Warning Signs and Similar Symptoms

Review

This book review is reprinted from Volume 16, Winter 2003 edition of Homeopathic Links with permission from Homeopathic Links.

Reviewed by Ivo Wiesner, PhD., Czech republic

Every classical homeopath who was not trained in the university MD program, wishes to comprehend the skills of basic differential diagnosis at the highest possible standard. Especially he is conscious of an imperative to properly recognise emergency cases or cases of serious pathology which have to be urgently treated by a hospital specialist. Immediate recognition of these emergency cases requires not only a lot of practical experience but also mastering vast medical knowledge.

Ernest Roberts, together with Juliet Williams, has written a friendly introduction to challenging area of medical diagnostics, for this purpose. They have written a really tiny featherlight book or rather booklet, bringing to us a concise synoptic desktop guide covering the very basics of standard diagnostic skills typically exercised in the daily office of a general MD practitioner. Brilliant text illumines the collection of basic signs and symptoms in order to serve purely as an introductory aid in diagnosis. It is not intended to replace an ordinary textbook, reference book or thick dictionary or even personal teaching. And, of course, it also cannot replace ordinary medical practice for any layman.

The professional curriculum vitae of both authors well complement each other and thus creates an ideal basis for the more than qualified author team. Ernest Roberts, who was born in Lancashire, developed an original approach to therapy using yoga practice and application of the therapeutic system of twelve biochemical tissue salts. These healing activities guided him finally to the College of Homeopathy. In 1983 he started a full-time homeopathic practice in Manchester and founded the North West College of Homeopathy, of which he is now Principal. The second writer from the team is Juliet Williams who graduated from the Kings College Hospital London in 1989. Since then she worked as a social research with particular emphasis on issues of HIV and AIDS. She graduated from the School of Homeopathy in Devon in 1994 and since then had practiced in London and teaches Human Sciences in a number of colleges of alternative medicine. Who could be then more familiar with and could understand better the 'allopathic demands' of a homeopathic student or alternative practitioner?

This book review is reprinted from The Homoeopath with permission from Nick Churchill of The Society of Homoeopaths.

Reviewed by Amalia Punzo, MD

Warning Signs and Similar Symptoms is a short and concise reference guide for non-medical practitioners of alternative and complementary medicine. The book is alphabetically organised for easy reference by symptoms. Although these symptoms are not examined in depth or detail, the more important medical conditions are, in fact, discussed clearly and responsibly.

The more integrated homeopathy finally becomes into mainstream healthcare, the more important it becomes to make accurate and prompt diagnoses and assessments. We need to work together if we are to effect lasting change in healthcare. We need, then, to make good diagnostic as well as therapeutic decisions. This book helps to inform the reader as to important basic criteria for distinguishing signs and symptoms of more serious disease. The authors have made a useful contribution toward this aim.

The authors, Ernest Roberts and Dr Juliet Williams, are both practising homeopaths with a wide range of knowledge and expertise. In addition to being practitioners, both are also actively involved in teaching and/or disseminating homeopathic education. They are, therefore, dedicated homeopaths who believe that responsible homeopathy is best practised with knowledge and training in both medicine and homeopathy. They have written this book with the intention of offering a way to concisely and succinctly educate prescribers so as to best treat and serve their patients.

This small reference text makes evident the absolute need to be aware of the potentially serious symptoms and conditions which could be life threatening within hours, days or months. The more widespread homeopathy and alternative medicine becomes, the more critical it will be to he responsibly informed. More and more patients are seeking alternative care and, therefore, we are all in a position to see and treat more and more serious pathology. The very future of homeopathy depends upon our ability to recognise as well as treat diseases which will inevitably present themselves to us in our practices. Our patients depend upon us to be informed and discerning enough to make important triage and referral decisions in cases of potentially life threatening medical conditions. These are the times we need to work collaboratively with our medical colleagues. This small reference manual offers the non-medically trained practitioner a good place to begin to question and differentially evaluate worrisome signs and symptoms. It is not esoteric or verbose. It is practical and easy to reference. I caution the reader, however, against assuming that this manual is complete. It serves as a beginning reference guide, which the authors make clear in the introduction. This book is a useful and necessary manual for all non-medical practitioners, and should be a tool in the arsenal we use to responsibly serve both patients and homeopathy.

The Homoeopath
Summer 1998
No. 70