lotion of cantharis 3x, ten drops to the ounce, may be kept applied on linen. Or an ointment of 3x.
• Carbo Animalis: – The third trituration for insufflation in aural polypi.
• Chrysarobinum: – locally in ringworm 5-10 percent in glycerine and alcohol. Equal parts.

• Carboneum Sulphuratum: –Locally in facial neuralgia and sciatica.
• Ceanothus: – Locally as hair tonic.
• Chloralum: – Locally, in offensive foot-sweat, bathe with one percent solution.
• Cineraria: – is used externally, by instilling into the eye one drops four or five times a day. Most effective in traumatic cases. Has some reputation  in the cure of cataract and corneal opacities.
• Cinnamonum: – oil of cinnamonum in aqueous solution best local disinfectant. 3-4 drops in two quarts of water as a douche, wherever a germicide and disinfectant is needed. ** 3 drops on sugar for hiccough**
• Cistus Canadensis: – Locally as a wash to arrest fetid discharges.
• Citric Acid: – used as a local application and mouth wash, one dram to 8 ozs of water.
• Cochlearia Armoracia: – Locally to cure dandruff.
• Cuprum Sulph.:- locally in 1-3 percent solution in inoperable sarcoma.
• Dioscorea villosa: – locally tincture is applying in whitlow in early cases it can abort the case.
• Echinacea –Rudbeckia: –locally, as a cleansing and antiseptic wash.
• Erechthites:- Locally for poison oak.
• Eupatorium Aromaticum: – tincture, locally, in sore mouth and sore nipples.
• Methylium salicylicum: – an artificial gaultheria oil for rheumatism, especially when the salicylates cannot be used. Pruritus and epididymitis, locally.
• Geranium maculatum: – Locally, in ulcers, it will destroy the pyogenic membrane.
• Graphites:- locally as a cerate in sore nipples. Also in eczema.
• Grindelia:- locally as a wash in poison oak.
• Hamamelis virginica:- distilled extract locally used. Locally to bleeding haemorrhoids (with open or loose bowels) a lotion of mother tincture, 30 drops to half pint of want with which part should be bathed night and morning. Bleeding varicose veins, ulcers use locally the tincture  (1pint =473.13 ml)
• Helianthus :- externally, as vulnerary like arnica and calendula.

CONCLUSION:

Homeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity by using holistic approach. This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the sign and symptoms from which the patient is suffering. Hahnemann taught us not to apply homeopathic remedies on the skin. But he changed his mind and recommended the external use in his chronic diseases as well as in the 6th edition of the organon. And also showing the results in many cases if homoeopathic medicine use externally and internally in both ways simultaneously it hastens the cure and gives better result. There are so many remedies were proved and indicated in external application like as in case of burn, psoriasis, warts, ulcers etc.

In aphorism sec 282 Hahnemann explained about If the fig-warts have existed for some time without treatment, they will need for their perfect cure, the external application of their specific medicines as well as internal use at the same time.

REFERENCES:

1. Dudgeon, Robert Ellis. Lectures on the theory and practice of homoeopathy. Henry Turner, 1854.
2. Roberts, Herbert A. The Principles and Art of Cure by Homoeopathy: A Modern Textbook. B. Jain Publishers, 2002.
3. Partha, Mandal Pratim, and B. Mandal. A Text Book of Homoeopathic Pharmacy. B. Jain Publishers, 2001.
4. Boericke, William. Pocket manual of homoeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory: comprising of the characteristic and guiding symptoms of all remedies (clinical and pahtogenetic [sic]) including Indian Drugs. B. Jain publishers, 2002.

Dr Mukesh Kumar Ranjan (PG Scholar) Department of Case Taking and its Homoeopathic Repertory

R.B.T.S.  Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College And Hospital Muzaffarpur, Bihar.