External application in Homoeopathy

1.Dr.Pramod.K
Chief Medical Officer
DGH,Dr.Ambedkar Nagar,sector 05
Dte of AYUSH
External remedy should not be given in any case of disease having miasmatic origin-even though it
is very mild in nature.
External application of homoeopathic remedy even though it is indicated to the symptoms of the
patient with the intension of speedy recovery is not allowed in treatment.
This is applicable in disease arising from psora, syphilis and sycosis.
Reason
The local manifestations are the chief evidence of internal disorder and if these manifestations
disappear on simultaneous external remedy it become impossible to decide whether the cure was
due to internal remedy or external application.
The external application will remove the symptoms in one sided manner and the general disease
remains in the patient. Further treatment is become very difficult as the characteristic features of
the disease have been destroyed by the external remedy. The local manifestations are the
characteristic feature of the disease and which is basis of selection of homoeopathic remedy. If the
manifestations remain in internal treatment it can be concluded that internal disorder still persisting
and further medication is required for complete cure. The disappearance of the external
manifestations proves that the disease has been removed completely.
Development of local malady
When the vital principle is infected with a chronic disease, it is unable to overcome by its own power
so it adopts the plan of developing a local disease on less important part or external part of the
body. The appearance of local affection thus silences the internal disease and protects the vital
organs. It is nothing but the transfer of internal disease to less important organs of the body. These
local affections are not a separate from general disease but the part of internal disease developed IN
ONE direction. It is transferred to less dangerous part of the body to relieve the internal disease. It
silences the internal affection for a while but increases as time goes on until the vital force gets
remedy to cure it. With the increase of internal disease, nature increases local lesions also to serve
as a substitute that allays the progress of internal disease.
Complication of external applications
If these local affections are removed by topical application of external remedies, nature makes up
the loss by rousing the internal disease and other symptoms existed in latent form along with the

local affections. So there will be an increase in the internal disease if local symptoms are removed in
non homoeopathic way.
Criminal procedure in treatment
The removal of local manifestations of disease without curing the internal disorder is the source of
innumerable chronic disorders with or without names.
1. Psoric eruptions by all sorts of ointments.
2. syphilitic chancre by caustics.
3. Sycotic condylomata by knife, ligature, burning
Numerous diseases the mankind suffering today is due to inappropriate treatment and external
application without correcting the internal disease.
In most of the cases doctors are prescribing ointments and other external medicines to satisfy their
patients. In many cases it will cause complication of simple illness. In clinical practice we witness
such complications. The emergence of Homoeopathy is meant for a methodological and judicious
employment of medicine and non suppressive treatment. In practice we have to educate the patient
regarding the methods of our system, and complication as a result of abuse of external medicinal
applications. If required advice them to use substance of non medicinal property as external
application.
Exceptions in the use of external applications
There are some conditions in which miams have no role in the origin of disease. The diseases due to
injury, burns, strain, fractures etc external medicines can be advised as a part of supportive therapy.
In diseases, the external manifestations remain after the cure of internal disorders[the removal of
miasmatic manifestations (rare instances)] the external application of the indicated remedy can be
used.
Clinical verification
I have observed many cases of asthmatic and rheumatic complaints with history of skin disorders
treated with ointments.
Reference
Hahnemann,(1833) Organon of Medicine, Para 186,193 to 203,B Jain publishers Pvt.Ldt.1991

2.Dr Sunita SinghM.O.I/CBank Enclave homeopathic dispensaryDelhi

drsunita2010@yahoo.com
Sir

External applications have become necessity in todays practice not only because it helps to speed
up treatment but it satisfies the patients also . Most of the patient comes with one or two
symptoms after suppression of true symptoms of the disease due to treatment with other
therapeutic systems in some or other way and desires fast recovery, it becomes difficult to get the
true picture again, and so external application plays an important role in relieving the patients
complaints. External application for eyes, ears and ointments plays a big role in satisfying the
patient. In dispensaries many patients demand only external applications.

DISCUSSION
EXTERNAL APPLICATION
Our literature explicitly explains why external application is deterred in homoeopathy. Every
sentence given below is taken from masters .
From time immortal local application have been the rules among the laity as domestic
remedies and among physician from Aesculapius down to the present day.
This method of treatment was based on the teaching and general belief that if the outward
manifestations were removed, the disease was cured; that the outward manifestation was
disease itself, and that individual would be cured were the manifestations removed.
This theory was taught from the earliest times until Hahnemann proclaimed to the world a
new doctrine,that the local manifestations were but an outward expression of the inward
and spiritual force, which when disturbed expressed itself in external in external signs; that
if these external manifestations were removed by local treatment ,these disease was not
cured, but driven in to some more centrally located organ ,there to express itself in some
graver form.
Aphorism: 196,197,198
It may seem as if the cure of a local disease could be accelerated ,not only by internal
administration, but also by external application of the correct Homoeopathic remedy
adopted to the totality of symptoms, since the effect of a medicine, applied locally to the
disease itself, might possibly produce a more rapid improvement.
But this kind of treatment is entirely objectionable, not only in local affections dependent on
psora, but also in local symptoms arising from syphilis and from sycosis, because the local
application of a medicine, simultaneously with its internal use, results in great
disadvantages. For in disease characterized by a main symptom in the form of a permanent
local affection, the latter is generally dispelled by topical applications more rapidly than the
internal disease. This often leads to the deceptive impression that we have accomplished a

perfect cure. At all events the premature disappearance of this local symptom renders it
very difficult, and in some case impossible to determine whether the total disease, and in
some cases impossible to determine whether the total disease has also been exterminated
by internal remedy.
For same reason, a medicine having the power of curing internally should not be employed
exclusively as a topical application to the local symptoms of chronic miasmatic disease. For,
if these are only topically suppressed, this partial effect will leave us in doubt regarding the
action of the internal remedies, which are absolutely indispensable of general health.

Hahnemanns teaching in regard to local applications is very clear and distinct, and in
practice has thoroughly proven its value.
Aphorism-194
It is neither beneficial in acute local disease of rapid growth, nor in those of long standing, to
use a remedy externally as a local application to the diseased part, even if the medicines
were specific and curative in that form. Acute local disease, such as inflammations of single
parts like erysipelas, for instance, which are not produced by violent external injuries, but by
dynamic or internal cause, will usually yield rapidly to internal homoeopathic remedies
selected from our stock of well tested medicines.
1. When using any adjuvant ,the thermic reaction of the patient should be considered
For instance ,it would be very objectionable to put cold application on a patient whose
symptomatology calls for Rhustox.
Hot water bottle at feet of sulphur patient.
2. For instance in case of psoriasis and like disease, the scale that is thrown off by the cuticle
tears the corium. This is the cause of intense itching and purely a mechanical disturbancethis can be removed by olive oil followed by a bathing of the part-for cleaning purpose.
Conditions where great tension and dryness erysipelas- may be temporarily relived without
violating Hahnemannian principle by laying on for a few minutes a soft cloth which has
been dipped in a normal salt solution.
-

Such treatments are not local application in the sense that Hahnemann referred to in
his derogation of the practice.

There is only one condition where local application of indicated potentised remedy may
be used to advantage, and that is in case where impossible to administer it by mouth.

Dr. Dudgeon in his lectures mentions two exceptions as made by Hahnemann to his general
rejections of topical applications. These were the use of Arnica, Rhus tox, Arsenicum and
heated alcohol for Bruises and Burns respectively and of Thuja for old Condylomata .
1. Bruises, sprains and burns are local injuries which may occur in an otherwise healthy
person.
2. old and stubborn-Fig wart as well-high extra vital things, remaining behind after the
whole internal malady-the entire sycosis-had been cured. They were dead results of a past
process, withered fruits of a germination which had reached from within ,were, there for,
best dealt with by the local application of the remedy-the application of Thuja to
Condylomata.
3.Wounds and Stings