ABOUT FRANCIS TREUHERZ- Francis Treuherz FSHom, in practice since 1984, has devoted himself to homeopathy. Formerly Editor of the Society journal, and a Board member for over 20 years, his journey in homeopathy has seen him working in an NHS practice, effective on the homeopathic helpline, bringing computer repertories to homeopaths, writing two books – and collating many of his articles and thoughts into a third book soon to be published. Francis has been a valued trustee of the British Homeopathic Association and the Homeopathic Action Trust. An incurable collector of homeopathic artifacts, his homeopathic library contains more than 7,000 books.
Francis, or Fran, is a steady and supportive presence on social media, in print, often suggesting remedies we may never have heard of.
“HELLO THIS IS HOMEOPATHIC HELPLINE”- On call 365 days a year, 2 experts help people in crisis.
This was in the spring of 1996, in United Kingdom when Francis Treuherz and his friend David Needleman together opened a Homeopathic Helpline which was a legitimate service to operate at a premium rate. Since then, they have dealt with more than 165,000 calls.
The Helpline was aimed to fill twin needs:
1) Giving patients access to homeopathic help during normal waking hours so they didn’t have to resort to antibiotics or stronger conventional drugs or treatments when they could not reach their normal homeopathic prescriber
2) Providing back- up support to homeopathic professionals so they could have free time in the evenings, when on vacation, when with other patients, and so on.
There were even some kits that were designed with the Homeopathic Helpline in mind, for example, kits for pregnancy and childbirth, and for families of very young children so that when the doctor recommends them, the medicines are handy.
Calls, calls, calls!
A wide range of calls for help were witnessed of accidents, burns, bruises, falls and traumas, delayed or difficult births, breech presentations, breastfeeding, circumcisions, post-natal discharges or depressions, mastitis, colic, hormonal problems of all sorts, fevers, coughs, colds, croups, measles, allergies, digestive upsets, food poisoning, diarrhea, constipation, insomnia, boils, eczema, dental pain, and abscesses. People who were depressed, suicidal, compulsive, self-harming, bereaved were listened to but the list was endless.
Now, let us go through few calls which were answered to:
Do-re-mi…
I have advised an opera singer who lost his voice. He was helped by Argentum nitricum, a remedy that is often indicated for singers and actors with stage fright and hoarseness. (Morrison’s Desktop Guide to Keynotes and Confirmatory Symptoms states: “Anxiety while anticipating an engagement and hoarseness especially in professional singers, speakers. Complete loss of voice.”) This singer called again for advice about jetlag prevention before an international gig. I advised Arnica 30c every 2 hours in flight.
A peanut – the culprit
I spoke to the wife of a man who was having an extreme allergic reaction with difficult breathing and swelling of the throat (anaphylaxis) from having eaten a peanut. I told her to call an ambulance and give him Apis 30c in that order. She called back to tell me he got better so fast after taking the Apis, that she cancelled the ambulance.
Apis is the premier remedy in an allergic reaction where swelling of the skin or mucous membranes is prominent. Another useful remedy in anaphylaxis, but less often carried in home kits, is Carbolic acid. Morrison writes: “… mainly used as a specific remedy for nausea of pregnancy, it is also a deeper acting remedy which is useful in states of serious collapse. Kent describes its use in severe anaphylactic reaction to bee-sting.”
Everyone calls…
Once when I had a kidney stone and was in extreme pain, I myself called the Helpline. David answered, called an ambulance for me, and suggested I take Calcarea carbonica 30c, every 15 minutes.
Were expecting more of such cases, weren’t you? NO disappointments!
We will be back soon!
