[H] Susan's question [was: Combos vs. Singles

On Dec 20, 2011, at 2:46 PM, healthyinfo6@aol.com wrote:

> Hi Shannon,
>
> I think there could be an argument made between a combo remedy that
> focuses on ONE symptom vs a combo that focuses on MANY symptoms.
>
> For example, ColdCalm from Boiron has a bunch of remedies, each
> targets a specific symptom or stage of a cold.
> There's one for sinus pain, runny nose, sneezing, headache, ...
>
> http://www.boironusa.com/products/coldcalm.php
>
> A cold goes through stages, each stage needing a different
> remedy. By taking this combo througtout the cold, you are getting
> the remedy needed for that stage. How and why the vital force
> distinguishes is another issue.
>
> Why shouldn't this be considered homeopathy?

Hm, I never heard of one like that--but I haven't paid much attention
either...
As to why it shouldn't (strictly speaking, per Hahnemann) be
considered homeopathic, is simply that he specified giving *one remedy
at a time*. From the historical record, it appears that he made that
choice somewhat arbitrarily--not because one *can't* use remedies in
combination -- quite obviously, one can -- but because there are some
disadvantages, and he felt that keeping simplicity was both
advantageous, and sufficient.

One reason he gave was the vastly increased complexity of prescribing
remedies in tandem; this wasn't with reference to "combinations" as
we've been talking about them; it was with reference to what... I
forget who the contemporary was that had discussed it with him...
whoever, referred to as "dual remedies" -- remedies chosen to be given
at the same time, complementing each others' effects. (Having been
proven only singly, not in tandem.)

Other reasons were more "political": he feared (and I would think
probably quite rightly) that part of what distinguished the practice
of homeopathy from the practice of the "mainstream medicine" of his
day (applies also to ours), was the principle of *single* remedy,
chosen to have a deep, subtle and specific effect of causing "the
whole" to rebalance -- really amazingly elegant, isn't it! I think
the power and beauty of that approach (when it is working well) is
really something quite special. Maybe that could be replicated with
skillfully chosen combinations, but Hahmenann made the choice to
bypass that field of complexity, stating that the approach he was
outlining -- using *single* remedies, and changing the remedy only if
and as required by the change of symptom picture -- was sufficient,
and therefore preferrable to the (far less tested, generally unknown,
and still very uncertain and, he felt, ultimately more difficult) path
of complexes.

Sooooo.......... That's why it is not strictly homeopathy -- because
of the definition Hahnemann gave.

Will it work as billed? I have no idea! Seems plausible to me that
it *could*, but I would think that individualizing with single
remedies would still be preferable *if* it is an available option. Do
I feel that, if single remedy path is not an option, one ought to
consign oneself to the devil or the ER before partaking of such
products? No, personally I don't. Others here will no doubt
disagree. :o)

Does that answer it for you?

Shannon

>
> Susan
>
>
> Shannon wrote:
>
> ? But Rosemary's story was about how it had *worked* for her, in an
> illness.
> ???
>
> (Unless you meant because she had been in an acute, but
> *constitutionally* strong?)
> I was taught--our teacher's years of experience--that agg is unlikely
> during treatment for an acute situation. But (from my own experience)
> if the patient is hypersensitive, all bets are off... Is that what
> you were referring to?
>
>
>
> On Dec 20, 2011, at 12:20 AM, Irene de Villiers wrote:
>
>> Rosemary wrote:
>>
>>>> This makes sense in light of what I learned in
>>>> school that if you don't need a remedy it won't have an effect on
>>>> you,
>>>> unless you take it to a point of proving.
>>>
>>
>> That is only true if you take it when you are healthy!
>> If you have an illness and you take a mismatched remedy - you run
>> the risk of adding grafted symptoms that make it a more complex
>> disease and MUCH harder to cure!
>> All the more reason NOT to use combos.
>>
>> .......Irene
>> --
>> Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom.
>> P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220.
>> www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html (Veterinary
>> Homeopath.)
>> "Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it."
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
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