Soroush wrote:
I am a medical doctor wanting to learn homeopathy. I am interested in research work by fellow practitioners who share their research findings.
Your comments are greatly appreciated. Do you have any research work to share or to posit?
RESEARCH
(The Parimal Banerje Team )
In my research at the beginning I was fully depending on Dr. C. Hering's Guiding Symptoms in verifying each symptom on the bedside, but what I found in Hering's book was that: he never mentioned any potency anywhere. Apart from this he writes " A cured symptom only, has never such an intrinsic value as one produced and cured, and yet, such a one should not be ignored; in course of time it may he added to the characteristics. Of course all characteristics will be found here, and many other symptoms produced and cured, which further experience may warrant us in marking up in degree until they attain the grade we denominate characteristics". This "further experience" was needed too for " marking up in degree until they attain the grade" of characteristics, clinically in groups.
What I have done is, that, the main symptoms of the medicines were verified directly on clinical trials first and thereafter, a comparative study has been made out with rest of the symptoms by further trials. Thus one by one, drugs were listed out and their most suitable potencies found out in each particular symptom or disease. What took fifty years for Hering in those days with a very small number of patients per day.,was covered by me only in 2 or 3 years. Moreover I have got the advantages of most modern pathological tests and other means of investigating a disease and many thousand times more clinical trial opportunities during my busy thirty - four years.
My trials were not limited within the number of symptoms produced by proving and not limited within the known drugs of several Homoeopathic Materia Medicas only. But I ventured into the vast range of Allopathic and Ayurvedic drugs of Indian origin also which were never been proved in Homoeopathy, and I potentised many of them and started clinical trials with them. I had no prejudice in trying a drug which has been told to be effective by any person after considering its toxic effects.
The scope of verifying the proving symptoms was very large here The second phase of Homoeopathy which was to cover these verifications was very scientifically and elaborately started by me, in 1954. With very few holidays since then the research scheme covered on an average of 2000 patients every day till 1976. During 1956 and 1976 the total "Free of cost" prescriptions served were about 14.5 millions. Till this time the research expenses were borne by the author and he maintained himself from his medicinal manufacturing business which sold medicines to doctors. But to meet the increasing huge expenses having no other source of money, the author started realising fees from his patients who could afford to do so, from 1974. This helped to expand his researches and maintain more centres for clinical trials.
The present form of Advancement and results were concluded by 1971 and I started teaching these to my students from even much earlier days when one by one the simplifications in this Advanced Homoeopathic methods were developed time to time by me at Mihijam.
The research started on various ways, it consisted of trying medicines having similar symptoms in their different potencies, on a particular symptom.
Trials with various mother tinctures of a plant grown in different parts of the world under different ecological conditions were also made. The analysis of different mother tinctures were made and the alkaloid contents and other metabolites were assayed. The effects of different potencies of same drug were observed on each symptom. The effect of varying repetition of same potency has also been tried. The effect of two or more medicines mixed together has also been tried. The various modes of the medicines namely potencies in tincture form in various quantities from l/10th drop to 30 drops in distilled water per dose were tried as below:
(a) directly on tongue
(b) drops on sugar of milk
(c) inhalation of alcoholic potencies from a soaked cotton
(d) by injections per hypodermic syringe
(e) rubbing the tincture on skin
(f) using as ointments
(g) eye drops
(h) mouth wash
(i) lotion for washing ulcers, etc.
(j) mixed with syrups, honey, glycerin, oils, etc, as base.
All thc above have been used and actions noted.Triturations have been used in various quantities per dose, etc .These have been used dry, mixed with water, used as injection, etc., in many
ways. Even rubbing on skin of affected parts was also tried. It has been tried in combination with some potentised alcoholic tinctures etc, also of other drugs.
Method of Clinical Trials
One disease or Symptom-group was selected. Such 50 or 100 cases were taken for the study. All the probable medicines according to the Materia Medics which have got this disease mentioned in them, were found out and selected for trials.
Then each case was separately taken up for totality of symptoms. But ultimately the Chief symptom or the main disease was taken as the guide-line for trial. As for example, a case of piles has got its chief complaint as "Piles", Now piles was also classified as : bleeding, non-bleedisg, painful, painless, burning, non-burning, single projectile, multiple projectiles (bunch of), with fissures, etc. Then conditional classification was also done as piles of drunkards, constipated with hard stools, young children, old men. post operatives, pregnants, etc.
Now one medicine in one potency was tried for all the cases. Then another potency of the same drug tried for all the cases. In this way, it was observed, that, a particular potency responded maximum for a particular disease in a particular stage, when potency after potency were tried.
Then next medicine in potency after potency was tried on that particular
disease (Piles) and the most suitable potency for that medicine for the disease or symptom was found out.
In this way there came up all the few drugs with a 'Selected Potency' in a disease.
Now there was a study made out and further trials were made of all these drugs only with those particular potencies for the particular disease. The statistical charts were prepared which gave the comparative effectiveness or power of healing of each drug in selected potencies in that disease. So, now you can have drugs in order of merit for each disease.
In each group there were fifty or hundred cases and simultaneous trials of different groups were made and also through years.
My research has established by repeated clinical recorded trials, that, all the symptoms are not curable by all the potencies of a drug. After various trials as mentioned in the previous pages it has been found that a particular potency can cure some particular symptoms and other particular potencies cure some other particular symptoms. Further it has been observed that the list of symptoms curable by a particular potency contains some symptoms which respond in almost every case, i.e. a very high percentage of success is there. Other symptoms have very weak or small percentage of response and in some other almost negligible. Please note that among the symptoms collected by proving and found in the existing Materia Medicas, this research has already eliminated those symptoms which are not curable by any of the potencies and the above mentioned list of symptoms means those curabie symptoms only. Dr. C. Hering also rejected many such symptoms. So it has been found out that a particular potency of a drug has the curing power highest for some particular symptoms only. The example of such curable powers verified by clinical trials has been shown in the following chart which I have presented in the 40th International Congress of the Homoeopathic League in Lyon (France), 1985.
Tne synopsis of such papers has been casted in various parts of this
book. Only the examples for the way of trials with drugs in their different
potencies are given below from the paper, which has been made out much
before 1961.
From my research I am placing the study of comparative variation of action of Lycopodium in different potencies only as a real example on some diseases out of many we studied (Table I).
Apart from the diseases mentioned in the table I, trials have been made with various other disease symptoms with Lycopodium. But all results were not presented here and there were many symptoms and diseases on which results were also not very encouraging.
In the Research it was very evident that there are more than one drug which have been placed in the "Parimal Banerji Grouping" (PBG) for a disease or group of symptoms which can cure the same patient. Because the results may vary in percentage in those drugs. One can cure in higher percentage and the other can cure in lower percentage. But more than one drag can cure a patient even if the Individualisation is for one. The nearer to the similimum is also a drug which can cure.
Now by this method there will be a very small number or may be only one remedy with a particuiar potency selected for that particular guiding or characteristic or peculiar symptom of the patient before you.
While treating a disease we have found out that a particular potency of a
drug can cure some disease which has never been found in any record of proving. We have made more good trials of that drug with the same potency as well as with other potencies also on that disease. If it was found effective with a potency of that drug then it was included in our Materia Medica. If found ineffective, then was rejected.
There are some symptoms or diseases which have responded miraculously to a drug only once or twice, and further trials did not yield that result with that drug then also we found out a more suitable drug which had higher percentage of cure in our record.
Proving and its Research Observations .
This research on clinical trials from the very beginning lead me to think that unless the proving symptoms are scrutinised the drug picture will never be correct for a patient.
So some provings were carried on myself and on some of my very trusted
colleagues and friends. From these acts I could understand that the symptoms produced by a drug on one person varies from those produced on other persons. Which was also observed by Hahnemann, vide his Aphorism 134 of Organon of Medicine.
Then extensive study was started on the records of symptoms of various provers of the past since the days of Hahnemann. From the scrutiny and observations, I have found out that the drug produces a particular group of symptoms on a particular type of constitution of man. This was not observed by Hahnemann.
But he has observed that a drug produces some symptoms in one man and repeated provings with many men all the symptoms are produced, vide his Aphorisms 135 & 136.
So, observations and scrutinising cf thousands of symptoms of provers were made out and finally I have made out groups of persons who can produce definite groups of symptoms characteristic to their own according to their constitution group. It also varied according to the variation of potencies of a drug.
RESPONSE IN PERCENTAGE OF SOME DRUGS IN SELECTED POTENCIES ON BUERGER'S DISEASE AND RAYNAUD'S DISEASE
Table 2
ARNICA
ARNICA
AR3. ALB.
HYPER.
SECALE
CARBOAN.
UGH.
3
20O
200
200
6
200
200
BUERGER'S
10
2
30
30
SO
10
30
RAYNAUD'S
5
3
50
5C
90
10
50
RESPONSE IN PERCENTAGE OF SOME CHIEF DRUGS IN SELECTED POTENCIES ON DIFFERENT SYMPTOMS OF PILES
PAINFUL
BUNCH OF
BLEEDING
NON BLEEDING
INTERNAL
OF DRUNKARDS
SULPHUR 200
10
15
30
70
50
30
NIT. ACID 30
70
10
10
5
10
10
HAMAMELIS 200
5
15
70
5
2
15
AESCULUS 200
50
70
60
50
50
15
RATANHIA 200
80
10
30
30
10
10
LACHESIS 200
10
20
30
10
5
70
ACCNITE 200
2
1
5
NIL
NIL
NIL
Table 3
As a comparison we have found that the totality of symptoms did not direct those drugs to be selected in all cases where they are really effective. But in some cases, a rigorous evaluation of total symptoms also indicated the same drug as selected in this method. These observations were linked with the clinical records, where a rela-
tion has been very successfully built by me between the produced symptoms of a drug and the produced symptoms of a disease, based on constitution groups of man.
Eventually, the arrangement of the symptoms under a Homoeopathic Materia Medica of a drug also had to be entirely changed. Because these works and observations were never done before I did it, by any body, even by Hahnemann, Hering, Kent, Boenninghausen, Dunham- or any other person.
The very concept of a disease, the concept of totality of symptoms and Individualisation of a case and the method of drug study and selection of potency have revolutionarily changed under these Researches.
All those results will appear in my future pages and publications. The very concept of diseases, resulted from the thoughtful observations and studying the research works, has to be fully studied and understood and then the method of taking up a case as per chapters of "proving and cured symptoms" has to be understood.
These results have enabled me to establish a fact that Homoeopathy should be learnt and practised in a very Advanced and Scientific way as per this Research. So that, the selection of medicine in a correct potency can be done in a shortest possible time, which I call'Advanced Homoeopathy'.
Instead of studying the entire ocean of symptoms of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica, now remains before you, only a very few symptoms for a particular group under a particular potency of a particular drug. This simplification research of this Advanced Homoeopathy was a very very huge task which has been assisted solely by the zealous, enthusiastic, intelligent and devoted colleague of mine, Dr. Santwana Mukherjee, without whom this work could not have been done by me. Her keen observation, painstaking and laborious perseverance and constant effort made our research a tremendous success.
There are critics to all progressive outlook. But our success is rewarded with the success in our treatment which has created a huge confidence among the patients throughout the World. I invite my critics to deny this Advanced Homeopathy after practical trials. Radhakrishnan, the Indian Philosopher writes "We deny a thing because it is inconsistent with what we believe''.
Dr. Compton Burnett has enriched the Homoeopathic World by adding Bacillinum where he logically proceeded in the preparation of this drug from the debris of the lung tissue of a tuberculosis patient which contained the positive presence of Koch's Bacillus. This has surpassed the previous preparation Tuberculinum of Dr. Swan which was prepared in 1874 from the sputa of such patients which might or might not contain the Bacillus.
Dr. E. Fincke has enriched Homoeopathy by adding physical properties like Electricity in potentised form in alcohol.
Similar improved additions to Homoeopathic World as Pyrogenium, X-ray, Indian plant remedies, etc., etc., have been made by various scientific workers. The author has added to those a new arena of thoughts about the relations of some precious stones, metals and salts, in potencies, with the human system, which are indicated by the Astrological constellation of stars influencing the health of a particular man, as per the concept determined in India around 3000 B.C.
But all these additions to Homoeopathy needed scientific evaluations again under this Advanced Homoeopathy where the value of previous drug picture or Materia Medica has taken,a new light.
This research has been based on the practical knowledge from the study of patients. Regarding study of patients Sir William Osler (father of Modern Pathology) said, "To study the phenomena of disease without books is to sail an uncharted sea, while to study books without patients is not to go to sea at all."
RESPONSE OF POTENCIES OF LYCOPODIUM ON SOME
DISEASES IN PERCENTAGE
!
LYCOP.
LYCOP,
LYCOP.
LYCOP.
6
30
200
1000
COLD-NOSE BLOCK
40
95
1
NIL
COUGH
10
15
NIL
NIL
PNEUMONIA
10
60
1
NIL
PLEURISY
5
70
5
1
angina
111111111
30
2
NIL
FLATULENCE
5
3
60
5
BELCHING
NIL
5
6O
HICC0UGH
. 1
30
5
1
CONSTIPATiQN
NIL
NIL
75
5
APPENDICITIS
5
98
10
5
HYPERACIDITY
NIL
5
50
1
HYDROCEPHALLUS
10
75
5
Nil
VIRAL FEVER
5
70
NIL
Nil
meningitis
5
20
NIL
Nil
IMPOTENCY
NIL
NIL
30
65
HERNIA RIGHT SIDE
SCROTAL
Nil
1
7
15
.
NIL = Less than 1% Belching: Lycop 1000 - 5
From this example of Table 1 one can understand how a very Quick Selection of Potency can be possible, for Lycopodium.
Now for Drug Selection, examples are being casted below with the most suitable potencies selected in the above method of Table 1 for each of some leading drugs, in Buerger's Disease and Raynaud's Disease (Table II) and Piles (Table III). If the patient has got Piles as his chief complaint then there is no need of other symptoms than those of Piles in most of the cases, vide the chapter on " Formation of Advanced Homoeopathy and its Materia Medica".
FROM SOME PAPERS ON RESEARCH
This is a synopsis of a joint paper on the Effect of Aconitum napellus, Arnica montana and Rhus toxicodendron extracts on Hypertension with Dr. Santwana Mukherjee read by me in an All India Pharmaceutical Conference at Hyderabad (India).
As there was no fixed drug in Homoeopathy for hypertension we have, after lots of clinical trials, selected Rhus toxicodendron, Aconitum napellus and Arnica montana for study.
Though the cause of the disease is unknown, still, the mental constitution, to absorb tension and to tolerate the shocks and to be free from thoughts of worry, gain and loss, of the individual man, remains the cardinal cause in addition to over eating.
It has been directly verified that the principles laid down in Srimad-bhagavat Gita to make the mind quiet and free, known as "Sthitaprajna", definitely balances the hypertension and allied diseases to normalcy.
One of the chief indications ofAconitum napellus /Rhus tox is the restlessness of mind and body. Arnica montana has become popular and famous for curing trauma of body. We have found that it is as good a remedy for mental shocks which are subtle and protracting, affecting the pressure of the blood.
Aconitum napellus is a toxic drug and so also Rhus tox. In various trials with various concentrations, we concluded as 200x for Aconitum ,30x for Rhus tox and 3x for Arnica , most suitable potencies. The concentrations tried were 1/10 to 200 ( Table IV )
The study we carried on for over two decades dealing with over a thousand patients of different groups in three of our clinical centres at Calcutta, Asansol and Mihijam. The average of the results are cited here.
The individual study of Aconitum napellus 1x has proved some effect in reducing Hypertension only in 1 to 5% cases that also lasting for a few days. Repeating the drug for more than seven days did not yield any good result, rather it caused palpitation.
The concentration 3x was still less effective, the concentration 30x worked in about 15 to 20% cases in reducing B.P. even when continued for 30 days consecutively. But the concentration 200x has very good effect for about 6 months but the B.P was not reduced verv much in about 50% cases. Moreover it acted best where the Systolic pressure was high (Table IV),
CONCLUSION
The effect of Aconitum napellus:
a) It's action was found to be on Systolic B.P, and some on diastolic
b) Age group above 30 years.
c) Sleep was improved.
d) Mind was more calm.
e) The fear of the disease was much less and the anxiety was relieved to a great extent.
f) Did not act well on B.P. above 200 systolic and 120 diastolic.
g) After about 3 months, the effect became steady and did not show further improvements, in most cases (Table V).
The effect of Rhus toxicodendron:
a) It acted mostly on age groups above 45 years,
b) Affection on mind was less than Aconite napellus.
c) The concentrations 1x did not have effect on B.P., concentration 30x acted best on B.P. and concentration 200x acted very late and in a very few cases - nothing
mentionable.
d) Action was more on Systolic B.P, ranging from 230 to 140. The diastole was reduced by a small degree and not affecting diastole above 110 in 98% cases.
e) A long continuous use for 3 to 6 months has shown a steady effect whereafter no further improvement noticed (Table V).
The effect of Arnica Montana:
a) It acted in all age groups but the ages above 45 are better affected.
b) It has affected mostly people of shattered, frustrated and tired mind.
c) The concentration 1x has good effect in about 10-15% cases, concentration 3x affected about 50%-70% cases. Concentration 30x about 15 to 20% cases. Concentration 200x about 5 to 10% cases (Table IV).
d) It has action more on Diastolic B.P. ranging from 200 to 110 remarkably. The systolic B.P. was also affected but not very much.
Continuous use of Arnica 3, frequent doses a day, for 3 to 6 months has given good results and became steady in action after 2 or 3 months (Table V).
The Effect of Combination of Aconitum napellus 200x, Rhus toxicodendron 30x and Arnica montana 3x:
In assaying the actions of the drugs in combination in those particular optimum concentrations for each drug, it was found that Rhus tox. 30, Aconite 200 and Arnica 3 mixed together has affected Hypertension of all kinds very nicely and they acted in some cases better than when given individually. The doses generally used twice a day. Four times a day in very acute cases where the diastolic was above 160 mm of Hg. or so (Table V). When the above mentioned drugs individually do not yield desired result then only the combination should be tried.
The doses were gradually reduced to twice a day when the B.P. was lowered to about 200 Systolic/120 Diastolic mm Hg .When continued in such frequency for a month or two the B.P. descends gradually. It depends of course on the individual case. But generally it helps in two months or so. Thereafter it is required to be continued as once a day for 2 or 3 months when it is further reduced. Once a day to once on alternate days was continued in majority of the cases for 3 to 6 months.
A dose at intervals of two or 3 days when continued for several months, gives a permanent stability in keeping the pressure normal or near to normal. The cause of the Hypertension being a criterion of mind, it has been observed that this combination also changes the condition of mind to a great extent, and the man becomes more tolerant to the causes of mental tensions.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ACONITUM 200x,
RHUS T. 30x AND ARNICA 3x IN HYPERTENSION
DRUG
Concen
-tration
Responsed BP Range
mmHg
AGE
GROUP
DURATION OF ACTION IN
MONTHS
Diastolic
Systolic
ACONITUM
RHUS T.
ARNICA
Three
COMBINED
200x
30 x
3 x
As
Above
120 - 100
110 - 90
200 -110
170 - 100
200 -140
270 -140
250 -130
300 - 140
All Ages
ALL AGES BUT BETTER IN OLDERS
3 TO 4
3 TO 6
2 TO 3
OVER 12
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ACONITUM 200x
RHUS T. 30x AND ARNICA 3x IN HYPERTENSION
DRUG
MENTAL SYMPTOMS RESPONDED IN %
Effective
Frequency of Doses
% of cases respond-ed
Anxiety
Fear
Restless-ness
Sleep
Aconitum
200x
Rhus T.
30x
Arnica
3x
Combo of
THREE
80
50
5
50 -70
90
10
1
50
50
80
1
50
60
30
NIL
40
Every 24 to 48 hours
Every 12 to 48 hours
Every 6 to 12 Hours
Every 8 to 48 Hours
50 - 60
50 - 60
50 - 70
70 - 80
Apart from the study of these three vegetable drugs, it was observed that another type of very high Blood Pressure, where the diastolic was ranging between 160 to 280 and the minimum systolic always higher than 200, could not have been controlled by them.
In those cases, Kalium bromatum 200, 2 drops per dose, twice a day, has acted well on this malignant hypertension in great majority of cases. Some times responded when the doses were increased to three or four times a day. But this is a very difficult condition and found in very rare cases.
Another excerpt from a joint paper with Dr. Santwana Mukherjee read by me in an International Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants as "Effect -of Lycopodium clavatum and Atropa belladonna on inflamation of Appendix", which will show examplary charts for selection of drug and potencies.
ADVANCED HOMOEOPATHY
Appendicitis, of acute to mild chronic cases have been very successfully treated, without relapse in a very high percentage with a stipulated concentration of Lycopodium clavatum and in some stages with Atropa belladonna.
These two remedies have been selected after lots of clinical trials with several other remedies which are used for such cases, and concentrations like 1x, 3x, 30x and 200x have been tried for each of the two remedies.
The total number of the cases were 3250 for our study treated over a span of two decades in our various centres. They were divided into two types. namely Mild (Chronic) and Severe (Acute).
The concentrations have been tried in various frequencies from once a day to twice a day in Mild cases (Table-VI) and once a day to six times a day in acute cases (Table-VIII). The average of the results are shown in Tables VI and VIII
The relapse generally found in mild cases occurring in very low percent between one and six months, are shown in Table-VII. They are very easily controlled by the use of Lycopodium in a shorter time than in original cases.
OBSERVATION
a) Lycopodium acts best with the potency of 30 and is better than other medicines.
b) Belladonna acts best in concentration -3 and acts better in the first part of treatment and is more effective when cases are more acute.
c) Lycopodium acts in ail stages except when very acute.
d) In such acute cases first Belladonna 3 acts well to reduce the intensity, and after this Lycopodium 30 acts well.
e) As the cases improve, the pacing of the doses should be increased and to be given at longer intervals to get a stable effect.
f) In higher and lower concentrations than 30 for Lycopodium and 3 for Belladonna the actions are diminished.
g) The best results were obtained in mild cases by using Lycopodium 30 twice a day on the first week, and once a day in the next two weeks and thereafter once on alternate days for another two weeks for achieving permanent results.
h) In acute cases, Atropa belladonna 3, acted best when given every four hours or every two hours on the first day, the next day Lycopodium 30 used four times a day and whenever the pain was acute a dose of Belladonna 3 intercurrently gave very good results. From the 3rd day only Lycopodium 30 given twice a day gave very good results and continued twice a day for 10 to 20 days to get good results. Thereafter once a day for another 30 days and thereafter on alternate days for two months has yielded complete cures in about 98% cases of acute Appendicitis. The relapse was prevented in almost all cases.
i) Relapse was not more than in 5% cases and that also of very mild nature and was easily controlled by Lycopodium 30 once or twice a day as the cases were.
j) The serious complications of the Appendicitis like abscess etc. were also treated with Belladonna and Lycopodium at a very high success, though such cases were few but not absent.
k) The recovery in all cases were very smooth and the agony of the pains were very nicely responded by Atropa belladonna by Atropa belladonna 3 and finally cured by Lycopodium clavatum 30.
An important discovery of drug-action : actions of potencies, observed by the Parimal Banerji Team.
Stefanatos ( 1997,228 ) tells us that the " electromagnetic fields (EMF)emanating from bacteria,viruses and toxic substances affect cells of the body and weaken its constitution." So the vital force is identified quite explicitly with electromagnetic fields and said to be the cause of disease. But somehow the life energies of the body are balanced by bioenergetic therapies. " No antibiotic or drug, no matter how powerful, will save an animal or human if the vital force of healing is suppressed or lacking ." ( Stefanatos 1997, 229 ) So health or sickness is determined by who wins the battle between good and bad electromagnetic waves in the body.
Through observations, the Parimal Banerje Team discovered a very interesting and astonishing phenomenon. The symptoms produced by the crude drugs or the mother tinctures are always better responded to by a potency of the same almost in every case for curing. And these symptoms did not respond to the crude drug or mother tincture that can produce them. The symptoms produced by a particular potency in the proving on a prover, have been always better curable by ANOTHER PARTICULAR HIGHER POTENCY of the same drug when those are found in a patient! The symptoms produced by a particular potency in a prover do not respond to the same potency when found in a diseased man. When the same potency or the same strength is used, the symptoms aggravate. It has been observed that a particular HIGHER POTENCY acts better. These observations are contradictory to Hahnemann's ideas as mentioned in his Materia Medica Pura. But these are the facts observed by the Parimal Banerje Team.
-Excerpt from Advanced Homeopathy and its Materia Medica ( Vol. 1 )
By Parimal Banerji
http://www.drpbanerji.com/
With regards
Lew
Finrod wrote:
________________________________
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