Homeopathy for Acutes and Emergencies by Pareek Alok / Pareek R.S., Review

Homeopathy for Acutes and Emergencies, A Practical Guide

I have been very impressed by this book, as I was by RS Pareek when I heard him lecture in Bombay in 1986 (1) . It is important to note what this book is not, it is not a first aid book for patients to look after themselves. It is a serious work to share clinical experiences of a father and son and extended family,who have their own hospital specialising in emergency surgical and medical care in Agra, not far from the TajMahal. This is truly another Indian wonder.

That homeopathy is effective in acute care of patients I can attest, not least from 16 years of acute care on the telephone, 2 or 3 days each week, quite apart from acute prescribing in my own practice. The practical experience shared in this book goes much further and describes a partnership in serious ‘A & E’ care between regular and homeopathic medicine and surgery. The limits of each are described in detail. There are special chapters on cardiac and circulatory emergencies; neurological emergencies such as stroke, intra-cerebral haemorrhage, epilepsy, transient ischaemic attack; and more on psychiatry, trauma and injury, post-operative care including iatrogenicemergencies, oncology, alcoholism, environmental disasters such as industrial pollution, pernicious anaemia and more. Always there is respect shown for the necessary medical and surgical care given, homeopathy may be in some cases the primary therapy but in others the alternative philosophy to which we adhere creates a complementary service.

In addition to decades of clinical experience, what the authors share are some brilliant case histories with just enough clinical detail, and then a differential materia medica of possible medicines in each case. You can see for yourself with this reading excerpt . At the end of the book there are useful cross-references and summary materia medica. The book is well produced but carries some American English spellings, which is not usual from Narayana.

I have some suggestions for the next volume: atrial fibrillation, pulmonary embolisms, diabetic emergencies – both type 1 and type 2, male and female emergencies such as testicular torsion, or after amateur terminations, and appendicitis. To have our own emergency hospital in Britain is something to which we can aspire with messianic hope.

 
(1) Indian oddities – a traveller’s tale, in The Homeopath, 1986 6:2.