I have used belladonna in children for viral fevers that are not controlled by Motrin alone, pulsatilla for ear infections, podophyllum for stomach flu, rhus tox for poison ivy rash, bryonia for severe back ache, urtica urens for urticaria and hepar sulph for post-operative knee infection. The patient population included my kids and 6 friends (most from the scientific community) who have not used homeopathic remedies previously. A positive effect as measured by a lowering of temperature (in fever), decreased diarrhea with a single dose of podophyllum, a 50% visible reduction in rash within 6 hours of initiating treatment (for poison ivy rash), ability to get up and walk (back ache), decreased urticarial rashes and visible reduction in inflammation of knee are not placebo effects. For those who experienced placebo effects-clearly, you did not pick the right remedy.I am a pharmacist myself and a pharmaceutical scientist in Research and Development. My conclusions at work are always driven by data, however, in this case, the only data that I have is when I have seen the positive effects. Clinical trials using homeopathy is challenging due to the fact that the system is personalized for the symptoms shown by the patient. So, the same remedy may not be effective in 2 individuals showing different symptoms for the same illness.The absence of a theory to support the dilution and potency effect does not mean that the remedies are ineffective. They really work.
