As one of the few holistic veterinarians in the South Florida area, I am often called upon to address groups at dog clubs, health food stores, etc. Whenever I speak (or write, for that matter), I have the audience only for a short period of time and there is a lot to cover. In addition, the majority of most audiences are well entrenched in the ideology and philosophy of conventional medicine. In order to arouse a response and get people to think about some new ideas, I, at times, rather strongly attack conventional medicine. Unfortunately, people may get the impression that I am completely against “modern” medicine. I would like to set the record straight on this issue. I personally believe that Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, was correct when he wrote his sixth and final edition of The Organon of the Medical Art in the 1840s. In a footnote to paragraph seven and in paragraph 186, Dr. Hahnemann lists appropriate conventional medical interventions. To wit:

“Extract from the cornea the splinter that is arousing inflammation of the eye, loosen the over tight bandage on a wounded limb that is threatening to cause gangrene and apply a more suitable one, lay bare and tie off the injured artery, seek through vomiting, to expel belladonna berries, etc., that have been swallowed, extract foreign substances from the orifices of the body. Crush bladder stones, open the imperforate anus of the newborn infant, mechanically restore dislocations, suture or bandage wounds, stanch arterial bleeding, remove foreign bodies that have penetrated living parts, open a body cavity to extract a bothersome substance, drain collected fluids, set broken bones, etc.”

Over 150 years later, I find the list nearly complete. I would add that modern medicine has made amazing contributions in the areas of prosthetic limbs, the reattaching of severed limbs, fluid and nutritional support via feeding tubes and injection, reconstructive surgery, and even the occasionally necessary caesarian section. Advances in anesthesia (although still risky) have contributed to the success of these procedures. Advances in technology, resulting in more accurate diagnoses of foreign bodies, broken bones, etc., are also extremely valuable. Modern conventional medicine can be a lifesaver, both in terms of the quality of the patient’s life and the life itself, with many of these procedures and they should not be discarded, even by the most committed holistic practitioner.

Perhaps you have noticed that all of these procedures have to do with trauma or removing obstructions to bodily functions. None is a treatment for an actual disease process. This is where the holistic (particularly the homeopathic) and conventional medical philosophies go their separate ways. True holistic healing comes from removing the source of the symptoms (i.e., curing disease). When treating diseases, especially chronic diseases, conventional medicine is involved with symptom control and not cure. Classic examples of this in pets are allergies, asthma and inflammatory bowel disorders. Medicine is extremely effective at controlling the symptoms of these conditions in a very short period of time. Homeopathy can cure, and has cured, these patients, although this usually takes somewhat longer. This is why I have become an ardent supporter of the homeopathic method. Yet, despite my personal, very firm convictions, I am also a firm believer in an individual’s free choice. I would not attempt to prevent conventional medicine from espousing its philosophy or beliefs. My only objection is when medicine tries to establish itself as the universal truth and the holder of only “scientifically valid” treatments. These assertions are blatantly untrue and often mislead those who are trying to exercise free choice.

I hope I have clarified my position on conventional medicine. With there being so few of us in the holistic field, and even fewer with the opportunity to educate others, we have to raise our voices rather significantly just to be heard over the din of the mainstream. My goal is to educate, not to offend. I like to think that the goal of all of us involved in health care is to provide the best chance of healing our patients with the least possibility of harm. To quote Dr. Hahnemann again from paragraphs one and two of The Organon: “The physician’s highest and only calling is to make the sick healthy, to cure, as it is called. The highest ideal of cure is the rapid, gentle and permanent restoration of health; that is, the lifting and annihilation of the disease in its entire extent in the shortest, most reliable, and least disadvantageous way, according to clearly realizable principles.”

I believe that this should be the goals of all systems of medicine and if it is not, should not that system be suspect?

-Russell Swift, DVM and classical homeopath Cara Campbell have a holistic house call practice in South Florida. They are available to clients outside the area for phone consultations. Dr. Swift and Ms. Campbell use nutrition and classical homeopathy in the treatment of all types of animals. They can be reached at 561-391-5615 or petsfriend@zim.com.