Page 3 - Autumn 12

Welcome to the Autumn issue of the mag. I think there’s much to look forward to in
the coming months and even though it seems only a short while since the last BAHVS conference, the next one in Ireland is starting to gain momentum – watch out for it. Mark Elliot’s mention of the 2014 conference (see p.2) that will apparently have a day where colleagues from the wider profession are invited to attend sounds like a great idea that could help- move the association forward within the veterinary profession.
Also, can I encourage you to read and respond to the IAVH Officers report (p.12) – they need our input just as we need their help. Remember, we’re all part of that big homeopathic global family.
Malene
Committee – BAHVS President – Mark Elliott homeopathicvet@btinternet.com
Senior Vice-President – Sue Armstrong health@balancedbeing.com
Junior Vice-President – Jane Keogh j.keogh5@btinternet.com
Hon. Secretary – Stuart Marston sec@bahvs.com
Treasurer – Wendy McGrandles wendy@glenbrae-vet.co.uk
Magazine Editor – Malene Jørgensen malene@laforcevitale.eu
Communications Officer – Nick Thompson nickthompson@holisticvet.co.uk
IAVH Representitive – Peter Gregory pg.ahimsa@virgin.net
Faculty Veterinary Representitive
John Saxton
john.saxton@talk21.com
Committee Member – Cheryl Sears cheryl.sears31@btinternet.com
Committee – IAVH President – Peter Gregory pg.ahimsa@virgin.net
Treasurer – Andreas Schmidt a.schmidt@dplanet.ch
General Secretary – Helene Widmann helene.widmann@chello.at
Coordinator subcommittee for education:
Stefan Kohlrausch
stefan.kohlrausch@arcor.de
Head of IAVH Office – Markus Mayer office@iavh.org
Newsletter subcommittee
Malene Jørgensen
malene@laforcevitale.eu
IAVH Communications Officer
Nick Thompson
nickthompson@holisticvet.co.uk
LIGA contact – Marc Bär info@homeopatte.ch
Guest Editorial – Integration Rules OK? by John Saxton, UK
Oh no, it doesn’t – so that’s the end of this editorial.
Only of course it isn’t. It all depends on what is meant by integration.
‘Integrated medicine’ is one of the new buzz concepts, particularly in human medicine. Of course there are big organisational differences between the veterinary and human medical professions, especially in the UK with its state funded (and therefore controlled) human health system. However, ideas that originate in the lat- ter have a habit over time of filtering into veteri- nary practice in some form, so a degree of caution and scepticism is advisable.
Of course, if integration means nothing more than ensuring the availability within the system of homeopathically qualified vets and doctors, who can practice their discipline in a pure form, then that has something to recommend it. There may even be thoughts of gradually trans- forming the system from within with homeopa- thy acting as a sort of dynamic and potentised Trojan horse (Equus Troji LM30 perhaps?). Yet even here there are dangers; the attitude may prevail and persist that homeopathy is the ‘fall back’ position, to be brought into use when all else fails rather than being viewed as an equal let alone superior therapeutic approach (acupuncture has in many ways suffered from this, being regarded primarily as an aid in the treatment of pain with the full potential of TCM being bypassed).
Another view of integration is one which con- centrates on there being a homeopathic pres- ence in every health care team involved with the treatment of major chronic illness such as cancer. Here again, the homeopathic contribu- tion may be viewed as subservient to the accepted conventional wisdom and approach, as can happen when homeopathy is used with- in an oncology team, principally as a means of mitigating the distressing side effects of chemo – or radio-therapy.
Although such situations may affect the scope and way an individual practices homeopathy, the greater risk could be to the concept of
homeopathy itself, possi- bly leading to the cre- ation of what Hahnemann described as a profession of ‘half or pseudo- homeopaths’.
How far is such a fear justified? It is true that western medicine has seen many develop- ments since Hahnemann’s time, but have these produced any fundamental change in the sys- tem and how justified are Hahnemann’s stric- tures to the present time? Will the mapping of the human genome, hailed by many as the ulti- mate medical advance, result in a range of therapeutic option that transcend present atti- tudes and practice? What about the use of medicine for essentially social and personal as opposed to curative reasons? Assaults on the body like cautery, blood-letting and heroic doses of poisons may be things of the past but is modern medicine committed to avoiding similar assaults? Just because an attack, if it happens, is more subtle does not automatically make it any less deadly.
Another worrying thought that rears its head is ‘has homeopathy already passed the point of no return in its acceptance of the conventional medical mores?’. Vaccination is a case in point: opinions about vaccination vary widely between the ‘no vaccination is good’ to the ‘all vaccina- tion is good’ positions, with a majority in the middle working on the basis that vaccination has some very positive benefits, the problems that arise are essentially those of abuse of a valid procedure and homeopathy can be used to avoid and/or mitigate those problems, thus giving the patients the best of both worlds. Is that middle ground a genuine position based on sound homeopathic principles or a compro- mise with a predominantly conventional med- ical reality? Neutering raises similar considerations and there are other areas where the same dilemma can be found.
The beauty of an editorial is that it can raise questions without providing answers. But a problem faced is a problem half solved – that is if you think there is a problem in the first place!
The British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons (BAHVS) was formed in 1981, to advance the understanding, knowl- edge and practice of homeopathy. It aims to stimulate professional awareness of homeopa- thy and to encourage and to provide for the
training of veterinary surgeons in the practice of homeopathy.
It is an open forum for differing approaches to the subject of veterinary homeopathy and it’s application, allowing for constructive inter- changes of ideas.
This publication is copyright. No part of it may be reproduced without the permission of the Editor. Material published does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the BAHVS or the Editor.
The BAHVS does not necessarily endorse products or the companies advertised.
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