Homoeopathic Queries & Solutions
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2002 Sep / Oct VOL 4 NO 5.
Prof Dr Kasim Chimthanawala

1. Sir, Kindly clarify: when a child is born where does the vital force come from? If we say that when the ovum and the sperm combine, it gives rise to a new force, but is the amount of force required to govern the foetus equal to govern the body when the foetus grows i.e. Does the vital force grow? If yes, How? What about the nutrition given to us by the plants, even they must be having a VF, when we pluck them they are dead i.e. their VF leaves them; then how is it possible for them to provide us with nutrition?

Rafaat Shaikh, Final BHMS (e-mail)

Well! Let me answer each of your questions one by one. The Vital Force is a dynamic entity. The moment a live embryo is formed, it acquires a SOUL - the presence of which is life and the absence of which is death. Along with the soul comes the Vital Force. Frankly speaking, the source of the Soul is not known and since soul and vital force are two sides of the same coin, even the definite source of Vital Force is unknown, probably cosmos (Universe).

Now primary function of the vital force is the harmonious governance of the constitution. It does this very effectively in healthy persons. Since it is dynamic, like light or sound, it does not multiply but rather its potential can increase or decrease as per the constitution and its demands.

When we talk about plants giving us nutrition, we talk not about the supply of vital force but of biological energies ie ATP and ADP which are stored as calories in carbohydrates, proteins, fats, etc. These biological energies are essential as nutrients for the body. They do not increase or decrease the vital force, but only help the body to survive and perform its respective functions. Thus in Veratrum-alb or Carbo-veg (Allen’s Keynotes) you must have read "Great Prostration of Vital Force". Here the author implies prostration of biological energies ie ATP or ADP.

2. Sir, I have a case of a 15 year old girl suffering from SLE who is on steroids. She wants to be shifted to Homoeopathic treatment. How to manage such cases?

Dr Abhijeet Joshi, Akluj, Satara

Systemic Lupus Erythromatosis is a multi-systemic autoimmune disorder affecting predominantly females of any age group. In the traditional school, the primary mode of therapeutics is to depress the immune mechanisms by deep acting drugs as steroids, cyclophosphamine, methotrexate etc. When such patients want to shift to homoeopathy, it is difficult to promise them a cure if immuno-suppressants have been taken for a long time. Isopathic Nosode Ascortex or Nux-vomica may have to be used in the first instance to remove the Bad effects of steroids or above mentioned drugs. SLE and like disorders fall under the psoro-sycotic miasmatic spectrum. They present with relapses and remissions till major organic changes develop. At our centre, we gradually taper the dose of immuno-suppressants in such patients and use dynamic remedies as palliatives. Of course, the exciting and maintaining factors should be taken care of as far as possible. Once the patient is settled and symptomatic treatments can be completely stopped or at least significantly minimized, then a deep acting constitutional homoeopathic remedy should be administered on the basic characteristics of the patient, followed by a Nosode later on.

3. Sir, like the menopause in females, do males experience the same phenomenon? Please throw some light?

Dr Aniruddh Chatterjee, Raipur

Yes! It is called Andropause or Viropause or Male Menopause and it involves hormonal, physiological and chemical changes between 40 to 55 years (early as 35 years or as late as 65 years). Physiologically, testes have two important functions - productions of sperms and sex steroids (testosterone). The latter shows a continuous slow decline (acg 1-2%/year) after about 35 years of age. Correspondingly other Androgens as LH, FSH also decrease. The bone mass, lean body mass ad the muscle strength seems to decline as well. Following are the signs of Andropause.
A) Physical -

1. Long time to recover from injury and illness.
2. Decrease endurance for physical activity.
3. Feeling fat.
4. Difficulty reading small prints.
5. Loss of /thinning of hair.
6. Sleep disturbance.

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