Airs – Ian Lance Taylor

Homeopathic Water Reclamation

The theory of homeopathy is that the adding something to pure water gives it a pattern of some sort. That pattern remains when more water is added. Thus diluting the solution does not change its effect. This is, of course, nonsense, although homeopathic remedies are sold in every drugstore and supermarket.

If we believe the theory, though, I wonder when the pattern goes away. More and more communities are turning to reclamation of waste water to address their water needs. Waste water in this country is rich with vitamins, pharmaceuticals, and, yes, homeopathic remedies. Those are all patterning the water. Could those patterns survive the reclamation process? If not, why not? Could water reclamation be giving us huge homeopathic overdoses?

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Ian Lance Taylor

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4 responses to “Homeopathic Water Reclamation”

  1. fche Avatar
    fche

    Good point – and a great market opportunity for a homeopathic antidote concoction!

  2. rskrishnan Avatar
    rskrishnan

    I guess we don’t really have a decent grasp on many things medical …
    placebos continue to confound us, and sometimes compete with the “drug under trial” – specially in this age of “fashion medicine”.

    So, I’d be very leery of dumping homeopathy into the trash can – specially when there are enough “mystery results” for homeopathy.

    The goal of “evidence based medicine” is definitely worthwhile – but is just as poorly applied to “modern clinical medicine” as it is to H’pathy.

  3. Ian Lance Taylor Avatar
    Ian Lance Taylor

    rskrishnan: Homeopathy has no support in theory and no support in experiment. It’s quackery. I agree that clinical medicine is hardly perfect, but let’s not forget that average lifespan went from 40-something to 70-something in one century. I’m willing to be open-minded about a lot of alternative medicine, where I can imagine something happening, such as acupunture. I’m not willing to be open-minded about homeopathy. Sorry.

  4. ncm Avatar
    ncm

    Homeopathy arouses even my antipathy.

    Usually in the case of something not supported by science, the best we can honestly say is, “who can say?” Astrology, for all the careful studies demonstrating irrelevance of birthdate/time, really benefits those people who would otherwise tend to get in a rut. It has different advice for every day, and (by hashing birthdates) different advice for different people, so that not everybody tries out ice skating on the same day.

    Homeopathy attracts apologists who point out that it’s no different from placebos, and therefore definitively harmless. That neglects mental harm, leading people to accept out-and-out rot. Furthermore, hucksters are enriched while the scrupulous go wanting. I argue for sound thrashings for homeopathists.

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