In epidemics and pandemics, homeopathy truly shines. One of the most well known examples of this was the 1918 flu, or “Spanish Flu”, as it is sometimes called.
This virus was no joke. It was said that people got up in the morning feeling fine and were dead by evening. The very high mortality rate associated with the virus was due to multiple issues. One problem was the fact that asprin had just become easily available and people were taking a lot of it. Medical authorities at the time were encouraging excessive asprin use as well. We are now well aware of the problems that can arise if asprin is taken during fever, but even today other fever-reducing drugs are taken very frequently. Other allopathic treatments for influenza did similarly poorly. Mortality estimates for those receiving allopathic treatment were around 30%.
At the time of the virus, homeopathic hospitals were still in the United States and saw tremendous success. The mortality rate for those who came down with the virus and were treated homeopathically was around 1%. The majority of the cases were treated with Gelsemium sempervirens.
The following is taken from “Homeopathy In Influenza- A Chorus Of Fifty In Harmony” by W. A. Dewey, MD. It was published in the Journal of the American Institute of Homeopathy in May, 1921.
In a plant of 8,000 workers we had only one death. The patients were not drugged to death. Gelsemium was practically the only remedy used. We used no Aspirin and no vaccines. —Frank Wieland, M. D., Chicago.
I did not lose a single case of influenza; my death rate in the pneumonias was 2.1%. The salycilates, including Aspirin and Quinine, were almost the sole standbys of the old school and it was a common thing to hear them speaking of losing 60% of their pneumonias.–Dudley A. Williams, M. D., Providence R. I.
Three hundred and fifty cases and lost one, a neglected pneumonia that came to me after she had taken one hundred grains of Aspirin in twenty-four hours.–Cora Smith King, M. D., Washington, D. C.
Dean W. A. Pearson of Philadelphia collected 26,795 cases of influenza treated by homeopathic physicians with a mortality of 1.05%, while the average old school mortality is 30%.
In Hahnemann Hospital of San Francisco, homeopathic remedies acted in a curative way while, with some other forms of treatment, the result was only palliative-Laura A. Hurd, M. D., San Francisco.
Fifteen hundred cases were reported at the Homeopathic Medical Society of the District of Columbia with but fifteen deaths. Recoveries in the National Homeopathic Hospital were 100%0.E. F. Sappington, M, D., Philadelphia.
I attended over one hundred cases without any fatalities. I never deviated from the homeopathic remedy. I never gave Aspirin. One case that was loaded with Aspirin before I saw him, referred to me from an old school physician, died. This epidemic should encourage us to renewed faith in Homeopathy, -G. H. Wright, M. D., Fores! Glen, Md.
I remember Acetanilid in the epidemic of 1889 and its fatalities. In this epidemic I knew that Aspirin and the coal tar products would kill more people than the disease itself and it has so proved. One old school physician told me that he had gotten wise to the fact that Aspirin was killing his patients and that he had stopped using it and was relying on homeopathic and eclectic remedies.-E. B. Finney, M. D., Lincoln, Neb.
Homeopathy saved patients with influenza and pneumonia, ill luck always followed the coal tar derivatives, Aspirin especially.-W. H. Hanchett, M. D., Omaha, Neb.
I had 300 cases and one death; one good homeopathic doctor had 275 cases and no deaths. I am health officer of my city. One old school man had 294 cases and reported 15 deaths. Aspirin and lodized lime were the remedies used by the old school.-H. H. Crum, M. D., Ithaca, N. Y.
I treated 455 cases of influenza and 26 cases of pneumonia with no deaths. Remedies: Gelsemium, Bryonia, Epis, etc. T. G. Barnhill, M, D., Findlay, Ohio.
The importance of homeopathic remedies has been emphasized ; 24 out of 42 cases who used vaccines had influenza and there were & cases of pneumonia–so vaccines as a prophylactic failed.-W. L. Love, M, D., Brooklyn.
Eleven men reported 3,600 cases with 6 deaths. My records show 750 cases with one death. Gelsemium, Bryonia and Eupatorium were the remedies chiefly-F, A. Swartwout, M. D., Washington, D. C.
I treated 618 cases and had 5 deaths. Three of these had had allopathic treatment.-R. S. Faris, M. D., Richmond, Va.
One physician in a Pittsburgh hospital asked a nurse if she knew anything better than what he was doing, because he was losing many cases. “Yes, Doctor, stop Aspirin and go down to a homeopathic pharmacy, and get homeopathic remedies.” The Doctor replied: “But that is Homeopathy.” “I know it, but the homeopathic doctors for whom I have nursed have not lost a single case,” W.F, Edmundson, M. D., Pittsburgh.
It is a rare thing for pneumonia to develop if a good homeopathic physician is called during the first 24 hours of an attack of influenza. An appalling death rate comes from the baneful results of large doses of Aspirin, salicylates and opium preparations.-A. H. Grimmer, M. D., Chicago.
Murphy, of Lansing, Michigan, treated 325 cases of influenza in a camp where the mortality had been 20%, while the mortality under his homeopathic treatment was less than 3%. W. H. Wilson, M. D., Chicago.
I have treated 1,000 cases of influenza. I have the records to show my work. I have no losses. Please give all credit to Homeopathy T. A. Mc Cann, A. D., Dayton, Ohio.
In the month of October, 1918, I treated, in round numbers, 200 cases of influenza without a death.-W. R. Andrews, M, D., Mannington, W. Va.
Dr. M. I. Boger of Portsmouth, N. H., treated 331 cases with 2 deaths.
Dr. G. G. Bascom of Lake Wilson, Minn., 300 cases with no deaths.-E. C. Price, M. D., Baltimore. The word Homeopathy stands for so much that is good and true and useful in the medicinal therapy of the year of our Lord 1919.-0. S. Haines, M. D., Philadelphia.
I have treated 267 cases of influenza. No deaths.-A. B. Hawes, M. D., Bridgewater, S. D.
In one month treated 65 cases of influenza with one death and that in a tubercular case.-F. C. Thornhill, M. D., Alma, Mich.
Seventy-six cases developed in the Children’s Home without any complicating pneumonia or death. Most of the cases were on Bryonia and Gelsemium, which seemed to be successful in carrying them through to complete recovery.-). G. Dillon, M. D., Fargo, N. D.
It has been my experience that Gelsemium was most always the first remedy and served the purpose well in early conditions. -E. B. Hooker, M. D., Hartford, Conn.
I had a package handed to me containing 1,000 Aspirin tab lets, which was 994 too many. I think I gave about a half dozen. I could find no place for it. My remedies were few. I almost invariably gave Gelsemium and Bryonia. I hardly ever lost a case if I got there first, unless the patient had been sent to a drug store and bought Aspirin, in which event I was likely to have a case of pneumonia on my hands .J. P. Huff, M. D., Olive Branch, Ky.
All of the people under my care who died of influenza had of their own accord taken Aspirin before I saw them.–W. P. Best, M. D., Indianapolis.
Many patients had been advised to take Aspirin as a prophylactic against influenza and influenza pneumonia. One lady had taken 240 grains in 48 hours. She was sent to the hospital diagnosed as scarlet fever because of the red spots on her body. Many cases who came to the hospital (Haynes Memorial) were filled up with Aspirin, Corlein, Morphine and Digitalis. Men in government work praised our hospital for its homeopathic treatment in influenza. They do not all agree, however, but they have a feeling in Boston that we have a wonderful treatment for influenza.-Samuel Clement, M. D., Boston.
During the “flu” period almost every victim got his Aspirin. Almost everybody believed in it because it relieved his distress and “couldn’t do him any harm.” The result was that thousands died who might have lived had they been willing to bear dis comfort for a little while. They died like flies around a plate of poison although “science” did all that could be done to “save” them.-A. F. Stevens, M. D., St. Louis.
We treated over 300 cases of influenza among the members of the Student Army Training Corps with no deaths. Gelsemium, Bryonia and Ferum phosphoricum were the leading remedies. Only in those cases having had Aspirin was convalescence delayed and pneumonia produced.–C. B. Stouffer, M, D., Ann Arbor.
In some 150 cases treated in the first “Flu” epidemic Gelsemium and Bryonia were the chief remedies. Very few had pneumonia, none that I treated from the beginning. Only one died under my care, a man of sixty, having had asthma and brought into our Minnesota climate in the midst of a severe winter, a truly septic pneumonia. Wm. E. Leonard, M. D., Minneapolis.
I treated approximately 50 cases of influenza, had two pneumonias, one in a pregnant woman. All recovered. Remedies Gelsemium, Bryonia and Rhus, chiefly. Wm. Boericke, M. D., San Francisco.
I treated over 100 cases of influenza and pneumonia, lost two cases, one who had taken Aspirin for a week when pneumonia developed before I was called; the other a very malignant case with very high temperature from the onset. Remedies: Gelsemium, Eupatorium, Bryonia, etc.-C. P. Bryant, M. D., Seattle.
I treated approximately 500 cases which included much pneumonia, lost two cases; never used Aspirin nor permitted it to be used. Chief drugs used were Belladonna, Gelsemium, Sticta for the throat symptoms, Mercurius, Natrum muriaticum and Kali Muriaticum. A. B. Palmer, M. D., Seattle.
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