Interview with Dr.A.U.Ramakrishnan
 
 This is an excerpt from the interview with the world renowned Dr. A.U. Ramakrishnan held at Hotel Shelter, Chennai hosted by Tamil Nadu Homoeopathic Association, Chennai Chapter. The discussion was entirely clinically oriented leaving no stone unturned in respect of everyday dilemmas an average Homoeopath goes through. Dr. Rama krishnan, true to his fame, lays bare his views and methods of clinical prescribing. We earnestly believe every one of us would benefit from these experiences. The interview was conducted by Dr. Joice Thilagam, Dr. Shakuntala, Dr. Jagatha, and Dr. Saraswati. Dr. Amrit Shah transcribed the proceedings efficiently. Dr. Joice Thilagam : Homoeopathy was incepted by the discovery of treatment for malaria. We are able to effectively
deal with the chronic cases of malaria, but treating acute cases has been much more difficult. Could you please enlighten us about your line of action for the treatment of malaria especially if the causative organism is Plasmodium vivax or malariae? Dr. AUR: Dr. Hahnemann stumbled upon the concept oftreating malaria through Cinchona bark. It is not so easy to
treat malaria. The allopathic system devised medicines such as Lariago, which was termed as amiracle drug, but it had potent side effects such as hepatotoxosis, cirrhosis of the liver and fatty degeneration. As far as prophylactic medicines are concerned, I put my patients on Natrum sulph. 200 in weekly doses. This has also been very effective as a preventive for people who come to India from abroad. I put them on the same medicine in weekly doses during their entire period of stay in India. Natrum sulph. has proved to be an excellentprophylactic as well as curative. As regards to the acute cases, I give Chininum ars. as well as Natrum sulph. This has helped me in more than 50% of the cases. I also use Rhus tox and Bryonia in a few cases.

Dr. Joice Thilagam: Is it possible to treat a clinically proven patient of microfilarial edema although it might not be lab documented (micro filarium negative). Is it possible to treat such patients effectively and can we bring down a microfilarium positive to microfilarium negative through homoeopathic treatment?

Dr. AUR: Repeated night blood testing may help us to determine a positive microfilarium case, although it might be a false positive. It is possible to treat microfilarial edema through symptomatic treatment.

Dr. Joice Thilagam: There was a patient of yours whom I had come across. He stated that you could diagnose a case of tuberculoma only with the help of a brain scan. You also could treat him only on that basis. What was the clinching point in that patient which helped you in his treatment?

Dr. AUR: This is a very tricky question. All space-occupying lesions are generally malignant in nature, but it should not make any significant difference to a homoeopath whether the lesion is malignant or benign. It is only in the management of malignant tumors that you have to be a bit more cautious in dealing with the patient. Prescription wise, I had a very interesting case about 15 years ago, a patient aged 35 years, diagnosed with an astrocytoma of the brain. These types of tumors are highly recurrent in nature. He was first operated at CMC, Vellore, but there was a reoccurrence after eight months. The second time the patient was treated at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi. After the third reoccurrence, he came to me with a CT scan report. Another space occupying lesion is glioma. Plumbum Iodatum was found to be very effective in the treatment of glioma. I also use ‘plussing potencies’* in such cases.

Dr. Joice Thilagam: How do you deal with HIV positive patients?

Dr. AUR: Although many number of cancer cases come to my clinic, I have very little experience in the treatment of AIDS. During my visits abroad, I have heard that Lachesis and Phosphorous could be very effective in the treatment of AIDS. Phosphorous as you are aware, is very useful for treating bleeding disorders like hemophilia. In HIV positive cases, focus should be on strengthening the liver as it strengthens the immunity.
   

Dr. Shakuntala: Homoeopathic physicians claim good success in the treatment of functional disorders like epilepsy, but in actual practice, it is very difficult to treat epilepsy. Do you have an answer to this?

Dr. AUR: I would like to state boldly that epilepsy is curable. The first rule is, do not stop any allopathic anti-

epileptic medicines abruptly (Eptoin, Gardinal) . Then identify the indicated homoeopathic remedy, and slowly taper the allopathic medicines.I had an eleven-year-old patient from Boston, Massachusetts. It took me at least 4 months to taper off his allopathic medicine but the patient was normal by this time with our homoeopathic medicines.Febrile convulsions can be treated in a shorter time period and the tapering is fast. A medicine like Tegretol causes loss of memory. Medicines like Hyoscamus, Stramonium, Calcarea ars., Cuprum metallicum, Viscum album (in children) and Aethusa are useful medicines in treating Epilepsy.

Dr. Shakuntala: In cerebrovascular disorders, do you order for investigations and how do you treat such cases?

Dr. AUR: Yes I do order for investigations wherever it is necessary. Most of my patients do come with a long list of investigations, which have already been done. I had a very interesting case of prostate cancer. The only symptom that he had was a presacral node. This required further scans to confirm his prostate cancer. Another interesting case is that of a highly respectable senior swamiji in Tamilandu, where I was called in as an “Asthma Doctor”, to treat him as he was getting tremors as a side effect to Asthalin. He also had atherosclerosis and atheroma. He also used to suffer from mild episodes of blackouts and unsteadiness confirmed by Neurologists and Doppler study. After homoeopathic treatment his tremors reduced and his speech clarity improved. The medicines, which I generally use for such conditions, are Baryta Mur, which has proved to an excellent medicine for cerebrovascular insufficiency. Lachesis is another remedy, which I find very effective in treating cerebral hemorrhage.

Dr. Shakuntala: How do you treat autoimmune disorders? How do you classify them miasmaticaly?

Dr. AUR: I follow the allopathic classification. In diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus where there are elevated ANA levels, Apis Mellifica is very effective. Asthma is also an autoimmune disorder, which of course has to be treated symptomatically based on the totality of symptoms.

Dr. Shakuntala: How do you treat endocrine disorders?

Dr. AUR: For pituitary disorders I find Phytolacca and Symphytum to be very useful remedies. For adrenal tumors like theobromocytoma, I find phytolacca to be a very effective remedy.

Dr. Shakuntala: Do you think that reproving the old remedies is essential in context to the present time? Is there any research going on abroad?

Dr. AUR: The place where homoeopathy is best understood is India. The best courses as well as research work are offered in India only. It is very difficult to convince a westerner to stop his antibiotic medicines as compared in India as it could involve legal hassles. Only after completion of an allopathic degree, homoeopathic philosophy is introduced to doctors. So all of you can pat your back regarding this.

Dr. Shakuntala: What is the scope of treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding and related disorders?

Dr. AUR: Yes, in treatment of DUB with pituitary disorders, where prolactin levels are found to be high with symptoms of galactorrhea, Phytolacca is very effective. In hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis, Spongia has given very good results. An important point to be noted is to continue the medication even after the patient feels better.

Dr. Shakuntala: How do you deal with patients who have undergone allopathic treatment and have come with symptoms secondary to that, for example, amenorrhea secondary to thyroidectomy?

Dr. AUR: I will start the treatment based on the original symptoms for which he was operated for. Going back to the original complaint is the best method.

Dr. Shakuntala: Do you have any experience with 50 millesimal potency?

Dr. AUR: Nil.

Dr. Shakuntala: What is your experience with behavioral disorders in children? I have a case of a young girl who is constantly disrespectful towards her mother. There is no specific causative factor, which I can substantiate to this kind of behavior. Can you throw more light on the treatment of these kinds of problem children?

Dr. AUR: Homoeopathic treatment will definitely prove to be beneficial in these kinds of children. In the case that you just stated, the child might be trying to cope with an altered situation. The medicines like Staphysagria and Anacardium have found to be useful. I do have greatest faith in constitutional medicines whiledealing with such problems.

Dr. Shakuntala: How do you treat cases of fear?

Dr. AUR: If the fear were of a recent incident, I would prefer medicines like Aconite, Phosphorus, Opium and Veratrum album. Opium patients, as a result of fear, become dull and incommunicative where as Veratrum album patients become violent and abusive. In case of fear of a man that his woman may leave him, Acid flour is the choice of remedy for the man.

Dr. Jagatha: Will you please share your experience in treating the clinical condition - Metropathica Hemorrhagica?

Dr. AUR: The medicine that I have used frequently is Aurum muriaticum natronatum both for DUB and Endometriosis. For arresting the bleeding, I have used Viburnum, Thalaspi (mother tincture) and Millefoleum. I use both 200 and 30 potencies.

Dr. Jagatha: What has been your experience with infertility cases?

Dr. AUR: I generally use Pulsatilla, 1M, 10M and Aurum Muriaticum. Calcarea group medicines are found to be useful in menopause. In post-partum hemorrhage, which might lead to menorrhagia, I have found Kali Carb to be very useful.

Dr. Jagatha: What have been your experiences with tubal blocks?

Dr. AUR: The medicines that I have generally prescribed are Tuberculinum, Bacillinum and Arsenicum iodatum. This problem was more prevalent in Kerala where river bathing was a common habit among women.

Dr. Jagatha: I have many cases of enlarged ovaries; especially wedge shaped ovaries and cases of dyspaerunia. What do you think should be the line of treatment?

Dr. AUR: For enlarged ovaries Apis mellifica is an excellent remedy. You should have also known that Apis mellifica was used until recent times to induce abortion. In case of urethral strictures, Staphysagria has worked very effectively. Sepia can also be tried in men.

Dr. Jagatha: What have been your experiences with chocolate cyst of ovaries?

Dr. AUR: Apis mellifica as well as the Natrum and Kali groups are very effective in treating all cystic disorders. The period of treatment generally lasts between five to six months.

Dr. Jagatha: Do you suggest any specific medicine to help rupturing the follicles?

Dr. AUR: Pulsatilla should do the job.

Dr. Jagatha: What line of treatment will you suggest to treat cases with positive sperm antibodies and oligospermia with abnormal sperm morphology?

Dr. AUR: In sperm antibody positive cases, Thuja is the remedy of my choice. It also responds to varicocele and balantitis. Rhustox should be thought of in case of painful conditions of the spermatic chord and the scrotum. As regards to oligospermia, Kali sulph. has worked very well in one of my patients who also had Bronchorrhea. Medorrhinum has also been found to be useful.

Dr. Saraswati: How do you deal a case of acute bronchial asthma?

Dr. AUR: Status asthmaticus is a spasmodic disorder. I do not know how many of you have used it, but I find Magnesiumphosphoricum to be a very effective medicine. One dose of Magnesium phosphoricum 200 in a glass of water with sips every two minutes will relive the patient in about 15 minutes. I have also found good results with Ipecac, Kali carb and Thuja. The 200th potency is an ideal one for asthmatic conditions. The other medicines which I also apply are Carbo veg., Arsenicum album and Oxalic acid. The most characteristic symptom which I have found in Carbo Veg. is air hunger. The patient will hold his face in front of the fan in order to feel better.

Dr. Saraswati: According to you, what are the limitations of homoeo pathy? Why do we have limitations in treating cardiac disorders? What will be your line of treatment in managing a patient with severe anginal pain? Please throw light whether we can treat a case of myocardial infarction.

Dr.A.U.R: A patient with angina pectoris needs to be monitored with the help of biomedical devices such as ECG, Holter monitor, pulse monitor as well as a respirator. We do not have access to this equipment in our clinics. These are our true limitations. If we could acquire such life saving equipment along with mild sedation and supplementary oxygen, we can perform just as well as any other physicians. Now days a few patients do request homoeopathic medicines to be administered along with modern medicine management in hospitals. As regards to limitations in our system, there are plenty. Please do not make tall claims about sure shot treatment in every case. Of course we have helped the patient to avoid surgeries in conditions such as renal calculus, cholelithiasis, tonsillitis etc., but in cases such as total intestinal obstruction where the patient is unable to consume and retain a spoon of water surgical intervention is an absolute necessity. Clipping of the blocked part followed by anastamosis has to be done to save the patient’s life. I have found Antimonium tartaricum to be very effective to manage anginal pain especially in patients with pulmonary hypertension, broncorrhea and ischemic heart disease. Spongia is very effective in dealing with valvular disorders, endocarditis and pericarditis. Spongia has the specific sensation of “squeezing the heart”.

Dr. Saraswati: What are the medicines you would prescribe in a case of acute renal failure?

Dr.AUR: I generally use only Apis mellifica 30 in 10 half hourly doses. Patients with total anuria, puffines of the face and pedal edema have had good urinary continence. I follow Dr. Koppikar’s advice to use Glonine in such cases. In the case of UTI, an excellent remedy I could think of is Natrum phosphoricum. It is the first medicine I could think of in case of hyperacidity with UTI. Natrum phosphoricum can be used instead of Zantac or Gelusil in cases of hyperacidity.

Dr. Saraswati: Do you have a particular line of treatment for appendicitis?

Dr.AUR: In acute appendicitis I generally prescribe Rhustox in 200th or 30th potency.

Dr. Saraswati: As a very experienced and renowned homoeopathic physician, please share your experiences to treat skin disorders especially psoriasis.

Dr. AUR: Psoriasis is a disease of remission and relapse. A period of remission should not be misunderstood as cure. Flare-ups are more common during winter and the patient is relatively better during summer. It is utmost necessary to talk to the patient about his disease and counsel him properly as regards to his disease status. Stress also has found to be a major aggravating factor. The medicine that I have found to be effective is Calcarea ars. I also use Natrum muriaticum and Kali bromatum which are useful in most of the skin conditions especially pemphigous.

Dr. Saraswati : How do you deal with arthritis?

Dr. AUR: In a case of osteoarthritis I use commonly known medicine such as Rhustox, Calcaerea carb and Ruta. Symphytum is another medicine I have used in the cases of osteoarthritis. As regards to gouty joint affections Natrum phos has been my #1 drug of choice

-Courtesy Homoeo Pulse