Abstract: Homoeopathy is a well-known and re-nouned system of medicine worldwide. It deals with the individualistic and holistic approach for the treatment of diseases and also for their prevention. The aim of homoeopathic treatment is providing gentle cure and harmless treatment to the patients as termed in aphorism 2 of organon of medicine under “highest ideal of cure”. Some homoeopathic medicines have special and specific indications to some diseased conditions, like in case of epidemics, for their treatment and prevention. The medicine selected for an epidemic disease is based on the peculiar and characteristic symptoms found in the maximum number of patients and is specific for that condition only. Such medicines are termed as “genus epidemic”.
In this article we will get an overview of prevention of diseases through homoeopathic treatment and management.
Key words: Homoeopathy, prevention of diseases, homoeopathic treatment, holistic approach, genus epidemic, homoeoprophylaxis.
Introduction: In everyday life we are exposed to so many disease-causing agents which can lead us from milder illnesses like flu to severe illnesses like asthma and cancer. Falling ill and getting diseased depends on many factors which can be environmental, genetic predisposition, pollution, and an individual’s immune response to these factors. All these factors either make an individual susceptible or immune to diseased conditions. Since we are living in the modern era of medicine, the focus of medicine is not only curing diseases but also health promotion, health preservation, health restoration and improving the quality of life among the population.
It is not necessary (although desirable) to know everything about the natural history of a disease to initiate preventive measures. Oftentimes removal or elimination of a single known essential cause may be sufficient to prevent a disease. Successful prevention depends upon the knowledge of causation, dynamics of transmission, identification of risk factors and risk groups, availability of prophylactic or early detection and treatment measures. The modernization of medical sciences is not very old before that the attention towards prevention of diseases was drawn by Dr. Hahnemann with newly discovered homoeopathy, and now homoeopathy is the 2nd most accepted system of medicine worldwide. It is a well-known and re-nouned system of medicine which deals with the individualistic and holistic approach towards cure and prevention of diseases.
Before understanding the homoeopathic approach towards treatment and prevention, let’s try to look towards the modern approach of prevention. In modern days, the concept of prevention is broad-based. It has become customary to define prevention under four levels:
- Primordial prevention
- Primary prevention
- Secondary prevention
- Tertiary prevention
Primordial Prevention: It deals with the prevention of the emergence or development of risk factors in countries or population groups in which they have not yet appeared. For example, many adult health problems (e.g., obesity) have their early origins in childhood, because this is the time when lifestyles are formed. In primordial prevention efforts are directed towards discouraging children from adapting harmful lifestyles (e.g., smoking, alcoholism etc.)
Primary Prevention: it can be defined as “action taken prior to the onset of disease, which removes the possibility that a disease will ever come.” It signifies intervention in the pre-pathogenic phase of a disease or a health problem. It may be accomplished by measures designed to general health and well-being, and quality of life of people by specific protective measures. This concept is now being applied for prevention of chronic diseases such as coronary artery disease, hypertension and cancer based on elimination or modifications of “risk-factors” of diseases.
Secondary prevention: it can be defined as “action taken to halt the progress of a disease at its incipient stage and prevent complications.” It is largely the domain of clinical medicine. The specific interventions are early diagnosis and adequate treatment. It is an imperfect tool in the transmission of disease. It is often more expensive and less effective than primary prevention.
Tertiary prevention: it can be defined as “all measures available to reduce or limit impairments and disabilities, minimize suffering caused by existing departures from good health and to promote patient’s adjustments to irremediable conditions.” Tertiary prevention extends the concept of prevention into the fields of rehabilitation.
Modes of Intervention:
“Intervention” can be defined as any attempt to interrupt or intervene the usual sequence in the development of disease in man. Five modes of intervention have been described which forms a continuum corresponding to the natural history of any disease.
- Health promotion –
- Health education
- Environmental modifications
- Nutritional interventions
- Lifestyle and behavioral modifications
- Specific protection –
- Immunization
- Chemoprophylaxis
- Protection against occupational hazards, accidents, from carcinogens
- Avoidance of allergens
- Control of specific hazards
- Early diagnosis and treatment
- Disability limitation
- Rehabilitation
Homoeopathic Prevention / Homoeoprophylaxis:
The concept of prevention of diseases has been followed long before the modernization of medical systems. It was believed and said in old times that “prevention is better than cure.” Homoeopathy was discovered in late decades of the 18th century by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. Before the introduction of homoeopathy to the world Hahnemann had published a book named “the friends of health” in two volumes in 1792 and 1795 respectively where he discussed the prevention and prophylaxis of diseases. Later in 1799 he gained fame from his article “essay on new principle” for his exceptional treatment for the Scarlatina epidemic that was sweeping in Germany. At the time he promoted Belladona as a specific remedy for scarlatina.
In aphorism 4 of organon of medicine he stated “he is likewise the preserver of health if he knows the things that derange health and cause disease, and how to remove them from persons in health.” As homoeopathy deals with the concept of individualization and holistic approach for the treatment of diseases whether acute or chronic along with that homoeopathy has a great role in prevention of diseases. Since the birth of Homoeopathy, it has been used for the cure of chronic diseases and the prevention of many epidemics also. The remedy chosen for the prevention of an epidemic is specific for that condition only and is known as “genus epidemic.”
Now What is the Genus Epidemic?
The concept of genus epidemic is mentioned in organon of medicine under aphorism 101 and 102. These aphorisms made us understand that when an epidemic develops, the physician is also unaware of what is coming through. At first the physician might not get the clear picture but after close observation with few patients he gets a clear picture of some peculiar and characteristic symptoms that makes the totality of that particular set of symptoms presented by many individuals and led to a specific remedy for that epidemic disease which we now call “the genus epidemic”
How The Genus Epidemic is Selected and How It Works?
As we know the selection of remedy is totally based on the symptom similarity, individualization, and the totality of the peculiar and characteristic symptoms which together form the portrait of the disease. Now if we talk about the selection of a genus epidemic, it is also based on the totality present in the individuals suffering from an epidemic disease, but here is a difference that the totality can be seen in many patients together, and thus for an epidemic disease condition the selected remedy is only one for the whole population and is specific for that condition only. For example; Hahnemann has prescribed Belladona for scarlatina.
Such medicines also have the ability to prevent the healthy individuals from the epidemic disease conditions. To understand the preventive power of homoeopathic medicines we should know how they work on the human body. The selected remedy has the power and tendency to produce similar symptoms of the disease to be cured. Consequently, the medicine produces an artificial or medicinal disease in the human body by stimulating the vital force in such a manner that the disease produced by the medicine is stronger in nature, and the parts affected from the natural disease now have the stronger medicinal/artificial disease. The stimulated vital force is now occupied by the stronger medicinal disease and free from the natural morbid derangement. The medicinal disease spontaneously disappears, leaving the body free from all the diseases. Above description is mentioned under aphorism 148 of organon of medicine 5th edition as, “A medicine selected in this manner, which has the power and the tendency to produce symptoms the most similar possible to the disease to be cured, consequently a similar artificial disease, given in a suitable dose, affects, in its dynamic action on the morbidly deranged vital force of the individual, those very parts and points in the organism now suffering from the natural disease, and produces in them its own artificial disease, which, on account of its great similarity and prepondering strength, occupies precisely the seat hitherto occupied by the natural morbid derangement, so that the instinctive, automatic vital force is from that time forward no longer affected by the natural disease but solely by the stronger, similar medicinal disease; which in its turn, on account of the small dose of the remedy, being, like every moderate medicinal disease, overcome by the increased energy of the vital force, soon spontaneously disappears, leaving the body free from all disease, that is to say, healthy and permanently cured.”
Similarly, when we stimulate the healthy person’s vital force with genus epidemic to prevent them from getting diseased, the selected genus epidemic stimulates the vital force in such a manner that its susceptibility towards natural disease goes off.
Homeoprophylaxis other than Genus Epidemic:
Constitutional Remedy: It is always considered best, it is selected on the basis of mental, physical generals, along with the characteristic and peculiars to the individual (aphorism 82-104). This medicine stimulates the vital force in a complete way and strengthens it by removing predispositions, and increasing general vitality. It develops first line defense against all forms of diseases.
Nosodes: These are the medicines prepared from the diseased products either bacteria, viruses, pathogens, or unhealthy body secretions. It is believed that nosodes stimulate the body’s immune system and fight against specific diseases. For example- Influenzinum for influenza, Diphtherinum for diphtheria, Morbillinum for measles, malaria nosode for malarial epidemics etc.
Selection of Potency and Dose:
As we know the selection of potency and repetition of doses depends on various factors. According to Stuart close 5 indications help in selection of potency:
- Susceptibility of patient or individual
- Seat of the disease
- Nature and intensity of symptoms
- Stage and duration of disease
- Previous treatment of the patient
Selection of potency and dose is similar to that of active disease, but for prophylactic purposes the effective potencies used are 12C, 30C and occasionally 200C.
Repetition of Dose:
As per Hahnemann’s experiences mentioned in 5th and 6th edition of organon of medicine we can get precise indications for the repetition of doses.
Indications according to 5th edition:
- Continued improvement in the patient’s condition is a contradiction for the repetition of medicine.
- In acute diseases repetition can be done every 4, 8, 12, 16 or 24 hours. In severe cases hourly repetition is also allowed.
- In syphilitic cases the medicine should be repeated every 6 or days, if required.
- Repetition can be continued till new symptoms appear. For the appearance of new symptoms, a fresh case taking and administration of new medicine should be done.
Indications according to 6th edition:
- In acute diseases, the remedy can be repeated frequently depending upon the intensity of the disease.
- In chronic diseases a single dose of well selected remedy should be given, it will cure within 40, 50, 60, or 100 days. But, in order to achieve rapid cure, the selected remedy should be dissolved in water and given in small amounts at definite intervals which brings out cure very faster.
- In chronic diseases successive doses of the same medicine is changed every time and its potency is somewhat higher (aphorism 246 & 247). The best selected homeopathic remedy has to be repeated only with the improved dynamization of the potency at every repetition. Such procedure can be followed if required, several times (footnote to § 247).
Prevention in Acute And Chronic Diseases:
In Acute Diseases: The administration of the medicine should be done before the outbreak of disease.
And in case of acute epidemic diseases the disease should be prevented by the administration of the selected genus epidemic.
In Chronic Diseases:
- By the administration of CONSTITUTIONAL ANTI MIASMATIC remedies during early childhood.
- Treatment of chronic diseases (if any) in parents before expecting a baby.
- By administration of constitutional anti miasmatic medicine to the pregnant mother to prevent the possibility of hereditary diseases.
Conclusion: Since we cannot stop the exposure of noxious disease-causing agents from our day today life, it is better to prevent ourselves from falling ill. Preventing diseases and staying healthy is a choice for a healthy lifestyle. So, it is better to prevent than to cure. In the above article we understood homeopathy as a complementary and alternative system for the prevention of diseases. Although homoeopathy is well-known in preventing diseases since its early ages, we cannot deny its potential in treatment of diseases as well as in the prevention of severe epidemics also. Recently homoeopathic medicines have worked very well in the treatment and prevention of CORONA pandemic, which clearly shows the power and potential of homoeopathy. At last, “PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE”. So, choose a natural and effective method for a healthy being.
References:
| 1 | Park K. Park’s textbook of preventive and social medicine. Bhanot; 2011. |
| 2 | Babu GN. Comprehensive study of Organon: An attempt to understand the Organon of medicine as a scientific treatise. New Delhi, India: B Jain; 2023. |
| 3 | Sarkar BK. Organon of Medicine. New Delhi, India: B Jain; 2008. |
| 4 | Hahnemann S, Dudgeon RE. Organon of Medicine. Trieste Publishing; 2018. |
| 5 | Researchgate.net. [cited 2024 Aug 6]. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336578040_Homoeopathy_as_Prophylaxis_in_Epidemics_Endemics-A_Review |
| 6 | Gilla D, Sreelakshmy SR. A review on prevention of diseases through [Internet]. Homoeopathicjournal.com. [cited 2024 Aug 6]. Available from: https://www.homoeopathicjournal.com/articles/156/4-2-5-981.pdf |
Authors:
Dr. Sumaiya Khan
MD Scholar
Dept. of Practice of Medicine,
Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital
Bhopal, MP
E mail id: [email protected]
Under the guidance of:
Dr. Praveen Jaiswal
Head of the Department
Dept. of Practice of Medicine
Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital
Bhopal, MP
