The Homeopathic Treatment of Influenza: Surviving Influenza Epidemics and Pandemics Past, Present and Future with Homeopathy
By Sandra Perko, PhD, CCN
Benchmark Homeopathic Pubns, 2005
“Shut the doors! Stay out of public places! Take aspirin!. . . Influenza is on the way!” This was the battle cry of conventional medical and public health authorities throughout the world when the earth’s most widespread and tragic pandemic annihilated millions. Undeniably, the Spanish Flu of 1918 rivaled the devastation of the plague of the 14th century. The world hadn’t seen the likes of it before nor has it since. Some authorities are certain of its return. That is why the author of The Homeopathic Treatment of Influenza has spent so much time on the connection between the epidemic of 1918 and the next big influenza.
But don’t be put off by the Chicken Little opening to this riveting book by Sandra Perko. And prepare for the first few chapters to be white knucklers in the realization that, given the scientific evidence, the tragedies of the Spanish Flu of 1918 could certainly take another foothold. However—and I mean a big however—the author also includes commanding substantiation of the curative role homeopathy played during that 20th century pandemic. She also includes instructive chapters aimed at treating influenza homeopathically for the general public.
Dr. Perko unfolds the fascinating account of the homeopathic versus conventional medical methods. At the turn of the last century, approximately thirty to forty percent of the physicians in the U.S. were homeopaths. While the allopathic (conventional) doctors stood helplessly by as their patients died, (the influenza of 1918 would claim upwards of 39 million victims worldwide) their homeopathic counterparts were administering safe and gentle homeopathic remedies that proved to be powerful indeed. And their results were astonishing, reports Perko. These doctors treated the afflicted in large homeopathic hospitals (where homeopathy was used exclusively), in city dwellings, factories and the countryside. And they were successful in keeping their patients alive and in eliminating much suffering. In the aftermath of the 1918 influenza, while the allopaths were still scratching their heads, the homeopaths assembled for their annual convention to evaluate sound data. In 1921 at the 77th convention of the American Institute of Homeopathy in Washington, DC, Dr. T.A. McCann from Dayton Ohio informed his distinguished homeopathic colleagues that he had collected statistics of 24,000 cases of the flu treated by conventional means. In these cases a 28.2 percent rate of mortality was reported.
Meanwhile, homeopathic physicians had treated 26,000 cases of the flu solely with homeopathic means, and reported a mortality rate of only 1.05 percent. Another report was offered by Dr. Frank Wieland of Chicago, who noted that in the plant where he was employed, of 8,000 workers, “We had only one death. We used no aspirin and no vaccines. Gelsemium was practically the only remedy used.”
The reports of many doctors from New York to San Francisco and many towns in between substantiate homeopathy’s ability to thwart even the deadliest of flus in the history of mankind, and in a most impressive manner. An interesting aside in Perko’s book concerns the use of aspirin, which was the drug of choice for the allopaths. It took another fifty years for conventional medicine to comprehend aspirin’s devastating effects when used to treat viruses. In 1957 Reye’s syndrome was discovered as the cause of illnesses and deaths related to viral infections which had been treated with aspirin.
The homeopath understood only too well the danger of using conventional medications in any form during such an illness. Sandra Perko devotes one chapter to the distain of homeopathic doctors for the use of aspirin while recounting the link between the large number of deaths associated with the use of this drug. Could a simple remedy such as gentle little Gelsemium have thwarted the attack for so many? You bet! In fact Dr. Perko has gathered the recommendations of homeopathic physicians from around the world to compile a list of the top remedies used for influenza from 1918 to the present. Many homeopathic physicians recommended Gelsemium, each doctor unaware that others were doing the same in other corners of the world! Truths are universal. As a practicing homeopath, this book stirred me with another historical example of homeopathy’s ability to stand up to illness, even to epidemics. It will likely comfort any reader to know that there are proven remedies at hand. I’d recommend it as a tool to protect loved ones from the potential “Big One.”
This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Fall 2009.
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Homeopathy is the best treatment.
concentrate recipe
Seems to me proportionally that your ratio should be 1 tbs. tea (black or green) per 2c water and 1c sugar, for your concentrate, not a tbs. of each. That is my calculation,based on same proportion of igredients in finished replacement liquid.(Per Nourishing Traditions recipe for Kombucha).Is that a typo or error, John? I like the idea of storing a concentrated amount. Thanks for sharing your experience of KT brewing.
What about the baby?
I’m confused how this method works since the mother grows a baby on top. When/Do you remove the aging mother, and let the baby become the mother? And I thought if you disturbed the “mushroom” it would stop growing, i.e. stop making kombucha. Am I mistaken? I really like the idea of continuous brewing, though!
Re previous post
I have been making this for awhile now and just happen to look back at this article to notice that your large batch of replacement liquid is 2c water:1 tbs.tea:1 cup sugar ratio. So disregard my 2/6/10 post.
To Katherine, the SCOBY continues to grow in layers, but just not perfectly symetrical since you are disturbing it when you stir, as you add replacement liquid. Go to happyherbalist.com for information on technique and benefits on continuous KT brewing. Taste,less work and fuller range of beneficial acids and nutrients than the single stage method, are reasons to try continuous brewing.
I am doing this brew now with good results. My question has to do with monitoring the acid. I draw daily so I am trying to gauge when it’s appropriate to skip a day. Do I determine the acidity by flavor only or does the amount of “fizzy” play into it?
Kombucha is becoming more popular among celebrities. It is sold commercially now, though I don’t know if it is better to make your own kombucha. Still, it is nice to see that fermented drinks are making their way into our culture. Here is an article about celebrities like Lindsay Lohan, Halle Berry and Gwyneth Paltrow who are drinking kombucha like GT’s Synergy brand kombucha drinks.
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/109688/whats-lindsay-lohans-strange-beverage?
No mention is made in the continuous brewing process of temperature for the brewing vessel. For example, I keep my townhouse around 68 degrees F, and from much skimming and gleaning of different articles online, this would not be warm enough to prevent unwanted, opportunistic bacteria or molds from gaining a foothold in the culture.
This is turning into a more intense endeavor than I initially imagined, and with my CFS, may not be possible for me. Another source of frustration that GT’s Synergy has been removed from the marketplace because of alcohol level “concerns.”
Any replies, feedback gratefully accepted —
D. K. Kraft
I’m looking into the continuous brewing method for my own needs for KT (CFS sufferer) now that we have a silly alcohol level brouhaha with commercially available brands, but doubt that I would regularly consume what a three gallon brewing container would produce. Space for the size of such a container is also an issue.
Would it be kosher to use a one gallon brewing container, and just divide the replacement liquid + water amounts by three? The draw-off amounts would also be decreased accordingly, but I’m a little unsure of the math when comparing the once-per-day schedule vs. the three-times-per-week schedule. I’m trying to make this as simple as possible since my fatigue will undoubtedly get in the way of the process. Perhaps finding space for a three gallon container would be easier…
Any thoughts, replies gratefully received —
D. K. Kraft
D.K., Don’t worry about the math so much. It won’t matter if you draw off one drink or 3/4 of the jar at a time. I’ve used a 1 gallon container for years with no problems. You might try setting your brew jar on top of the hot water heater or refrig, or keep it in the laundry room to get a warmer temperature. At colder temperatures, you’ll need to allow longer fermentation times. Just go by taste. Good luck!
Sugars matter
Be SURE to read the section “Sugars and Fermenting” on the site http://www.happyherbalist.com
Very, very interesting what is in our so called “pure” white sugar. A long list of alternatives to white sugar reveal that traditional sweeteners like piloncillo and unpasteurized honey deserve a closer look.
free kombucha resource videos!
Hi Gang,
My name is Dave and I run an itty bitty Kombucha Recipesite that has been promoting the continuous brewing system for awhile now.
Great article! If people are interested in videos of this method feel free to use our site as a free resource!
Much Love,
Dave
GT Kombucha
Here’s an article that might make you smile if you want to purchase GT Kombucha:
http://www.kombuchakamp.com/2010/09/gts-kombucha-recall-alcoholic-raw-ap5.html
I’m a little confused about the scheduling. On the days that are scheduled only three times per week, should we still do the procedure that is scheduled for everyday of the week? Essentially, should we be drawing off six 16 ounce bottles three times per week and adding the corresponding amounts of water and replacement liquid, or on the days that are scheduled for three times per week should we skip the procedure that is scheduled for everyday? Thanks!
Continous Brewing Vessels
I love your brewing jars/vessels. I wonder are the vessels glass or plastic? Where did you get them? Unfortunately, it seems the vodka store you referenced does not have large vessels (+ 2.5 gallon) with wide enough openings. Many Thanks your articles is fantastic.
WATER also matters!!
I have been continuously brewing Kombucha for years now and am currently under medical care at The Center for Holistic Medicine in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan for Hypothyroidism and toxic heavy metals. I currently have a RO System installed in my house. I drink a lot of water in addition to Kombucha. When drinking Kombucha, it is absolutely imperative that the water used is either reverse osmosis or distilled to remove all the toxic junk in the water, especially flouride whose molecules are so small that even filtered water does not remove it. Flouride in faucet water is a thyroid disrupter. So if your local water source adds flouride to their water supply, don’t use it; because fluoride will build up in your body causing a miriad of problems.
Initial liquid ratios don’t agree with replacement ratios
Hi,
My math may be wrong, but it seems like there might be an error here.
You state replacement liquid should be 2:1:1:1. 2 cups (or 16 oz.) water, 1 cup sugar, 1 tbsp green tea, 1 tbsp black tea. So far so good.
But when you state the starting recipe you state the following:
2 gallons water (256 oz. or 32 cups)
16 cups sugar
8 tbsp green tea
8 tbsp black tea
This seems to disagree with the 2:1:1:1 ratio above. If you were making 2 gallons of replacement liquid and following 2:1:1:1 wouldn’t it be
2 gallons water (32 cups)
16 cups sugar
*16* tbsp black tea
*16* tbsp green tea
Sorry if I’m misunderstanding. Can someone clear this up?
Thanks,
Aubrey
Reply to Aubrey
The replacement liquid is a stronger concentrate, which is diluted at the point the replacement is added into the kombucha culture. What confuses me is the sugar content in the replacement, as I would have thought that there would be more sugar in the replacement concentrate as well as more tea.
What is the replacement liquid?
Hi! I am considering switching the the continuous brewing process. Your instructions are very helpful, however, I am confused on what the “replacement liquid” is. Are you speaking of the starter liquid? If so, why would you need to use starter tea in a continuous brew since there is already kombucha tea in the spigot vessel anyway?
Thanks 🙂
Jnana
Re: WATER also matters!! @ Marge
Unfortunately R.O. water is not good for long term drinking. RO filters do not filter out fluorides used in municipal waters – they pass right through the filter. RO systems strip water of all minerals which means your body will strip you of your minerals in order to function. As a nutritional therapist RO water has become a nemesis. For a person with heavy metal toxicity (and all people really) Natural Spring water is the best option for drinking water. RO water does not hydrate the body – so if you are continuously drinking it – it is quite damaging. I have clients who have tested their RO water’s pH and it is acidic – the people were acidic until switching to spring water. Please, please do more research for your health! http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/water.htm
Hello! Very informative article! Thank you! I have my kombucha brewing and am ready to draw using the continuous method however should I add the liquid directly on top of my scoby? Will it float to the top? I have a glass/spigot container like in the photos here. Also the replacement liquid seems awfully high in sugar. Are those measurements accurate? Any info would be very helpful!
Thank you!
Replacement liquid doesn’t replace dew off
Thank you for sharing this! I’ve been happily brewing my CKT for a bit, but I wanted to say this particular recipe is the one I follow and the draw off doesn’t quite replace given the ratios. I haven’t done the math but have been eyeballing it… All seems ok but just a heads up to those about to embark on a brew to be sure you’re taking only what you’re replacing or else you fer,met will slow down and become less string until its eventually run out.