Written by an experienced medical homoeopathic doctor, this book is an introduction to homoeopathy and a reference guide, giving a clear explanation with case reports of the basic principles for the beginner, the approach, indications and choices of remedies for the most common home medical problems which occur and do not require conventional medical help or emergency treatment and how and when to use homoeopathy to treat them. Homoeopathy often has the edge over the conventional approach for the common conditions which only require simple relief of pain and discomfort. More and more people are resisting the overwhelming approach of conventional drugs for ordinary problems because they know how depleted and exhausted they can feel as a result. Topics discussed include: an introductory section on homoeopathy; initial definitions and explanations; origins; the homoeopathic conception of disease and illness; the basic causation of illness and disease (inherited factors, case reports, exhaustion, allergic factors, psychological factors, epidemic factors, mechanical factors, parasitic factors, poisoning factors, iatrogenic (doctor-induced factors, socially induced factors, dietary factors, stress factors, environmental factors), the indications of homoeopathy. The book also provides a thorough look at acute problems, including: first aid; casualty or surgical conditions; exhaustion states; infection; deficiency conditions; pregnancy and childbirth; during the puerperium and prevention, and contains details on such chronic problems as: the action and function of homoeopathy (balancing function, the strengthening function, the supportive function, curative function, centring function, case reports, the dynamic function of cure and some general points about the action of the remedies); dilution and disease; the advantages of the homoeopathic approach; some limitations too; more indications for homoeopathy; preparation of the remedies; making a start (arnica, aconitum, calendula, rhus tox, nux vom); homoeopathy and the home; first aid (cuts and wounds, foriegn bodies, black eye, falls and sprains, bites and stings, nose bleeding, bruises, hiccups, fainting, diarrhoea, vomiting, toothache, indigestion and flatulence, a raised temperature, hang-over, headache, colic, sea sickness, acute ear problems, acute throat problems, sleeplessness, lumbago, the common cold, boils, breathlessness). The final section deals with the twenty basic remedies and their usage: aconitum, arnica, arsenicum, belladonna, carbo veg., chamomilla, gelsemium, hepar sulph., hypericum, kali bic., ledum, lycopodium, magnesia phos., natrum mur., phosphorus, sepia, sulphur and thuja. There are also useful addresses and places of contact and suggestions for further reading.
