Memorandum submitted by Oliver Dowding
(HO 48)
May I take the opportunity to very briefly explain
why homoeopathy should be retained?
It's easy to be cynical, and take the line that you
don't think that there is anything in it other than water, or
if it's on a pill that it's just a sugar pill. May I respectfully
suggest that just because it's beyond our ability to understand
the mechanism it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist or doesn't
work.
I believe that millions of pounds are being
invested in the Large Hadron Collider, and much of the finance
will have originated from this country. Commendable though it
may be to investigate such things, had one taken the view before
the investment began that we didn't know how it worked, or whether
it worked, that therefore we weren't going to undertake the investigation,
all that money could have been saved.
For 15 years, I treated over 300 dairy cows,
and 200 of their offspring, almost entirely using homoeopathic
remedies. I had two herdsmen who barely had an exam pass between
them. They learned very quickly what to do, when to do it, and
which remedy would resolve which problem, using their many years
of built-up stockmanship and an occasional education, and some
book reading, to understand their animal and match remedy to ailment.
We did not cause animals suffering, or have welfare problems,
and often came out in the top half of research projects undertaking
assessment of efficacy of treatment of illnesses.
Of all the animals we treated, to my knowledge
none were pathogenic liars, none were fakes, and in fact, I don't
think any of them ever knew what we were treating them with. Had
they done so, that would've been a fascinating discovery!
How big a scientific study does one need to
undertake to prove the efficacy of the science? I might add that
alongside treating this large number of cows I have also seen
many people treated very successfully with the same remedies.
I recently came across a college lecturer in conventional agriculture,
who had constantly teased me about my persistence with homoeopathy,
rubbishing it at every opportunity, simply because he couldn't
understand it and deemed it to be illogical. After many years
with a persistent hacking cough, one of his grown-up children
persuaded him to go to a homoeopath, and the ailment literally
disappeared within 24 hours. He doesn't know how the mechanism
works, but he doesn't care, because it made him better. You don't
know how your computer works, but just as many of us don't know
how many other things work, of which we are perfectly happy to
deploy every day, our lack of knowledge doesn't stop by utilising
the product.
The same goes for the mechanism by which many
drugs operate, in that we don't know exactly how they work in
all cases, but it doesn't stop us using them. Unfortunately, we
also don't know why in some cases, the use of conventional medication
has unexpected side-effects, or when multiple doses are used they
react in a way that we don't expect. That also doesn't stop us
using them.
I believe some people consider that the homoeopathic
industry has undue influence due to its size. Surely that cannot
be the case? If it is, surely we have a right to question the
influence of the allopathic drug business? If you care to ask
and I'll give you some examples.
I thank you for reading this, and although you
may be finished with formal settings, I would be happy to make
any submission you like, to ensure your knowledge is complete
before you adjudicate.
Oliver Dowding
Shepton Farms Ltd
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