Vol. 19 No. 2 April 1999
Here are two Arnica experiments to add to those reported in the last issue. The South African one shows no understanding of Arnica’s field of activity, but the Italian one was well conducted and showed convincing benefit.
• Post partum homœopathic Arnica montana; British Journal of Clinical Practice, December 1990; The subjects were 161 women in a Johannesburg hospital who had just had a baby - and either an episiotomy or a perineal tear, too. 85 got placebo, 37 got Arnica 6x, 39 Arnica 30x. No difference in rate, etc of wound closure was observed. When asked about their treatment 23% of the Arnica 30x group said they had benefit from it, 43% of the Arnica 6x said the same, as did 46% of the placebo group. 13% of the Arnica 30x group said they were not happy with the treatment, but only 2% of the placebo group felt that way.
• Valutazione dell’azione angioprotectiva di preparat di Arnica nel trattamento della retinpatia diabetica; Bulletino de Oculistica, 1992,5: 841-848. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Arnica 5c in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, 47% of the Arnica patients showed improved blood flow in the principally affected part of the eye against only 1% of those given placebo.
I have used Ledum 4x in similar cases with success; two people astonished the eye clinic they were attending with the rapidity of their eyes’ change for the better. I chose Ledum over Arnica believing it would be safer if the patient had intra-ocular bleeding. - Editor.