Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 1999. / The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of the thirtieth centesimal (30 CH) potency of the venom of Bitis arietans arietans (the Puffadder) on healthy individuals in order to elucidate the totality of morbid symptoms produced by the drug, so that it may be prescribed according to the Law of Similars, as required by homoeopathic science. It was hypothesised that the 30 CH potency of Bitis arietans arietans would produce clearly observable symptoms and signs in healthy volunteers. / M

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements of the Master’s Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology. 2013. / This study was a homoeopathic drug proving of Bitis atropos 30CH (derived from Berg adder venom) with a subsequent comparison of the proving symptoms to known venom toxicology and existing remedies from the materia medica, that on repertorisation, yielded the greatest similarities in the Mental, General, Physical and unique symptomatology of Bitis atropos. Methodology : The proving was carried out in the form of a double-blinded, placebo controlled trial on healthy subjects who were administered the proving substance or placebo. The resultant influence of this substance on the health of provers (i.e. symptoms produced) was recorded in journal format and formed the materia medica and ultimately the clinical indications thereof according to the Law of Similars. Twenty eight healthy consenting provers who meet the inclusion criteria (Appendix B), were randomly split into two groups, one being the experimental group comprising 22 provers, and the other a placebo control group comprising 6 provers. This was further split between the researcher and co-researcher, each responsible for 11 provers receiving verum and 3 receiving placebo. The researchers and the individual provers were unaware of their respective group allocation and the provers were unaware of the identity of the proving substance. The fresh venom sourced from a wild, Berg adder, was processed according to the German Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia (Appendix G) to produce the 30CH Homoeopathic potency thereof. Six lactose powders were dispensed to each prover (either placebo or verum) and taken sublingually three times a day or until the onset of symptoms. Symptoms were recorded by the provers in journals over 4 weeks and were closely supervised by the researcher. When the symptoms subsided, the combined journals were collected, collated, analysed, interpreted and validated. Accepted symptoms were converted to materia medica and Repertory format. Results : The proving yielded a total of 903 rubrics, of which 18 were newly created. The systems mostly affected were Dreams, Mind, Head and Eye. Comparison of proving symptoms to that of venom toxicology, as seen in case studies of envenomation by Bitis atropos, yielded similar results, as the sensations experienced in provers closely matched that of known venom toxicology. On repertorisation of the proving symptoms, the existing remedies that were closely related were Sepia officinalis, Lachesis mutus and Argentum nitricum. Further repertorisation of toxicological symptoms indicated a further relation to Belladonna, Natrum muriaticum and Hyoscyamus niger. Conclusion : Clearly observable signs and symptoms were produced by healthy provers in response to administration of Bitis atropos 30CH, in addition there was a significant degree of similarity between proving symptoms and that of known toxicology of the crude substance. The researcher identified Sepia officinalis, Lachesis mutis and Argentum nitricum as the three most similar existing homoeopathic remedies and a detailed comparison thereof was conducted. A further repertorisation of the toxicological symptoms of envenomation by the snake, yielded the remedies Belladonna, Natrum muriaticum and Hyoscyamus niger which were also compared to Bitis atropos.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements of the Master’s Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / Introduction The aim of this study was to investigate the homeopathic potential of Bitis atropos 30CH (Homoeopathically prepared Berg adder venom) and to compare the materia medica of Bitis atropos with that of existing remedies originating from remedies derived from the same genus: Bitis. It was hypothesised that the thirtieth centesimal potency of the substance Bitis atropos would produce clearly observable signs and symptoms in healthy volunteers, furthermore it was hypothesised that the materia medica of Bitis atropos would be comparable with those of existing remedies originating from the genus Bitis. Methodology The homeopathic drug proving of the substance Bitis atropos 30CH took the form of a double-blinded, randomised, placebo controlled trial. A total of 28 provers took part in the proving, twenty one percent (6 provers) were randomly administered placebo, the other seventy nine percent (22 provers) were randomly administered verum (active proving drug). Each prover received six lactose powder sachets, either placebo or verum, and were instructed to take one powder three times a day or until symptoms arose. Symptoms induced in healthy provers by Bitis atropos or placebo were recorded in journal format on a daily basis for a period of 4 weeks or until symptoms subsided. This data was subsequently transcribed into nomenclature suitable for the materia medica and repertory. A general picture of the remedy was described which according to the Law of Similars forms the clinical indications of the substance in homoeopathic practice. A concurrent study of the proving of Bitis atropos 30CH was conducted by Brijnath (2013), and focused on comparing the results of the proving with the venom toxicology of the snake and other related remedies. Results A wide variety of mental, emotional and physical symptoms were produced. Some of the main themes included feelings of antagonism with one’s self, polarity, anxiety, irritability and a lack of focus with a feeling of confusion. Some of the physical symptoms produced were a lack of energy, fatigue, temperature sensitivity, skin eruptions, eye symptoms, ear symptoms, back pain, asthma symptoms, and an increase in libido. The symptoms from the proving of Bitis atropos 30CH were subsequently compared with remedies that belong to the same genus: Bitis. This analysis aimed to demonstrate the similarities between the remedies in the same genus: Bitis. A significant degree of similarity was noted within the mental sphere, where the remedies shared the same themes of anxiety, irritability, polarity, confusion and lack of mental focus. Some of the physical symptoms shared by the remedies were those of respiratory symptoms, temperature sensitivity, fatigue, lack of energy and headaches and an increased libido. Conclusion This investigation supported the hypothesis that Bitis atropos 30CH would produce clear and observable signs and symptoms in healthy volunteers in addition it supported the hypotheses that the materia medica produced would be comparable to the existing remedies sharing the same genus i.e.- Bitis arietans arietans(Puff adder) and Bitis gabonica gabonica (Gaboon viper).