The fourth phase of homeopathy is represented by Hahnemann’s discovery and publication of his theory of chronic disease. Hahnemann himself recognised the radical nature of what he was proposing, and knew that it would meet much opposition. Indeed, it led to the first split in homeopathic ranks, and more or less destroyed what bridges there existed with the allopathic medical community in Germany and elsewhere. Doctors could accept the law of similars for it was a familiar concept, and they could accept, with some misgivings perhaps, giving small doses of medicines (Hahnemann was still working more or less with low potencies). (more…)

Lactation experts offer a couple of other suggestions for getting your milk flowing. Sometimes just thinking about your baby can stimulate the let-down reflex. If that doesn’t work, try taking a warm bath or shower, or applying warm washcloths to your breasts. (more…)

The second phase of homeopathy began with the rejection of allopathy (meaning, based on no guiding principles whatsoever) and antipathy (using the concept of contraries). The genius of Samuel Hahnemann was that he took one of several medical concepts, healing with similar substances, and provided convincing evidence that it was the natural law of cure. The other approaches were suppressive, damaging or palliative. Hahnemann then provided the means to apply it systematically to individual cases of disease. An idea is of little use if it remains a theory and cannot be systematically applied, as Hahnemann argued, on the basis of “easily comprehensible principles”. (more…)

Homeopathy, as a revolution in medical thought and practice, is itself in the throes of an internal revolution. A philosophy of medicine based seemingly on a close reading of the characteristic (individualising) symptoms of a patient for a prescription has been grappling with the time-bomb left by its creator, the re-introduction of causation into prescribing. (more…)

When the Department of Defense laid the foundation for today’s Internet back in the 1960s, one of the original ideas was to use the new medium to ensure uninterrupted communications during war. Today, that idea is being updated by an elite group of cyberwarriors within the department whose mission is to use the Net to foster communications chaos and bloodlessly cripple the enemy.

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The rise of Internet scribe Matt Drudge is one of the more bizarre side effects of the Information Age we’re all still getting used to. Although the man who broke the Monica Lewinsky story isn’t always called a “journalist” by “real” reporters, he’s popular enough to have landed a new gig: commentator on the tabloid show “Fox Files.” (more…)