Mini-dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Durban University of Technology in partial compliance with the requirements for a Master’s Degree in Technology: Homeopathy, 2008. / A survey method was employed to investigate the perceptions of nurses in eThekwini towards homeopathy. The aim of this study was to answer the following questions: What does the nursing community in the eThekwini region know of homeopathy? Does homeopathy have a role to play in a hospital setting in the context of South Africa? The study population was all nurses with 5 years experience or more working in hospitals in the eThekwini region. The sample was drawn from 6 public and 5 private hospitals and included staff nurses and professional nurses. A total of 330 questionnaires were distributed and a total of 200 questionnaires were returned (60.6%). A total of 93 nurses (46.5%) responded from the public sector and 107 nurses (53.5%) from the private sector. The study was carried out using a questionnaire as a measuring tool. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics using frequency tables and bar charts. The Pearson’s Chi Square Test was used on selected data. The majority of respondents were female (94%) and were between the ages of 26-35 and 36-45 years. Most of the respondents had been practising for 6-10 years and 11-15years. 19% of the total number of respondents had never heard of homeopathy and 10% indicated that they were quite familiar with the homeopathic profession. Of those respondents who had never heard of homeopathy, 71.1% were in the public sector and 28.9% in the private sector. Of those respondents who answered that they were quite familiar with homeopathy, 14.3% were in the public sector and 85.7% in the private sector. With regards to legitimacy of homeopathy most nurses working in the private hospitals (60.1%) perceived homeopathy to be a legitimate form of health care as compared to nurses working in public hospitals (39.9%). Generally, both groups considered communication and co-operation with homeopaths to be very poor. In total 79.49% of respondents said it would be beneficial to improve communication between the professions. The majority of respondents (70.06%) perceived that homeopathy does have a role to play in a hospital setting. Only 29.94% of respondents perceived that homeopathy had no role to play in a hospital setting. This indicates that many respondents perceive that integrated medicine is needed in a hospital setting. This study reveals that the respondents had a positive view of homeopathy in general, and were open to learning more about it, and to cooperate with homeopaths. The finding that knowledge of homeopathy is low, and communication between the two professions is poor, can be addressed through suitable publicity and education programmes. / M

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / The addition of a large number of new remedies to the homoeopathic materia medica has made it challenging to select the correct remedy for a patient. Locating individual remedies within groups makes it easier to understand, remember and apply the information from the remedies. The aim of this research study was to evaluate common themes and symptomatology of homoeopathic remedies belonging to the synthetic recreational drug isolate group, as represented in the known homoeopathic materia medica and repertory. Most remedies derived from synthetic recreational drug isolate sources have not been well documented or comprehensively proven in homoeopathy, so are not well represented in repertory programs. Therefore, in addition, remedies in this study were selected according to the homoeopathic significance of each remedy, the availability of actual provings and representation in materia medica, the existence of a synthetic derivative of the drug, and if the drug was commonly used. The selected remedies were then subjected to a manual rubric extraction process in which common rubrics were extracted. The common rubrics were analyzed to determine common sensations within the group. The extracted sensations were then defined using a dictionary and synonyms were determined using a thesaurus. Each sensation was subjected to a literature search to test its validity. Second and third order analyses were performed based on the results. The most common sensations found as a result of this process were: dryness, itching, fear, anger, restlessness, anxiety, indifference, heaviness, heat, acute and weakness. The active and passive reactions and compensations of the synthetic recreational drug isolate group were also analyzed. The active reactions included anger, rage, acute, violence, impatience and irritation. Passive reactions were heaviness, numbness, dullness, faintness, weakness and coldness. The compensatory reaction included sensations of ecstasy, elation and euphoria or tranquillity. Each remedy was classified into specific miasms based on Sankaran’s miasmatic model (Sankaran, 1997). Each remedy was categorized as a particular miasm if the literature showed a clear predominance of the themes associated with that miasm. Many of the remedies had features of the AIDS, Cancer, Sycotic and Tubercular miasms. Pathological tendencies of the synthetic recreational drug isolate group involved the throat, eyes, stomach, nervous system, male genitalia and sleep patterns. Clinically, the remedies can be used in cases of mental disorders such as psychosis and schizophrenia, chronic fatigue, visual and sleeping disorders, anorexia nervosa and neurological disorders such as chorea, tremors and formication. The results of this study appear to confirm the application of the group analysis methodology as outlined by Sankaran (2002). The results also add depth to the existing literature on synthetic recreational drug isolate remedies. / M

The subject of this thesis is the lived experience of training in non-orthodox health care professions1 or CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) as it is commonly known. The thesis focuses both on the nature of the knowledge and skills acquired during training (knowledge of the body) and the changing embodiment of the students (embodying knowledge). It is based on ethnographic research, conducted over one academic year, at two case-study sites: the anonymized Colleges of Homeopathy and Osteopathy. The data presented in this thesis offers four distinct contributions. Methodologically, it offers insights into the embodied experience of conducting sociological research and the deep impact that this experience has on the researcher, further supporting the argument that reflexivity is a vital component of valid and reliable research. Empirically, it contributes to our understanding of an under-researched area, the ?Tactice of CAM therapies generally, and the training of practitioners particularly. Theoretically, the explicit focus of both the participants in the study .and myself, as researcher, on 'bodies' makes it a worthwhile topic of study to contribute to the growing discipline of embodied sociology. Finally, from a social policy perspective, the explosion of interest in CAM in recent years, and particularly the growing pressure on practitioners to regulate their professions, makes research into the nature of professional knowledge and practice very timely. The thesis concludes that it is of critical importance to consider embodiment in any understanding of healthcare knowledge or practice. In particular, an embodied sociological perspective permits recognition of the depth and nature of the knowledge and skills that healthcare practitioners learn to deploy on a day-to-day basis.

This mini-dissertation was submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban Institute of Technology, 2005. xxvii, 153 p. / Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) remains a medically unexplained syndrome, with differing aetiological models, case definitions and treatment recommendations (Ranjith, 2005:13). Sharpe & Wessely (1997:179) state that the current case definition for CFS has assumed acceptance as representing nothing more than a working definition of a clinical problem, pending further understanding. CFS has subsequently become the focus of much research and debate (Wessely, Hotopf & Sharpe, 1999:13). Notwithstanding, the definition in terms of diagnostic criteria is adequate in meeting the needs of research studies (Rutherford, 2003). Anecdotal reports, espousing the effectiveness of homoeopathic treatment of CFS, points to the use of the similimum. (Bailey, 1995:189; De Schepper, 2001:6-7; Hardy, 2005:8-10). However, the limited research available on the subject suggests that more research needs to be conducted in this regard (Wessely, Hotopf & Sharpe, 1999:371; Walach, 2004:210-211). This double-blind placebo-controlled study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of homoeopathic similimum treatment in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). / M

A dissertation presented in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Technikon Natal, 2000. / The literature shows neck pain, including cervical facet syndrome, to be a common problem. It also provides evidence that inflammation plays a role in cervical facet pathology. Prescription of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is the first line treatment of allopathic physicians for neck pain. Traumeel S is a complex of homoeopathic remedies indicated in a variety of anti-inflammatory, traumatic and degenerative disorders. It has been clinically shown that Traumeel S is effective in the treatment of inflammation. There is a paucity of clinical research into the treatment of acute neck pain, including cervical facet syndrome, with antiinflammatory agents. The aim of this study was to compare the relative effectiveness of piroxicam, an NSAID, with Traumeel S in the treatment of acute cervical facet syndrome. The study was a double-blind, comparative, clinical trial. Fifty consecutive patients complying with all inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to either the Traumeel S group or the piroxicam group. Each patient in the NSAID group received 40 mg of piroxicam per day for the first two days and 20 mg per day for the following 5 days. The Traumeel S group received the same dosage of placebo piroxicam capsules and 3 Traumeel S tablets in crushed form, per day. Placebo Traumeel Stablets, also in crushed form, were taken 3 times a day by the NSAID group to facilitate blinding. III Patients were assessed on days 1, 3 and 7 of the trial. Subjective assessment involved two questionnaires: the CMCC Neck Disability Index, and the NRS-101 / M

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology, Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 1996. / The aim acupuncture of this study was to compare the treatment and homoeopathic treatment smoking cessation. The study was a clinical trial, in which an acupuncture treatment group group. Thirty was compared with a homoeopathic treatment volunteers who were anxious to stop smoking participated in the trial and were randomly divided into two groups. One group received acupuncture treatment (n=l5), while the other group received homoeopathic treatment (n=l5) in the form of isotherapy. The study took place over a period of 9 months and each participant completed a 3-month trial period. Prior to the trial period each sUbject completed a set of questionnaires. These ~ncluded the Fagerstrom Tolerance Test which determined their dependence on nicotine; a questionnaire to determine if the subject smoked predominantly for reduction of negative affect, for positive affect or as an habitualaddiction; and a questionnaire to determine the subject's estimation of the health risks of smoking. / M

Mini-dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban Institute of Technology, 2005. / In order to determine the perceptions of veterinarians towards homoeopathy and the utilization of homoeopathy by veterinarians in KwaZulu-Natal, a survey was sent out to 128 veterinarians practicing in the area. The questionnaire consisted of 6 demographic and 26 veterinary related questions. In most cases the respondents had to tick off a pre-printed answer, but a few of the questions had open-ended answers. The questionnaire was completed and returned by 63 (49,2%) veterinarians. The data was analysed by the SPSS software and the statistical methods used were frequency tables and chi-square tests. The response by the veterinarians was very positive and the sample well distributed in terms of age, type of practice, area of practice and type of animal treated. The study showed that 60.3% of respondents use homoeopathy, with the majority of these using homoeopathy for less than 10 years. Veterinarians who treat small animals were more likely to use homoeopathy than those treating large animals. The reasons for using homoeopathy were mainly as an alternative treatment, and because the treatment has less (no) side effects. Most veterinarians use homoeopathy on few patients, with only one veterinarian using it on all patients. All the veterinarians currently using homoeopathy expressed a wish to continues using homoepathy. / M

A dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 1997. / Most economically important crop plants may become infected with viruses. Several of these virus diseases are limiting factors in agricultural production and have contributed to serious economic and social hardship in many countries, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Homoeopathic microdoses have been investigated for their role in the control of virus diseases, with good results. However, few of the studies contain statistical analyses. The object of this study was to assess the effect of a homoeopathic preparation of a leaf infected with tobacco mosaic virus (TM Viricum) in the contol of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). The potencies used were 6CH, 12CH, 30CH and 200CH. iv Trays of 24 tomato seedlings per tray were the subjects of this study. Tomato plants were systemically infected with TMV. Four trays were used per treatment. There was an uninoculated and an inoculated control group. The rest of the test population was divided into two groups. The / M

Mini-dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for a Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology, 2008. / The purpose of this placebo controlled study was to evaluate the efficacy of a homoeopathic complex (Carbo Vegetabilis D9, Lycopodium clavatum D9, Nux Vomica D9 and Robinia Pseudoacacia D9) in the treatment of patients suffering from functional dyspepsia; in terms of the patient’s perception of the treatment. It was hypothesized that the patients treated with the complex would respond favorably in terms of the symptoms associated with dyspepsia. In this experimental study the single variable design was used for its ‘before and after with control’. Thirty patients with functional dyspepsia were selected after been screened according to diagnostic criteria identified by the researcher. These patients were divided into two groups according to simple random sampling. Data was collected at the Homoeopathic Day Clinic at the Durban University of Technology. Group one received the homoeopathic complex and group two received a placebo complex. Patients received treatment over a period of six weeks (three consultations). The patients, during each consultation, in the presence of the researcher, completed the Patient Perception Questionnaire. Results were statistically analysed using the FriedmansTest (inter group comparison) and The Wilcoxon signed Rank Test (intra group comparison). When the three questionnaires for each patient were compared it was found that neither the placebo group, nor the experimental group yielded significant improvement. Therefore the results of this clinical trial demonstrated that this homoeopathic complex is not effective in the treatment of functional dyspepsia, when compared to placebo, in terms of patient perception. / M

Homoeoprophylaxis (HP) is the use of homoeopathically prepared substances to prevent targeted infectious diseases in recipients. Its first use in an epidemic of Scarlet Fever was documented in 1801. It has been used throughout the world since then for both short-term and long-term preventative purposes. The effectiveness and safety of Golden�s long-term HP program using homoeopathically prepared substances to prevent targeted infectious diseases in recipients was tested through two research projects. The effectiveness of the program could not be established with statistical certainty given the limited sample size and the low probability of acquiring an infectious disease. However, a possible level of effectiveness of 90.3% was identified subject to specified limitations. Further research to confirm the effectiveness of the program is justified. Statistically significant results were obtained that confirmed the safety of the program both in absolute terms as well as compared to all other methods of disease prevention studied. It also appeared possible that a national immunisation system where both vaccination and HP were available to parents would increase the national coverage against targeted infectious diseases, and reduce the incidence of some chronic health conditions, especially asthma.