The Homeopathic Treatment and

Prevention of Cholera
Reprinted from HomeopathyPlus
Last reviewed on May 6, 2019 | 

In 1831, Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, was the first to identify

which homeopathic remedies would successfully treat people in an epidemic
of Asiatic cholera that swept through Europe.

Those remedies were: Camphor during the first stage, and Cuprum
metallicum, Veratrum album, Bryonia alba, and Rhus toxicodendron for the
latter stages. Today, these remedies are still used with success by
homeopaths during cholera outbreaks in developing countries, along with a
few less frequently indicated ones.
Remedies for Prevention (Prophylaxis)

Historically, several remedies were used to prevent cholera. Hahnemann

recommended Cuprum metallicum (Cupr.) to be taken once a week while
cholera was prevalent. A 30C or 200C potency would be appropriate.

Veratrum album (Verat.) or Arsenicum album (Ars) have also been used for
cholera prophylaxis with the general instructions of a daily dose in any
potency between 6X – 30C (according to availability) for 14 days.

Early homeopaths also advised that Ars. and Verat. can also be alternated
over a 14 day period – one on one day, the other on the next.

Today, homeopathic doctors still treating outbreaks of cholera in third world

conditions, report that these and the following remedies still work well.

Remedies for Treatment

The main remedies that have historically been used in the treatment of
cholera are Camphor, Cuprum metallicum (Cupr.), and Veratrum album
(Verat.)

Camphor, also called Camphora (Camph.) when placed in potency, iwas

recommended for the early stages when coldness, weakness, and sudden
collapse predominated.

Cuprum was given in later stages for severe cramping, not only in the
abdomen but also the fingers and toes or elsewhere in the body.

Veratrum album was advised for the later stages when there was profuse cold
sweat and excessive vomiting and diarrhoea.

These remedies, and other less commonly indicated ones, are discussed
below.
Aconite napellus (Acon.)

Sudden or rapid collapse without excessive loss of body fluids. Anxiety and
restlessness. Shock. Of most use before the onset of diarrhoea and vomiting.

Arsenicum album (Ars.)

One of the Main Remedies for Prevention. Profuse, offensive diarrhoea.
Burning of anus. Restless and anxious tossing and turning. Coldness of limbs
and face. Wants to be warm. Desires to be covered or wrapped.

Arum triphyllum (Arum-t)

Cholera leading to uraemia with complete cessation of urine. Raw and burning
anus.

Camphora (Camph.) – One of the Main Remedies for

Treatment
First stage only of cholera when there is chill but little or no vomiting,
diarrhoea, or perspiration. Prostration or state of collapse even before
excessive loss of body fluids. Cold tongue, ears, and nose. Icy coldness of
whole body. Husky or squeaky voice. Upper lip retracted, showing the teeth.
Cramping of calves. Differs from Verat. in that there is coldness without sweat
and the patient does not want to be covered when cold.

Carbo vegetabilis (Carb-v.)

Body is icy cold. Coldness of legs to the knees. Cold breath with bluish skin.
Panting and difficult breathing. Loss of voice. Desire to be fanned – must have
air. Collapse from loss of body fluids from vomiting, diarrhoea, and sweating.

Cuprum metallicum (Cupr.) – One of the Main Remedies for

Prevention or Treatment
Coldness and blueness of skin. Cramping of muscles. Cramps are severe and
may extend to the chest. Cramps in the calves or thighs can be drawn into
knots. Shortness of breath. Difficulty in breathing. Pains in the stomach.
Severe vomiting and purging but no sweat. Grey diarrhoea with floating
particles.

Hydrocyanic Acid (Hydr-ac.)

Last stage of cholera. Sudden stopping of all discharges followed by fainting
or collapse. Pressure on chest. Irregular breathing. Coldness.

Jatropha (Jatr.):
Useful before the stage of collapse. Forceful diarrhoea that is lumpy rather
than thin and watery. Rumbling and noises in abdomen with diarrhoea.
Gurgling in abdomen like water being poured from a bottle. Any drink is
immediately vomited.

Laurocerasus
(Laur): Pale, blue face with coldness of limbs. Fainting with absence of
diarrhoea and vomiting. Suppression or retention of urine.

Secale cornutum (Sec.)

Profuse, offensive diarrhoea. Wants to be uncovered in spite of feeling cold.
Intolerance of warmth. Watery and forceful diarrhoea. Cramping and tingling
in various parts of the body. Secale differs from Arsenicum in that an
Arsenicum lacks the tingling of Secale, and desires to be warmly wrapped up.
Secale wants to be cool and lacks the anxious tossing and restlessness of
Arsenicum.

Veratrum album (Verat.) – One of the Main Remedies for

Prevention or Treatment
Profuse, gushing, watery, greenish, or bloody diarrhoea. Diarrhoea that looks
like rice water. Weakness with fainting and prostration. Collapse. Little
vomiting. Retention of urine. Cutting or cramping pain in the abdomen and
limbs. Cold sweat on forehead. Pale face and sunken eyes. Worse at night.
Differs from Camph. In that there is coldness with perspiration and discharges
are more profuse. Patient also wants to be covered and warm. Differs from
Cupr. in that there is severe vomiting and purging with sweat. Differs from
Carbo-v. In that the sweat and diarrhoea are much more profuse.

Treatment Guidelines from Past Epidemics

1. Remedies should be chosen according to which of the following symptoms
dominate the case at hand:

 Icy coldness of the body

 Diarrhoea
 Vomiting
 Cramps.
2. Remedies were prescribed in any potency between 3X – 30C, depending
on what was available.

3. Remedies were given as 1 – 2 sugar pills or 5 – 7 liquid drops per dose.

4. In general, remedies were dosed every fifteen minutes for severe

symptoms, or during the first stage of cholera. For less severe symptoms, a
dose of the chosen remedy was given every ½ to 1 hour, with reducing the
frequency of doses with improvement. The remedy was changed if no
improvement by four doses.

When using crude Camphor during the first stage of cholera, 1-5 drops of
Spirit of Camphor (camphor dissolved in alcohol) was given every five minutes
on sugar, or mixed in a little water, until warmth returned – sugar was
preferred as the water mixture nauseated.

Hahnemann also advised that if the patient’s jaws were locked, it was to be
rubbed into the skin, given as an enema, or evaporated on a hot iron so that
the fumes were inhaled.

Those approaches reputedly worked well for the first stage of cholera: the
earlier they are implemented the more rapidly the person recovered; body
warmth often returned within three to six doses at which time the doses were
spread further apart; within a few hours, recovery was substantial;and. once
cholera has progressed to the second stage, Camphor or Camphora was
reportedly no longer helpful so a different remedy was chosen.

References

Barnett, M. 1972. The 1832 Cholera Epidemic in York. Medical History,

London, Jan.1972.

Bradford, T. L., 1900. The Logic of Figures or Comparative Results of

Homeopathic and Other Treatments. Boericke and Tafel.

Clarke, J. H., 1990 . Cholera, Diarrhoea and Dysentery; Homeopathic

Prevention and Cure. B.Jain Publ., New Delhi.

Hahnemann, S. The Lesser Writings of Samuel Hahnemann. (Dudgeon

Edition), Cure and

Prevention of Asiatic Cholera, p., 755.

http://homeoint.org/morrell/londonhh/outbreak.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/cholera/pdf/101204763.pdf