The place for non-pharmaceutical therapy in chronic rheumatoid arthritis: A critical study of homœopathy

Abstract

SummaryA two-part trial is reported in which patients with rheumatoid arthritis were treated with homœopathy. In the first part of the trial, 54 patients on homœopathy were compared with 41 patients on salicylate over the course of a year. 66 per cent. of the patients on homœopathy improved, as compared with 14.6 per cent. of the patients on salicylate.In the second part of the trial, 46 patients took part in a double-blind study in which homœopathy was compared with placebo for a period of three months. The patients on homœopathy improved significantly while those on placebo did not.It was also shown that it may well be possible to predict which patients are most likely to respond to homœopathic treatment.No toxic effects were observed in any patient on homœopathy whereas 39 per cent. of the patients on salicylate experienced toxic effects.