Homoeopathy — Page 11
Preface 11 two to four hours after dinner. In emergency situations, it may be used at any time. Diet of the Patient In , there is no restriction regarding the diet. Homoeopathic remedies work irrespective of the kind of food taken by the patient. Yet, the patient must refrain from consuming foods that aggravate his symptoms or do not suit him. The patient can decide this for himself better than the doctor. Preservation of the Homoeopathic Remedies In general, homoeopathic remedies last a long time. They may not even expire in a hundred years or more. In general, they should be kept in a dry temperate place with the covers of the bottles tightly closed. The temperature as such does not alter the effectiveness of the medicine, but, if the cover is not airtight, the remedy will evaporate. If the bottle has completely dried out, the remedy should be made afresh. If even a drop remains, it may be made up again by adding more of the diluent. In this way, the potency will increase by one, such as from 30 to 31 or from 200 to 201. This however, does not reduce the effectiveness of the remedy. As a caution, homoeopathic remedies should not be placed in direct sunlight. The rays of the sun may make the remedy ineffective. Empty bottles should be thoroughly cleaned, boiled in water and dried in the sun in order to destroy any residual effects. As a rule, all homoeopathic remedies must be kept in separate bottles but some remedies may be mixed without losing their individual effectiveness. Incompatible remedies should always be kept separately. It is better that the mixture be prepared fresh, when required. Homoeopathic remedies must be kept away from strong perfumes, especially Camphor. Camphor destroys the effectiveness of most homoeopathic remedies. One should also refrain from opening the bottle in a room sprayed with strong antiseptic or perfume.