Homeopathic history dates back to the 1830’s when Samuel Hahnemann first discovered its founding principles. It is a rich and colorful history which reveals its great curative power. In March 1929, Alfred Pulford M.D.(1863-1948) published in the Homeopathic Recorder the following case:
“Case 4 is that of a special representative of the U.S. Steel Corporation, a man about 65, who developed a very choice specimen of carbuncle (a type of boil) around the occipital region, which measured eight inches in diameter. A most malignant, foul, odorous mass of a dark, purplish hue, that stank to heaven and burned like fire. We started to make a thorough botch of this job. Nothing that we could get gave us a clue to the remedy. Anthracinum, Arsenicum, Lachesis, Rhus, and Tarentula cubensis were given, but for two weeks we got nowhere expecting a chance to lose our job. In order to keep down the odor and help us out in our bungling, we had the part fomented with Calendula and then applied dry charcoal, but this got us nowhere and we were beginning to despair of being able to do anything.
To add to the complications the nurse volunteered to the patient that she had nursed patients with what had been the largest carbuncles known, but that she had never seen one as large as this and that all those she had seen had died.
Needless to say, she lost her job. While things were going from bad to worse the patient volunteered this, ‘Whenever my bowels start to move the stool will get part way out and then will slip back and can only be expelled with the greatest difficulty.’ (This is a keynote symptom for the remedy Silica) Needless to state he got a single dose of Silica 1M. his pain was promptly relieved and a mass almost as large as a child’s head suppurated out and left a cavern that was fearful to behold. He received two more doses of the 1M and one of the 10M and made one of the most brilliant and record-breaking recoveries we have ever seen and it is surprising how nearly the signs of the scar have been obliterated when one considers the extent and the jagged edges.”
Perspective patients commonly will say ‘I have tried homeopathic remedies, but they did not work’. Most people do not realize that homeopathy is an exact science, it requires a thorough history of all the patient’s symptoms in order to find the precise remedy that will stimulate the healing process. Today we have computer programs that assist the homeopath in analyzing cases and directing us toward the correct remedy that the patient needs. Usually, the first remedy works but there are times that several remedies have to be given before the correct remedy is found. However, once the correct remedy is given, dramatic healing occurs.