Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology, 2010. / Provings are an essential element in the development of the homoeopathic
medicine knowledge base and scope of practice. There are many South
African indigenous plants and animals that can play a role in homoeopathy
but need to be proved first. Several indigenous snake venoms have already
been proved as homoeopathic remedies, so the proving of Dendroaspis
angusticeps venom expands this particular knowledge base.
Aim
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a homoeopathic dose of
the venom of the Dendroaspis angusticeps on healthy individuals in order to
elicit and document the resulting mental and physical symptomotology, so
that it may be prescribed to those that require it based on the Law of
Similars. The other aims of this study were to compare the proving symptoms
of Dendroaspis angusticeps 30CH to the toxicology of Eastern Green Mamba
venom and to analyze the remedy picture in relation to the doctrine of
signatures.
The thirtieth centesimal potency of the remedy was hypothesised to produce
clearly observable signs and symptoms in provers (healthy volunteers).
The symptoms obtained from the proving were also compared to the doctrine
of signature analysis of Dendroaspis angusticeps to help clarify the nature of
this snake and to expand the remedy picture of the substance and facilitate
our understanding of the remedy in light of the toxicology of the venom and
the doctrine of signatures.
vii
Methodology
The homoeopathic proving of Dendroaspis angusticeps 30CH was carried
out as a randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial. The proving
population consisted of 30 provers. Twenty four of the provers were in the
experimental group and they received the potentised snake venom. Six
provers were in the control group and they received the placebo. As this was
a double blind, placebo-controlled trial, neither the individuals taking part in
the study nor the researcher had any knowledge of who received placebo or
the active remedy. Provers were also unaware of the substance being proven
or the potency in which it was prepared.
Results
Provers recorded their symptoms in a journal over a period of 5 weeks and
were monitored regularly by the researcher. At the completion of the proving
period, the researcher collected all the recorded data and each journal was
assessed by the researcher to determine the suitability of the recorded
symptoms. The symptoms were then translated into the language of the
materia medica and the repertory and a remedy picture was formulated.
Thereafter a comparison was made to the nature of the snake by means of
the doctrine of signatures and the toxicology of the venom as an attempt to
broaden the repertoire of our knowledge of the action of the remedy.
Provers experienced a wide range of symptoms particularly on the mental
and emotional spheres including feelings of powerful assertion and
confidence; cheerful and excited energy; spiritual and prayerful feelings;
seductive, sensual and extravagant mannerisms; desire to dance and
heightened energy; clairvoyant natures and desires to be in nature as well as
pronounced irritability, anger and sadness. Other symptoms included desire
to be alone and withdrawn feelings; quarrelsome natures; desire to kill;
deceitful ways; intolerance to injustice; poor concentration; thoughts of the
past; confusion and antagonism of the will and anxious thoughts. Delusions,
fears and thoughts of death also manifested in provers. There was a marked
polarity of symptoms as:
Anger, rage, irritability vs calmness / spirituality;
Sadness / depression vs cheerfulness / joy;
Poor concentration / forgetful vs mental power / mental clarity;
Alone / withdrawn vs desire to be touched, caressed; and
Prostration, exhaustion vs energetic.
On the physical sphere there were marked symptoms produced in the head
area with a wide range of headaches. Eye symptoms were also vast in the
inflammation, heaviness and ptosis of the eyes. Throat symptoms manifested
as pharyngitis and sore throat. Toxicological symptoms included vertigo,
ptosis, pain in different areas, inflammation, vomiting, blurred vision, slurred
speech, difficulty breathing and difficult swallowing. Back pain and lower back
pain were also key symptoms. Sleep difficulties and sleepiness were
experienced by provers.
Dream symptoms were the most prevalent in this proving. Dreams were
repetitive in provers in the dreams of changing places and being in many
places and unfamiliar places. There were marked dreams of sexuality, death,
spirituality, friendships, colours, snakes, weddings, fighting and killings and
past recollections.
Conclusion
Dendroaspis angusticeps 30CH thus did produce clearly observable signs
and symptoms in healthy volunteers as hypothesised. The correlation of the
proving symptoms to the toxicology of the venom and the doctrine of
signatures also illustrated the themes of this remedy and aided in
development of the remedy picture for this new addition to the knowledge
base of indigenous South African substances and their homoeopathic
application. / M
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:dut/oai:localhost:10321/667 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | Hansjee, Sharad |
| Contributors | Maharaj, Madhueshwaree |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 381 p |
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