First Aid with Homeopathy by Manuel Mateu i Ratera, Review

published in Homeopathic Links

Review in Links - First Aid with Homeopathy

Reviewed by Francis Treuherz

Here is a new first aid book which is a complete revolution from all other such books. This one is written by a professional, helped by an international team of colleagues, and can safely be used by professionals like you and me, and most important, also by patients. So many first aid books infantilise their readers with oversimplified descriptions of what can be major health issues, and similarly oversimplified descriptions of Materia Medica. Here we have the real thing. This book has a practical shape and size, 18.5 x 12.5 x 3.75cm, hard-backed and very well bound. There is an introduction to homeopathy, including the evidence for its efficacy, of almost 40 pages. Then some 60 pages about resuscitation and emergencies and what to do. Then about 500 pages of descriptions of trauma and acute issues, a short essay on what to put in a kit appropriate to the needs. Finally, there is a detailed Materia Medica of almost 300 more pages. I cannot possibly mention all the possible ways of getting into trouble and how to deal with them but this book is thoroughly up-to-date. Not only insect bites and every sort of wound, but decompression after diving, the effects of toxic chemicals or radiation, and a range of emotional traumas. The issues are described and then possible remedies with differentials. Each remedy is also described in more detail later. For example, I am accustomed after 20 years on the Homeopathic Helpline – a UK emergency phone service – to dealing with jetlag on the phone; here are 13 remedies briefly described, and I have learned something. I usually travelled with an ancient small Boericke, now replaced with the modern Narayana leather backed and updated version. This work is of a similar size but is much more practical. There is plenty to read on a boring journey and plenty of advice for what might happen when you get there. You will need another copy by the phone in your clinic.