Role of external applications in Homoeopathy

Dr Prachi Shah

Abstract:
Homoeopathy, one of the most commonly used alternative medicines globally, has a wide range of roles in the management of various diseases. Use of external applications has always been a topic of controversy since the time of Hahnnemann. If we all decide to stick to our basics, we could all be on the same page without being controversial. Hence, one must follow the traditions and always try to innovate and give new ideologies to the fraternity, keeping basics in mind.

We all young and emerging homeopaths should take responsibility for the same.

Keywords: local application, external application, ointment, homeopathy, Hahnemann, Organon of medicine.

Introduction:
From the time immemorial, local applications have been used by physicians for a very long time from Aesculapius down to the present day, on the belief that if the external manifestations are removed, the disease is cured. But, Dr. Hahnemann after discovery of homoeopathy proclaimed that, that the external application is nothing but the outward reflection of the internal derangement of the spiritual, dynamic vital force which, when disturbed, expresses itself on the surface as signs.

External applications are not in the strict principle of homeopathy. Treatment of diseases by internal medication is the specialty of homeopathy. Disease manifests by signs and symptoms, which are the sole guide of our homeopathic method of treatment.

No disease is external or local. The immaterial spirit-like vital force throws out the internal disease on the external surface. The nature of external symptoms indicate the nature of internal sickness. By removal of the external affections by external application the disease is never cured. On the other hand, they may attack some vital organs of our body, and as a result, we lose the image of the diseases. But for accidental cases, injuries, lacerations, burns etc. we need some local cleansing and dressing of the part.

Henneman gave some arguments against the external application in his Organon of medicine (5th Edition) in aphorism 196 to 203. But later on he saw the necessity of external application, while advocating the administration of medicine per mouth.

He felt that, oral route is not the only route for administration of medicine.

So, he clearly explained, in the 6th edition of Organon of Medicine in aphorism 284 and 285, about the use of external application. He said that curative remedy should be continued internally while the same remedy is used externally as ointment, lotion, liniment, glycerol etc.

Note: Inveterate and difficult cases of sycosis (when the sycosis remains along with the excrescences), Thuja occidentalis may be applied externally. This is the only condition where external application of medicine has been advocated by Hahnemann.

LOCAL MALADIES:

Definition: Local maladies or local diseases are one sided diseases where changes and ailments appear on the external parts of the body. (Aphorism 185).

Local maladies are not purely local in nature but the rest of the body also participates in the development of the disease process. All parts of the organism are independent; no symptoms will develop exclusively independent. Some disturbance in one part may generate changes in the other parts of the body also. In each and every disease the entire organism reacts as a whole. So the local diseases are not truly local.

Types of local maladies:

They are divided into two type:

1. Local maladies because of external cause
2. Local maladies because of internal cause
3. Local maladies because of external cause:

There are some local maladies which, in their first context itself appear to be local.

Example: In cases of mild skin injuries, it remains purely local. Owing to the mildness of the symptoms, the vital force can aid it without any medicinal help.

On the contrary, if the local melodies are because of severe types of external injuries, a revolution takes place in the entire organism. the whole organism reacts and there appears a protective general response like fever, malaise etc. If the injury of the external cause is of a severe type, even surgical aid may be needed.

In such cases, also along with the mechanical and surgical aid, proper homeopathic dynamic medicines have to be given to assist the vital force in recovery. It is a common example that a patient with severe contusions, lacerated muscles will develop fever. This type of fever has to be smoothened by the use of dynamic homeopathic remedies. In case of scalds and burns along with the local cleanliness and hygiene, internal dynamic medicines can be administered to prevent shock (§ 186).

2. Local maladies because of internal cause (§ 187 & 188)

This is the second group of local maladies where the physician cannot notice any type of external cause like injury or accident. Here, the cause is purely internal and dynamic. Example: eruptions on the lip and whitlow, etc (§ 189).

Such local diseases where external cause could not be traced out, must be treated with internal remedies to achieve a judicious, sure, efficient and radical cure (§ 190).

• A suitable homeopathic medicine in such cases, will not only cure the local maladies but also improve the general health of the patient (§191).

• For the selection of such remedy, enquiry of exact character of the local affection and through investigation of patient’s disposition must be enquired, like in any other dynamic chronic disease (§ 192).

iii. Based on the totality of symptoms when the selected dynamic medicine is administered, it will radically cure the local malady as well as improve the general condition of the patient (§ 193).

• In local maladies of the second variety, it is not at all advisable to use any kind of external applications. Even the internally administered similimum remedy cannot be applied externally. Only the internal use of dynamic homeopathic remedy alone is sufficient to bring about the cure. If such cure is not brought out, then psora has to be considered as the cause (§ 194).

• In local maladies of psoric origin, the anti-psoric treatment is the only solution (§ 195). Administration of such anti-psoric medicines have to be done in succession i.e. each medicine has to be administered after one has completed its action.

• The external applications are not allowed not only in psoric cases but also in syphilitic as well as sycotic types. This is because if local application is given the chief presenting complaint will disappear, leaving the internally present miasmatic disease uncured. So judicious and ideal cure is not possible (§ 196-198).

External Application in Local Maladies (§ 199-203)

• The allopathic physicians consider local maladies as purely local problems.They try to destroy the local symptoms by means of corrosive or desiccative external applications. Such procedures remove the local symptoms but make the infection worse. This is because with the removal of external symptom alone, the chief complaint has been removed. When the external complaint is removed, identification of the internal suffering becomes very difficult (§ 199).

• In cases where the external complaints are removed by the ointments, it becomes difficult to decide whether the cure has taken place or not, as the external visible complaint has been robbed of by the external applications (§ 200).

• The vital force produces local symptoms in order to sooth the internally well developed miasmatic disease. As long as the local symptoms are present on the skin the inner parts of the body are safer but the vital force is not capable of curing itself from the miasmatic disease without the help of the homeopathic remedies. As a result, the disease progresses internally (§ 201).

• The old school physicians (of Hahnemannian days), by their cruel methods like issues and setons tried to keep on draining the material discharges from the external ailments. They do this in the name of following nature. They always believed in the materia peccans. But such practice will never cure the disease. On the contrary, prolonged use of violent procedures like issues and setons will make the patient weaker and weaker (§ 201-202).

• When the old school physician tries to destroy the local symptom by violentprocedures, nature tries to increase the internal disease. Procedures like applying ointments on the psoric eruption, burning off the chancres by caustics, destroying the condylomata with the knife, ligatures and cautery will invariably increase the internal miasmatic diseases. These procedures can be termed as the main sources of innumerable number of named and unnamed chronic diseases of today (§ 203).

In 6th edition of Organon of Medicine, aphorisms 284-285 Hahnemann clarifies about the various routes of administration of the homeopathic similimum. Hahnemann allows the local application/ administration of medicine, but under the following conditions:

1. Disease has to be very old.
2. To further the process of cure, this is slow with oral doses.
3. The same medicine has to be applied externally, which has shown curative action internally.
4. Medicine has to be rubbed in the back, arms and extremities.
5. Avoid parts subject to pain, spasm and skin eruption.

Discussion and Conclusion:

External application when caused externally, external application of medicines could be done.

For example:

1. Calendula Officinalis:- locally. Aqueous calendula for all wounds, the greatest healing agent. For burns, sores, fissures and abrasions, etc., use calendula cerate. Calendula cream or ointment for chapped hands.
2. Cantharis:- locally, in burns and eczema, 1x and 2x, in water, or as create.
3. Gun powder: – locally for dressing of septic postoperative wounds.

References:

1. Organon of medicine by Dr Samual Hahnemann 5th & 6th edition combined. Presented by R.E. Dudgeon, William Boericke, B. Jain publisher Pvt. Ltd.
2. Dr. Sumit Goel, Art and Science of Homoeopathic Pharmacy, (2007) IPPB, New Delhi
3. Sarkar BK, Organon of medicine. Delhi: Birla Publications Pvt.Ltd;2005-2006
4. Babu Nagendra “COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF ORGANON” First Edition: 2009, 1st Impression: 2009
5. Mandal, B. (n.d.). A treatise on organon of medicine with homoeopathic philosophy part II. New Central Book Agency.

Dr.Prachi Shah
ppshah2312@gmail.com