It would be interesting to study that how scientific knowledge changes and accumulates over time. All scientific knowledge is subject to change as new evidence becomes available; some scientific ideas are incomplete and opportunity exists in these areas for new advances; theories are continually tested, revised, and occasionally discarded.
Centuries back alchemy may had begun out of curiosity or search for gold or nectar or ultimate truth, turned in to various branches of knowledge and science sometime contradicting and disputing each other’s point of view. Some 200 years ago Dr. Samuel Hahnemann published the “Organon of Rational System of medicine” and wrote the motto in his first edition from poet Gellert –
"The truth we mortals need
Us blest to make and keep,
The All-wise slightly covered o'er,
But did not bury deep."
Read the following news – (please note that the emphasis is from author)
IIT-B team shows how homeopathy works
Source : The Times of India 16 dec 2010
Mumbai: Six months after the British Medical Association wrote off homoeopathy as “witchcraft’’ that had no scientific basis, we may now have an irrefutable answer to what makes this ancient form of medicine click. Scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) have established that the sweet white pills work on the principle of nanotechnology.
Homeopathic pills—made of naturally occurring metals such as gold and copper-—retain their potency even when diluted to a nanometre or one-billionth of a metre, states the IIT-B research published in the latest issue of Homoeopathy, a peer-reviewed journal published by the reputed Elsevier. IIT-B’s chemical engineering department bought commonly available homoeopathic pills from neighbourhood shops, prepared highly diluted solutions and checked under powerful electron microscopes to find nano particles of the original metal.
“Our paper showed that certain highly diluted homoeopathic remedies made from metals still contain measurable amounts of the starting material, even at extreme dilutions of 1 part in 10 raised to 400 (200C),’’ said Dr Jayesh Bellare. His student, Prashant Chikramane, presented the paper ‘Extreme homoeopathic dilutions retain starting materials: A nanoparticulate perspective’, as part of his doctoral thesis. IIT theory proves what some homoeopaths have always known
Homoeopathy was established in the late 18th century by German physician Samuel Hahnemann. While it is widely popular in certain countries, especially India, the British Medical Association and the British parliament have in recent times questioned homoeopathy’s potency. Around four years ago, British research papers rubbished homoeopathy as a mere “placebo’’.
“Homoeopathy has been a conundrum for modern medicine. Its practitioners maintained that homeopathic pills got more potent on dilution, but they could never explain the mechanism scientifically enough for the modern scientists,’’ said Bellare. For instance, if an ink-filler loaded with red ink is introduced into the Powai lake, Bellare said, there would be no chance of ever tracing it. “But the fact is that homoeopathic pills have worked in extreme dilutions and its practitioners have been able to cure tough medical conditions,” he added.
“We had analyzed ayurvedic bhasmas a few years ago and found nanoparticles to be the powering agent,” the team members said. For the first time, scientists used equipment like transmission electron microscope, electron diffraction and emission spectroscopy to map physical entities in extremely dilution. They could measure nanoparticles of gold and copper (the original metal used in the medicines).
THE CONUNDRUM…..!
The above news may be giving strength and confidence to homoeopaths and the patients who have experienced the effects of homoeopathic medicines but there are certain points in the news which need clarification not only that it raises some new questions.
A. Firstly the researchers have observed nano particles of the concerned metal in the homeopathically prepared potency of the medicines to show the content what is there and did not explain the mechanism of action of homoeopathic medicine in living body.
B. The word POTENCY in relation to homoeopathic medicines is jargon for those not related to homoeopathy and they always talk about DILUTIONS! The same has occurred in the above report or paper presented by the researchers of IIT - MUMBAI. Repeatedly the words dilutions, diluted or highly diluted were used instead of Potency. Almost everywhere whenever a non-homoeopath talks or writes about homoeopathic medicine potencies are called as dilutions.
But potentised preparations of homoeopathic medicines are not simple dilutions which mean to keep the amount of the dissolved solute constant in a greater amount of solvent. So scientists have yet to coin some term to define the difference in nth dilution and the solution made after vigorous shaking which is termed as nth potency of homoeopathic medicine and the process is termed as succussion.
The difference in the two has been experimentally proven by Dr. Luc Montagnier, the French virologist who won the Nobel Prize in 2008 for his discovery of AIDS virus.
Dr. Luc Montagnier’s experimental research confirms the controversial features of homeopathic medicine that is the use of doses of substances that undergo sequential dilution with vigorous shaking in-between each dilution. Although modern-day scientists assume that none of the original molecules remain in solution, Montagnier and many of his colleagues’ research has verified that electromagnetic signals of the original medicine remains in the water and has dramatic biological effects.
Montagnier's new research is on the electromagnetic waves that emanate from the highly diluted DNA of various pathogens. Montagnier asserted that they have found that DNA had produced structural changes in water, which persisted at very high dilutions (that undergo sequential dilution with vigorous shaking in-between each dilution), and which led to resonant electromagnetic signals (radio waves) that could be measured. Not all DNA produced signals, detectable with device still the high-intensity signals come from bacterial and viral DNA at very high dilutions.
Montagnier, who is also founder and president of the World Foundation for AIDS Research and Prevention, asserted, "I can't say that homeopathy is right in everything. What I can say now is that the high dilutions (used in homeopathy) are right. High dilutions (that undergo sequential dilution with vigorous shaking in-between each dilution) of something are not nothing. They are water structures which mimic the original molecules." According to him the solutions containing the DNA of pathogenic bacteria and viruses, including HIV, "could emit low frequency radio waves" that induced surrounding water molecules to become arranged into "nanostructures". These water molecules could also emit radio waves.
Montagnier suggested water could retain such properties even after the original solutions were massively diluted, to the point where the original DNA had effectively vanished. Thus, water could retain the "memory" of substances with which it had been in contact -- and the emissions could use to detect disease as they are specific to the particular DNA. When asked if he was drifting into pseudoscience, he replied adamantly: "No, because it's not pseudoscience. It's not quackery. These are real phenomena which deserve further study."
Benveniste and other researchers used extremely diluted doses of substances that created an effect on a type of white blood cell called basophils which degranulate under allergic conditions.
Truly as Brian Josephson, who won Nobel Prize in 1973 for his work on “Superconductivity”, said that the effect of homoeopathic medicine is not attributed to the presence of its molecules in the solution but to modification of water’s structure (due to the process of preparation).
Above are some results of researches made out of context of homoeopathy but found the potentized solutions really work dynamically as often stated in homoeopathic literature.
Truly, Hahnemann conceived things after experimenting and he did it far ahead of the time. From Dr. Montagnier and Dr. Benveniste’s experiments some puzzles are yet be solved –
1. Dr. Montagnier and Dr. Benveniste used water as a medium for preparing dilutions in their experiments and it was concluded that water retained memory of the solute which had disappeared after dilution. This memory principle could be extended to other liquids also specially to alcohol which is used as a vehicle for preparation of homoeopathic potencies, sometimes pure and sometimes mixed with water?
2. This memory is attributed to the liquid crystals of water. Does it take different structure with different solutes to exhibit different medicinal effects (the principle of Individuality in Homoeopathy)? These structures persist even at dilution where the solute has vanished. Is the same true for other liquids also?
3. Dr. Montagnier proved electromagnetic phenomena in these solutions (contain no solute!) was responsible for their biological effects and it is carried in the nano structures. Interesting point is that these nano structures could be replicated in water in another test tube due to the electromagnetic (radio) waves emitted by them. Does it not the same occur when higher homoeopathic potencies are prepared.
How Potencies of homoeopathic medicines are prepared –
There are three scales used to prepare a potency of a homoeopathic medicine namely, Decimal Scale, Centesimal Scale and Fifty millesimal Scale. These scales signify the ratio of drug substance and the vehicle (for common understanding this may be termed as a medium). Extra Neutral Alcohol, Distilled Water or Purified Sugar of milk is used as a vehicle. In case of liquid preparations the first potency of any medicine in homoeopathy is prepared from its mother tincture which is an alcoholic extract of the drug substance in proportion 1/10 and if the drug substance is insoluble, it is triturated with sugar of milk in the ratio specified for the potency scale.
Decimal Scale – The ratio is 1:9 i.e., in case of soluble substances 1 part of mother tincture and 9 parts of alcohol (the vehicle) are mixed and to this mixture 10 powerful strokes are given to prepare the first potency. The process is called as Succussion and the mixture is then termed as 1st decimal potency of the medicine and not otherwise. Here this should be clear that the simple mixture of a substance and the vehicle is not potency, it is must to give strokes and the stroking is important. Subsequent potencies are prepared by taking one part of the previous potency with nine parts of the vehicle and again giving the 10 powerful strokes. For example the 2nd decimal potency of a medicine take 1 part from the solution of the 1st potency and mix it with 9 parts of the vehicle and give 10 powerful stroke. The solution after giving the strokes would be termed as 2nd potency (where drug to vehicle proportion is 10-2) and not otherwise. So the nth potency would have drug to vehicle proportion of order 10-n
In case of the substances insoluble in the liquid vehicles for example metals, sugar of milk is used as a vehicle to triturate it in a very specific manner. The mixture in the ratio given for the scale, is triturated for one hour in three steps of 20 minutes each, to prepare the 1st and the subsequent potencies. Ultimately it reaches to the potency (6th) after which it becomes soluble so the potencies thereafter can be prepared in liquid form.
To prepare the Centesimal scale potencies the ratio taken is 1:99, thus, the nth potency would contain drug to vehicle proportion of order 10-2n.
And for 50 millesimal scale the ratio taken is 1:49999, so by convention it is really very highly diluted solution.
However, this is to be noted that simple mixture may it be with liquid vehicle or be with sugar of milk was not effective as a medicine. To exhibit medicinal effect of the drug substance the mixture needs to be succussed mean giving strokes or triturated as the case may be.
Therefore, potentised preparations of homoeopathic medicines are not simple dilutions which means to keep the amount of the dissolved solute constant in a greater amount of solvent.
C. Next problem arises from the results of the research of IIT – B, the observation that –
“the highly diluted solutions checked under powerful electron microscopes (like transmission electron microscope, electron diffraction and emission spectroscopy) to find nano particles of the original metal…. the highly diluted homoeopathic remedies made from metals still contain measurable amounts of the starting material, even at extreme dilutions of 1 part in 10 raised to 400 (200C).”
This is contrary to the present concept in atomic science given by Avogadro’s number. It says that number of molecules in one mole of a compound is fixed and that is 6.0225 x 1023. And number of atoms in one mole of an element is also fixed that is 6.0225 x 1023. This number is termed as Avogadro’s number. One mole of any element or compound is its mass in grams, where number equals to the mass number represents mass of an atom of the element and for a compound, the number represents mass of one molecule of the compound (which is the sum of the mass numbers of all the atoms forming one molecule of the compound). For example mass number of Helium is 4 or mass of the common form Helium atom is 4 amu (atomic mass unit) so 4 grams of Helium will make one mole of Helium and this will contain 6.0225 x 1023 atoms of Helium. Similarly mass number of Gold is 196.97 or mass of atom of gold is 196.97 amu, so 196.97 grams of gold will make one mole of gold and this will contain 6.0225 x 1023 atoms of Gold. Mass number of Iron and copper is 55.845 and 63.546 so one mole of Iron and Copper will contain 55.845 and 63.546 gm. of Iron and copper respectively. But, water is a compound. One molecule it contains two atoms of Hydrogen and one atom of Oxygen. So the mass of a water molecule is sum of the mass of two atoms of Hydrogen (1 x 2 = 2) + mass of one atom of Oxygen (16 x 1 = 16) i. e., 18 amu. Therefore, one mole of water means 18 gram of water and as per rule it will contain 6.0225 x 10 23 molecules of water.
Now, when preparing homoeopathic potency on centesimal scale 1 part of the mother tincture or drug substance is taken with 99 parts of vehicle and potentised by succussion (in case of liquid preparations) or by trituration (in case of solid preparations). Here, we take an example of a metal as gold. Suppose we start taking 1 mole of gold (196.97 grams) as on part of the drug matter and 99 parts i.e., mass equal to the 99 moles of gold (i.e., 196.97 x 99 grams) of sugar of milk to make 100 parts. We triturate it according to the instructions of HOMOEOPATHIC PHARMOCOPOEA as explained earlier, to get the first potency (1C) of Aurum metallicum. In this the 6.0225 x 1023 atoms (one mole) are dispersed throughout the vehicle i.e., sugar of milk. Now, we take 1 part of the first trituration/ potency (1C) and 99 parts of sugar of milk and triturate it in the same manner to get 2nd potency (2C) of Aurum metallicum. All subsequent potencies are prepared in the same way. It is simple observation that when we take one part of the 1st potency of gold, it contains 6.0225 x 1021 atoms of gold and when we take one part of 2nd potency to prepare 3rd potency (3C) it contains 6.0225 x 1019 atoms of gold and so on. We reach to 11th potency (11C) and to prepare 12th potency we take one part of 11th potency which contains only 6.0225 x 10 atoms of gold. So in the whole mass of 12th potency (12C), the 60.225 atoms from initial one mole remain to be dispersed in 99 parts (mass equal to 99 mole of gold) of the vehicle and for 13th potency when one part of the 12th potency is taken where no one ever know if it contains any atom of mother substance as it was diluted to 10-24?
Here is the dilemma of homoeopathy or say of present science? We are even not sure whether the part of 12th potency we are using to prepare 13th potency contains any material presence of the original drug substance! And yet homoeopathic medicine not only in 12 C but even in 200 C (dilution level 10-400), 1000 C, (dilution level 10-2000) even higher potencies work effectively IF PRESCRIBED ACCORDING TO HOMOEOPATHIC PRINCIPLES. How or why has no explanation so far!!
Now come to the research paper presented by the team of IIT Mumbai Researchers. It has claimed to visualize presence of nano particles on 200 C potencies of gold, copper and iron.
Now, 1 picometer (pm) = 10- 12metre or in simple language one trillionth of a meter and
1 nanometer (nm) = 10-9meter or 103 picometer
The size (diameter) of
A Gold atom is 288.4 pm = 0.2884 nm
A Copper atom is 255.6 pm = 0.2556 nm and
An Iron atom is 248.2 pm = 0.2482
Nanoparticles are the particles of size between 1-100 nanometers (nm). Therefore, any microscopic particle less than 100 nm and more than 1 nm in diameter. Hence to make one nano particle (of size 1 x 10-9 meter) of gold, copper or iron it needs (for gold atom 0.288 x 3 = 0.864) at least four or more atoms.
Now, the news stated that the team of IIT Scientists has observed nano particle in 200th potency of gold, copper and iron. If so many atoms were present (as shown in above calculation) in 200th potency then what about Avogadro’s number? If the preposition of Avogadro’s number is correct which should of course be correct, as so far calculations made in various fields of science based on it produced correct results then the IIT team has made some mistake and if both are correct then IIT team has discovered something new which scientists have not been observed so far.
Some researchers proposed a hypothesis that the original metals formed nano bubbles and floated on the surface of the highly diluted mixtures. This is how they retained their original potency but this hypothesis also contradicts the preposition Avogadro’s number.
There are many questions to be answered –
1. May it be nano particles in the solution or metal’s presence at the surface of nano bubbles, the limit of Avogadro’s numbers has been crossed. How can this be explained?
2. Does matter exists beyond Avogadro’s number in any form with its properties? At least biological activities and medicinal properties have been proved to exist in homoeopathic potentized preparations.
3. How far matter follows the laws of physics and chemistry that world? Does matter behaves differently in that world?
How Many Worlds
Perceiving the reality or the ultimate truth (if any single truth lies there) is a very difficult task for man as man has certain limits in perception imposed upon him by nature? For example man cannot see whole range of light as infra red and ultraviolet, similarly he can perceive only limited range of sound waves hence sounds. Therefore, many things exist in his surrounding remain unnoticed by him to the extent of nothingness. Beside the natural limits his mind has surrounding limits of his own world formed of mental percepts and concepts he developed through experiences during his journey from birth to the time of observation. A mind prisoner of past cannot make a valid observation therefore all progresses and discoveries made are credited to a free mind that is termed as scientific mind. Had the IITians accepted the limits of Avogadro’s number they had not observed the nano particles in a solution diluted to 10-400.
If we refer to collective human experience we can conclude that there are four fundamental existences (should I say) in this universe – 1. Space, 2. Time, 3. Energy and 4. Matter
Defined variously, space is an infinite continuum of dimensionless points or space is the unlimited or incalculably great three dimensional realms or expanse in which all material objects are located and all events occur. Interestingly space exists in everything and everything exists in space.
What the Time is not exactly known to man. But at present in the simplest term time is conceived as changes in the sequence of events. It has extension from present to past and to future but its direction is not known.
Energy – Energy is defined as the ability of a system to work on another system. There are many forms of energy. With certain reservations for heat energy one form can be transformed into other form. Interestingly energy executes its effect through force and that we can experience or perceive the effect or manifestation only through matter. For example light can only be visible when a material object comes in its way. Same is true for other forms as heat, sound, magnetism, radiations and atomic energies.
Matter – Matter is a condensed form of energy which has mass and occupies space. It can be converted into energy and vice versa. This phenomenon is more eminent at subatomic level.
In medical science we deal with the form of energy called as vital principle, force of it that is vital force displays the life activities. If we go from gross to subtlety in an organism we see morphology and anatomy then tissues and cells and then molecules and atom. Present medicine is passing through the phase of molecular medicine. Next phase expected is nano and then energy medicine. As indicated by experiments of Dr. Luc Montagnier and Dr. Benveniste. As indicated by Kirlian photography where aura of living being is caught in camera and which shows different aura when an organism is healthy and when it is sick. It would be sad if we limit our scientific investigations to the sense perceptible and palpable thing like matter only as human do not perceive the whole range or spectrum of any form of energy. For example infrared and ultra violet range of light, sound frequency beyond 20 hertz and 20 kilohertz, magnetic fields, various radiations in nature and their effects etc. Just imagine how different the things would have been if our eyes would see the infra red light only or the ultra violet light only instead of present range of white light. Or imagine the phonics when human ear is sensitive to sound frequencies lower than 20 hertz and higher than 20 kilohertz. Each range in itself and in combination with others has a different world yet to know and to be investigated by man.
However, homoeopathy has passed to the energy medicine at its initial age credited to Dr. Hahnemann for truly experimenting on axiom “the medicine of experience”.
Dr. M. K. Tyagi
D.H.M.S., Dip. N.I.H.Research Officer
Sewa Mandir
Mobile" 09829157926
Email: 1.sewamandir@usa.net, 2.manju_mkt2003@yahoo.co.in
