Pneumonia, a Series of Six Indicated Medicines

The pathological definition of pneumonia is the acute Inflammation of the lung parenchyma distal to the terminal bronchioles which consist of the respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs and alveoli. The focus of the article is the therapeutics of pneumonia. Not all the indicated remedies are mentioned. Rather six of the most prominent remedies are presented here, as how they follow each other as the disease progress. Please be forewarned that not all the cases require all of these remedies. It could also happen that a remedy out of this series may be required. Selection of a remedy for a case should always be in the true homoeopathic way, in pneumonia or in any disease for that matter. This article also aims to understand how the remedies be correlated with the pathology of a disease condition, how they could follow each other with respect to the pathology.

Belladonna in Inflammation

For most of us belladonna is synonymous with inflammation. The symptoms of belladonna correspond in similarity to a number of inflammatory states met with in under ordinary circumstances, it being a polychrest. But practising homoeopathy on pathology alone is dangerous. Any drug could be made dangerous in nature when prescribed in unsuitable cases of diseases and in large doses. Though, Hahnemann has given us precise guidelines on the manner of homoeopathic prescription, these are not followed always. We see different methods of prescribing and practising homoeopathy sectioned under new and varied principles. Some of them deviate absurdly from Hahnemann’s philosophy. It's true that progress is in requirement for medical field. But we must never forget that Hahnemann was a researcher and a keen observer who had the brilliance to propose theories ahead of the medical system of his time. His research and studies were not made on the sick alone, he made his provings on healthy men. He was also constantly improvising in his methodology. Diagnostic criteria may change with research into pathology and with latest laboratory investigations, but these provings hold true then and now. It's thus incumbent on all of us to dwelve into the source books and then come to conclusions. This blog is a humble effort on my part to forray into the books of Hahnemann and his closest and able disciples, to learn homoeopathy in the way Hahnemann proposed.

Belladonna is an extremely useful drug and it works even in the smallest doses. It has saved many a life. Hahnemann’s experience with scarlet fever where Belladonna was used as a curative and preventive remedy is a proof of it. He had a special method of preparation for its use. Belladonna has all the classical signs of inflammations like the redness, heat, swelling etc. So does other drugs, which has anti inflammatory action, with more or less of these signs and symptoms. What helps us distinguish Belladonna is its onset, the nature of its pains, the characteristic symptoms and the modalities. Belladonna has a sudden onset.

How to Differentiate Rhus tox and Bryonia in Fever, Part 2

There is no replacement for the disciplinary learning of medicines. But are we really in close connection with our drugs? Is it not the truth that the technology has deviated us from following the Hahnemannian methodology of prescribing? I am not against progress and development, but the system suffers from this neglect. Eventually it's the patient who becomes the scapegoat. I am on a quest to relearn the materia medica, to get to know the drugs intimately and to discern the points of similarities and differentiation between them. There are no shortcuts in learning. Dr. Hering has rightly said

“THEY WHO UNDERTAKE THE PRACTISE OF MEDICINE CHIEFLY BY THE AID OF EXTRACTS AND REPERTORIES, WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE MERE NOVICES, WILL NEVER ACCOMPLISH WHAT BELONGS TO SKILL, FOUNDED ON SCIENCE AND CARRIED OUT PRACTICALLY, WITH DILIGENCE AND CARE.”

When new into practice, it takes time to gain the trust of the people around us, to gain their confidence, to begin their history with us. I say history because, for a homoeopath, it is important to cultivate a good relation with our patients. It is a bond, that often lasts the test of time, the test of diseases, sometimes even the test of criticisms. We learn the little things and the big things about them and they understand the depth of homoeopathy and willingly give it time when needed. The treatment process have to begin somewhere. Very many patients like to make small beginnings, take baby steps, feel the waters before taking the plunge. Often, these beginnings are with a stuffy nose here, a cough there, a fast relief for a toothache or a handy remedy for a fever. The most familiar remedies are the most useful during this period. It maybe almost correct to say that the medicinal chest is surely incomplete without these two saviours, Bryonia and Rhus tox.

In a previous post on a comparison of fevers between the two drugs (read here)) , I have outlined the general similarities and differences. It doesn't give an actual picture of their indications in the specific circumstances.