Homeopathy In The Real World.

There is a lot to worry about these days; the ice-caps are melting, the same wars are being fought, and dull television programmes continue to be made. Was I the only person in Britain to be irritated by the recent BBC2 series, with Kathy Sykes, investigating alternative medicine?

In any discipline you find elements of ignorance and narrow-mindedness. Science is no exception. In the series we were shown the scientist, Kathy, watching major heart surgery using acupuncture in place of a general anaesthetic. It was tedious to watch her very slowly begin to think there might be something in acupuncture. This kind of scientific thinking, (I say ‘thinking’ from a strained spirit of generosity) is patronising drivel.

The worst kind of science cannot cope with the fact that other forms of medicine work. Whole cultures, for thousands of years, have used these methods to heal millions of people. It may not be ‘scientifically proven’ but it is common sense and is observable in the real world. Clearly uncomfortable in this world, Kathy, races back to a laboratory and an experiment is conducted using a scanner to show that certain parts of the brain respond to acupuncture. At last, the vast and mighty Chinese nation can sleep at nights knowing that its therapy has been validated by Kathy in a Sheffield laboratory.

The programme had less to do with science, and more to do with a camera following a ‘pretty’ expert being astonished by things most of us have known about for years. I thought good science was about explaining what is observed, not denying the existence of things unless they can be scientifically explained.

Nevertheless, in spite of melting ice-caps, wars and dull TV, there is much to feel pleased about. More people are wanting to get better in themselves and to get others better too. Homeopathy isn’t the only answer, but it is a good one. Over the last ten years it isn’t just the patients in the teaching clinic that get better, the whole college does.

The media often portrays alternative medicine a hobby for the affluent middle classes, or ‘the worried well’. In fact, there are several homeopathic projects in the South West involved in ‘grass-roots’ health care. From mental health projects, to helping with addiction, our lecturers and graduates meet the needs of real people, and deal with real health issues.

How we celebrate our tenth year has yet to be decided but one thing is for sure, we’ve got a lot to celebrate. Feel free to come and visit us.

Mike Bridger is Principal of The Contemporary College of Homeopathy. For comments on this article or for information about the college please visit www.conhom.com.