Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 1997. / The purpose of this placebo controlled study was to determine the efficacy of Similimum treatment on the treatment of recurrent headaches with reference to the patient's response and perception to treatment in'order to determine the effectiveness of the treatment methods and the management of recurrent headaches in patients. Thirty patients with recurrent headaches were admitted onto the study if they suffered from recurrent headaches at least one or more a month. Patients were recruited by means of advertising in local newspapers, shopping centres and libraries. After an initial consultation which included a detailed case history and physical examination, a double blind, random procedure assured that thirty patients were allocated to one of the two experimental groups ( i.e. fifteen in each group ). One of the groups received Similimum treatment and the other received placebo treatment for a period of three months. Treatment commenced one week after the initial consultation, in order to allow for time to evaluate the case and to prescribe the remedies accurately. The patients were seen regularly during the three-month period ( every two weeks) to evaluate their progress. The patients were given two questionnaires, one describing their headache characteristics and the other their perception changes towards their headaches. The questionnaire describing their headache characteristics (Appendix A) was filled in at the initial consultation and this information was used to select each patient's simillimum remedy, these characteristics tended to stay the stay the same throughout the study. / M

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 1997. / The purpose of this placebo-controlled study was to evaluate- the degree of prcfolency of homoeopathic similirnum treatment in atopic eczema, in terms of its clinical manifestations and patients perception of the treatment. Itwas hypothesized that the patients treated with homoeopathic similirnum would respond favourably in terms of the presenting condition and that their perception of the treatment would be positive. In this experimental study the single variable design was used for its 'before-andafter with control'. Thirty patients were selected from the greater Durban area, according to the diagnostic criteria of atopic eczema as identified by Hanifin and Rajka (1980) and divided into two groups according to simple random sampling. Data were collected at the Homoeopathic Day Clinic at Technikon Natal. Group 1 received placebo and group 2 received homoeopathic similirnum treatment Patients received 4 treatments over a period of 3 months and data were obtained at the first and last consultation. The Patient's Perception Questionnaire and the General Well-Being Schedule were completed by the patients in the presence of the researcher. The Oinical Evaluation Index was completed by the researcher. / M

A dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 1996. / The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Taraxacum 5CH in the treatment of hypercholesterolemic patients, in terms of measuring the extent of change in serum total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LOL) and high density lipoprotein levels (HOL). The expected result was a resultant lowering of bath the TC and LOL levels, as well as an increase of the HOL levels. Convenience sampling was employed to draw patients from Technikon Natal, a Durban company and the general public from the greater Durban area. Only persons with raised TC and LOL levels were accepted into the trial. Of these one half constituted the control group and received only placebo, the remaining half made up the trial group and were treated with Taraxacum 5CH. The remedies were prepared and dispensed by a qualified pharmacist. Venous blood was obtained from all subjects before the trial and monthly, for three consecutive months, during the trial. A reputable pathology laboratory was employed to obtain lipogram studies of all blood samples. The participants were asked not to change their then present diets or lifestyles. Performing paired T-tests on the initial versus the final values of the control group revealed no statistically significant changes in the TC, LOL and HOL levels, whereas in the trial group a significant reduction was computed for the TC and LOL levels, as well as an insignificant increase of the HOL levels. Unpaired T-tests showed that the trial and control groups were not significantly different at the beginning ot the trial, but were found to have changed to become significantly different by the end of the trial with respects to TC and LOL levels. The HOL levels were dissimilar initially, but were shown to be significantly similar at the end of the trial. / M

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the Masters Diploma in Technology: Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 1994. / The aim of this study was to determine the degree of proficiency of Homoeopathy in the treatment of Acne Vulgaris in terms of its clinical manifestations and the patients perception to the treatment in order to determine the role Homoeopathy plays, if any, in the treatment of this condition. In this study the specific single variable design chosen was the 'before-and-after with control'. A sample of thirty patients was randomly taken from the greater Durban area, and from this sample fifteen patients were treated with Homoeopathic treatment and the remaining fifteen received placebo treatment. Patients were screened using a series of delimitations set out in a consent form which was signed by the patients. An extensive case history was performed on each patient at the first consultation in order to assess their Mental, Emotional and their Physical well being and were seen at regular four week intervals thereafter. The patients were also photographed at the first and all the subsequent visits. Based on the case history and a physical examination, Homoeopathic medication or placebo was prescribed according to the law of similars. At each of the following consultations the patients completed a questionnaire regarding their perception to the treatment and were rephotographed noting any changes. / M

A dissertation submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Masters Diploma in Technology: Homoeopathy, Natal Technikon, 1995. / The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the selected Homoeopathic remedy on the menopausal syndrome in terms of the patients perception of the treatment. It was hypothesized that the Homoeopathic medicine would improve the patients perception of the treatment. Participants were drawn from the greater Durban area. Convenience sampling was used to draw patients into the trial. Volunteers responded to advertisements that had been placed in various advertising media. For acceptance into the trial, the participants were required to have a gynecological examination by a registered gynecologist, to confirm that they were menopausal. Of the participants meeting the above criteria thirty were chosen to participate in the trial. Fifteen constituted the placebo/control group and were given a placebo, and fifteen constituted the treatment group and were given the selected Homoeopathic medicine according to their simillimum. This was a double blind study with the medicine being dispensed on a random basis by a qualified pharmacist in order to eliminate bias. Three participants dropped out in the early stages of the study and were replaced by three other patients. Patient perception was measured by means of questionnaires / M

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 2000. / The purpose of this placebo-controlled study was to evaluate the efficacy of homoeopathic simillimum treatment of common and flat verrucae, in terms of its clinical manifestations, and the patient's perception to the treatment. It was hypothesized that the patients treated with homoeopathic simillimum would respond favourably in terms of the presenting condition and that their perception of the treatment received would be positive. The study was a clinical trial, in which a placebo group was compared with an experimental group. Convenience sampling was used to gather patients for the trial. Volunteers responded to advertisements that had been placed in various advertising media. Thirty patients were selected from the Greater Durban area. The subjects were of both sexes, all race groups and over ten years of age. The thirty subjects were assessed and if they complied with the criteria for the admissibility of a subject they were accepted into the study. The subjects were divided into two groups, one experimental and the other placebo, according to simple random sampling. The study was conducted under a double-blind protocol that lasted for three months for each patient. The patients were required to complete a Patient Perception Questionnaire during each follow-up consultation in the presence of the researcher. Results were statistically analyzed using the Analysis of Variance test, the Mann-Whitney Utest (inter-group comparison), the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test (intra-group comparison) and the Correlation test. / M

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 2001. / The purpose of this double-blinded study was to evaluate the relative efficacy of a homoeopathic pain complex (Arnica montana 30CH, Bellis perennis 30CH, Calendula officinalis 30CH, Hypericum perforaturn 30CH, Phosphorus 30CH, Staphysagria 30CH) and on allopathic analgesic (Stopayne\xAE) in the management of post-operative pain after haemorrhoidectomy; in terms of the patients' perception of the treatment. The hypothesis was to show that the homoeopathic pain complex would result in a similar response when compared to the allopathic analgesic without the dismay of adverse effects. Thirty patients with haemorrhoids were carefully screened by an appointed nurse and selected according to a selection criteria (3.3.1 and 3.3.2). Haemorrhoidectomies were performed by two surgeons on all participating patients. The selected patients were then divided into two groups (allopathic or homoeopathic) using a simple random sampling method. Data were collected at the King Edward VIII Hospital. IV Patients in group one received the allopathic analgesic i.e. Stopayne\xAE and patients in group two received the homoeopathic pain complex consisting ofArnica montana 30CH, Bellis perennis 30CH, Calendula officinalis 30CH, Hypericum perforaturn 30CH, Phosphorus 30CH and Staphysagria 30CH. These medications were administrated three times daily over a period of three days. Questionnaires (both in English and Zulu) were filled out by each patient over three consecutive days. Results were statistically analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test for the inter-group relationships and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test for the intra-group relationships. It was found that both groups improved significantly by the thrid consultation compared to the first / M

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 2001. / The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the homoeopathic remedies Phytolacca decandra 12CH and Phytolacca decandra 200CH on the incidence of acute clinical mastitis, on the somatic cell count and on the butterfat, protein and lactose levels of composite milk samples obtained from dairy cows. It was hypothesised that the remedy would have an effect on the incidence of acute clinical mastitis, on the somatic cell count and on the butterfat, protein and lactose levels of composite milk samples obtained from the two respective treatment groups in the dairy herd used A placebo-controlled double blind study design was used. The trial group consisted of252 Jersey cows from a farm in the Underberg district of KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa. These cows were ranked according to age before being randomly divided into three groups consisting of 84 lactating cows each. The random allocation of treatments in this manner ensured an even spread of treatments across all age classes and lactation number. The three groups were painted with different colours of enamel paint to ensure easy and accurate dispensing of medicine and placebo. All identifiable variables were the same for the three groups for the duration of the 100-day study . The homoeopathic remedies Phytolacca decandra 12CH, Phytolacca decandra 200CH, and the placebo' were supplied in granules in plastic sachets that were randomised and colour coded by an independent Homoeopath. Dispensing took place after milking while the cows were being fed and was done by the person responsible for the feeding. Five millilitre medicated or unmedicated granule doses were dispensed into the dry feed by matching the colour code on the container of the granules of placebo or verum with that of the cow and then sprinkling the granules over the dry food with a 5ml-measuring spoon. Composite milk samples were obtained the day before treatment commenced to obtain baseline readings for the whole test population. Sampling occurred on day 1,35,70 and 100. The milk samples were analysed at Taurus Central Laboratory to determine values for somatic cell count, butterfat, protein and lactose on the day of the milk recording . The data from 191 cows from the test population was used after selection criteria were applied. There were 65 cows in the Phytolacca decandra 200CH, 67 cows in the Phytolacca decandra l2CH, and 59 cows in the placebo group. All cases of acute clinical mastitis were recorded for the test population, / M

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban Institute of Technology, Durban, 2002. / This study was intended to evaluate the efficacy of homoeopathic similimum in the treatment of nocturnal enuresis. It was part of a group research project, which explored the effectiveness of a homoeopathic complex (Cantharis vesicatoris 12ch, Equisetum hyemnale 12ch, Sarsaparilla 12ch, Staphisagria 12ch, Uva ursi 12ch) as well as Ilex paraguayensis 6x in the treatment of the above-mentioned disorder. The sample group consisted of children between the ages of five and eighteen living in various children's homes in Durban. Nocturnal enuresis is categorised into primary and secondary types. Primary nocturnal enuresis is the failure to achieve consistent dryness, whereas secondary nocturnal enuresis is the return of nocturnal incontinence after an extended period. For the purpose of this study this distinction was largely ignored, as homoeopathic treatment is not reliant on a detailed diagnosis for its efficacy. The children were however screened for chronic urinary tract infections as well as neurological and systemic causes of nocturnal enuresis. Each child received a full physical examination as well as an extensive homoeopathic interview. The aim of this was to exclude any clear aetiology as well as to glean I the information necessary to establish the homoeopathic similimum. The sample size for this trial was 32 children; sixteen received similimum and formed the treatment group, and a further sixteen received placebo and formed. / M

Mini-Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 2002. / The purpose of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of a homoeopathic complex of Phytolacca decandra 200CH, Bryonia alba 30CH and Silicea terra 30CH in the treatment of bovine mastitis. The efficacy of the complex was evaluated in terms of its effect on reducing the Somatic Cell Count (SCC) as well as its effect on reducing the total number of clinical cases occurring within the herd on treatment. The aim of trying to reduce the SCC is the fact that it is related to the quality of the milk produced, the higher the SCC the lower the quality and yield of the milk produced and thus the lower the monetary return on the sale of such milk. It is also related to the volume of milk produced as the higher the SCC the lower the quantity of milk produced. The number of cases of clinical mastitis is also an important economical consideration, as there are a number of costs associated with each case including short and long-term losses in production as well as the cost of treatment and management of infected animals / M