Reprinted from the 'Homoeopathic Recorder' of 1890 and 1891. Blatta orientalis (Indian cockroach) was first discovered to be of use in asthma treatment when a drink of tea cured an asthmatic. A dead cockroach was found in the teapot. The author used Blatta orientalis in almost all cases of asthma and received good results in most cases. A low potency should be given during an asthma attack, but when the spasm subsides the cough and wheezing is better relieved with a high potency. Continuation of the low potency caused streaks of blood in the sputum. Four case reports are given. In one case a 55 year old man, apparently terminally ill with fever and asthma, recovered with Blatta orientalis 1x.

CLINICAL TRIALS, REPRODUCIBILITY OF RESULTS, CONTROLLED TRIALS

The authors tested, under independent conditions, the reproducibility of evidence from two previous trials that homoeopathy differs from placebo. The test model was again homoeopathic immunotherapy. In a randomised, double-blind clinical trial, 28 patients with allergic asthma, most of them sensitive to house-dust mite, were randomly allocated to receive either oral homoeopathic immunotherapy to their principal allergen or identical placebo. The patients received a potentisation of the allergen to which they were most allergic - House dust mite, Feathers, Moulds, or cat or dog hair. Three doses were taken in one day after a four week run in period. The patients continued on their conventional treatment as before (usually inhaled steroids). A daily visual analogue scale of overall symptom intensity was the outcome measure. This continued for 8 weeks. 5 out of 13 patients on placebo improved whilst 9 out of 11 patients on homoeopathic treatment improved. In general, patients with the more severe symptoms responded most. A difference in visual analogue score in favour of homoeopathic immunotherapy appeared within one week of starting treatment and persisted up to the 8 weeks of the test (p=0.003). There were similar trends in respiratory function and bronchial reactivity tests.

A meta-analysis of all three trials strenghthened the evidence that homoeopathy does more than placebo (p=0.0004). Is the reproducibility of evidence in favour of homoeopathy proof of its activity or proof of the clinical trial's capacity to produce false-positive results?

This article follows the ideas of Bernoville, Vannier etc in France. It is stated that an asthmatic is an intoxicated subject, who seeks, by means of a violent and spasmodic crisis, to elimiated the toxins which oppress him. These crises are met with in some patients whose nervous systems are in a state of exaggerated excitability. Treatment of asthma must be chronic, and will be 1) Symptomatic 2) Constitutional 3) Causal. Symptomatic treatment will relieve but will not cure and then more deeply-acting remedies must be used after the attack. Constitutional treatment needs patients to be divided into three types - oxygenoids, hydrogenoids and carbo-nitrogenoids. Remedies are given for each type. Causal treatment may require Lueticum, Tuberculinum, Medorrhinum, Psorinum and autotherapy. Other factors such as diet, climate or surgery could be considered also.

A case is reported of the surviving baby of a pair of twins who was kept in an incubator for 6 weeks before being cared for at home. He developed asthma and received desensitizing and other injections but at 4 1/2 years old was treated homeopathically. After only partial relief using local remedies, Psorinum and Sulphur produced a long spell free from asthma. An asthmatic crisis with very rapid pulse was relieved by Adrenalin 1M. (The child had had adrenalin injections frequently when in hospital). A further treatment using Ferrum met 10M for flushed face and breathlessness finally cured the child's asthma.