The Journey of a Disease

Review

This book review is reprinted with the permission from Volume 13, 2007 Edition, with permission from The American Homeopath-The Journal of the North American

Reviewd by Jay Yasgur, R.Ph., M.Sc.

In two sections, Dr. Jus, a native-born Indian but resident of Switzerland, covers the basic concepts of homeopathy, including the miasms. He devotes half of the book to a didactic on miasms yet weaves his thoughts about this subject throughout.

"Miasms (or our deep weaknesses) are like cracks in the vital force. Often minor causes are responsible for so called refractory disease like allergies: 'After having switched jobs I am suffering from hay fever.' There was a lot of stress, an unfamiliar situation; the apartment stayed the same; the birch trees too, the carpets and the cat, but nevertheless the hay fever appears with his switching jobs. How can we make a cat responsible for this? How can we blame the beautiful woods or pollen and dust? They have been there before, they did not get more 'poisonous,' and other family members are not suffering either. They are all part of the universe. Each one has its own mission and task. The human being is weakened and suddenly produces an allergic reaction towards his environment. We should cure these weaknesses instead of senselessly hunting for cats or pollen." (p. 119)

Early in his treatise, Jus discusses our 'dual' nature (body and soul) and throughout offers philosophical and spiritual ruminations:

"We use T and 'My' again. We can touch and palpate the physical body. However, are we really conscious of the fact that we will never be able to palpate this 'I?' The only way we can come closer to it and touch it is with a friendly word or some sign of goodwill. This indicates the presence of a dynamic existence which cannot be detected with X-rays or some modern machinery. The soul can be sensed and touched only with another soul." (p. 41)

Homeopathic law of cure, homeopathic aggravation and healing reaction, selection of potency, repetition of dose, palliative treatment, etc. are all dealt with in a concise manner. He brings history into the fray with the inclusion of refreshing chapters on the lives of Hahnemann, Kent, Boenninghausen, Hering, and his mentor and last student of Kent, B. K. Bose (1879-1977). So it could be said that Dr. Jus resides in the lineage of Kent, as his teacher was Bose. Furthermore, one can deduce that Jus is a classical homeopath.

Bose studied in the United States but what drove him to the West, via France, was his youthful idealism and radical stance against the occupation of India by the British. He had to leave India in order to escape arrest.

Bose found his way to Ann Arbor, Michigan and spent two years studying liberal arts with the overarching theme of non-violence in his mind. Jus does not state how Bose met Dr. W. A. Dewey, a noted homeopath, but after that meeting Bose sought out Kent. Jus relates their conversation:

"So Bose, you want to be admitted to the homeopathy department, don't you?' 'Yes, Sir: he answered quickly and devoted. 'Is homeopathy accepted in your country?' 'No, Sir,' Bose confirmed calmly. 'Will you be able to find work in your country with a homeopathic diploma?' 'No, Sir.' 'Then you must be totally crazy to study something that gives you no benefit, no recognition, no future prospect.' The rebel within himself woke up, his calm voice and devotion was gone. The answer came like a whiplash with a shrill voice: 'But, Sir! You must be even crazier teaching students who have neither work nor future prospect in their home countries, and your government must be the craziest of all, granting such students visas and passports. You were slaves like we are, you have gained independence and we will also become independent one day. The student of independent India will not come here to study any longer because they will have their own schools.'

"Kent listened to Bose's story, smiled affectionately giving him a pat like a father would do and admitted him to the Hering Homoeopathic Medical College. It was Kent who transformed an anarchist into a homeopath, healing humans from suffering. Bijoy Kumar Bose became a homeopathic physician. His return to India was only possible due to the personal connections and the influence of Dr. Kent." (pp. 108-109)

Thus Kent obliquely assisted in the development of Indian homeopathy, as Bose's influence was profound. Jus studied with Bose, and his Swiss Homeopathic Institute (SHI) in Jug, Switzerland is not only a place of research, study, healing, and teaching but also a monument to Bose.

The book's second half deals with the subject of miasms. While this section is well laid-out and orderly, Jus tends to pass on cliches of a misleading nature, e.g., "Psoric people are very intelligent..." (p. 131), "Psoric people have poor memory..." (p. 132), "They prefer a monotonous lifestyle..." (sycotic, p. 165), "Sycotic people are jealous and envious..." (p. 167), "The patient looks lost, worried, absent-minded and he has brutal eyes..." (syphilitic, p. 198).

This being said, he does offer a number of interesting reflections:

"Psora means internal itching. Pride, greed, possession and power are irritating us more and more. We 'scratch' for more means, different friends and partners; we get bored so easily, we Ire restless, having no goals. Our fire is burning." (p. 127)

.Or pearls:
"One day I saw his [Bose's] leg covered with eczema from knee to foot. I asked him what he had done with his leg, but he only said, 'Leave me and my leg alone. It's been my friend for thirty years. I feel healthier when the eczema is there and weaker when it's gone. You must not disturb my friend.' This sentence teaches you a lot about the nature of homeopathy. I was his student for a long time and there was no single day where he did not give lectures. Until the age of 95, he was teaching and treating patients. He died without having a disease. He said he would be old now and wants to change his clothes. That's all. One day he just lay down and didn't do anything. Someone asked him what he was doing and why he would not walk around. He said he would taste death; watch it coming. All his life he gave lectures on life and death, now he wanted to see it clearly. Then he passed away; that was my teacher. He taught me that every rash, every pimple, every wart or mole can be a good friend and not an enemy. Enemies are made out of fear; e.g., fear of cancer. The doctor says it could develop into cancer. Nobody can say this, only God." (pp. 228-229)

In the final pages, Jus relates his thoughts on 'Menopause and Homeopathy.' Here and in the final pages devoted to 'Sensitivity' the author again waxes philosophical and nicely so.

The German edition of this book, published in 1998, has sold over 40,000 copies in Europe. His other works (in German) include Praktische Materia Medica, Kindertypen in der Homoopathie, and Homoopathische Erste Hi/fe, etc., and he is the editor of Similia, a quarterly journal also in the German language. Dr. Jus is also a talented artist and poet.

The English translation of this work is the only book of his to be translated; it is extremely well-produced and contains a small index. It is written clearly and simply, helping the beginner to easily understand classical homeopathy.