HSCI 140 TOP EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
Objectives: Homeopathy - CORRECT ANSWERS 1. Discuss the philosophy behind
homeopathy
2. Consider how homeopathic ingredients differ
from allopathic medicines with evidence-based
biological mechanisms
3. Compare the purported mechanisms of homeopathy with approved allopathic medicines
Allopathic Medicine - CORRECT ANSWERS -difficult treatments with little success
- treatments could produce additional harm to the patients
- bloodletting, purging, mercury solution
- cures could sometimes kill patients
Samuel Hahnemann - CORRECT ANSWERS -german physician; 1755-1843
- recognizing the conventional medicine of the time harmed patients, sought to find safe,
effective cures
- developed hypothesis of similia similibus curentur (like cures like)
Iastrogensis - CORRECT ANSWERS - outcomes caused by whatever healthcare the patient
is receiving, often specifically referring to unintended negative consequences
- includes: medication side effects, complications, medical error, negligence, misdiagnosis,
psychosocial factors related to healthcare
1st Law: like cures like - CORRECT ANSWERS - cinchona bark: used to treat malaria
- hahnemann noted cinchona produced malaria- like symptoms
, 1st Law of homeopathy - CORRECT ANSWERS - if the substance produces symptoms in
healthy people, then it will alleviate symptoms in sick people
2nd law of homeopathy - CORRECT ANSWERS - law of infinitesimals
- the treatments were diluted so that they would no longer cause symptoms
- belief that dilution increases the potency of the treatment
- "succession": vigorous shaking (not stirring) of the treatment
- hahnemann found that the treatments seemed to work best when he made house calls
- believed it was a result of the treatments being shaken in his saddle bag
Process of dilution - CORRECT ANSWERS - see diagram
- each dilution would see 1 part of the original substance diluted with 100 parts water or alcohol
- by 13th dilution (13c), no molecules of the original substance would remain
Dilution and Active Content - CORRECT ANSWERS - at 30c: the solution would have to be
thirty million times the size of the earth to find a single molecule of the original substance
- most popular flu solution: 200C
- some solution have a dilution 1000C
Testing Homeopathy - CORRECT ANSWERS - to asses the effectiveness, homeopathy relies
on "provings"
- treatment is taken by healthy individuals and they report their experiences/outcomes
- for example: itchiness toes, feelings of anger
- the experiences are recorded in a catalog
- practitioners access the catalog to see what outcomes are associated with the substance
CORRECT ANSWERS
Objectives: Homeopathy - CORRECT ANSWERS 1. Discuss the philosophy behind
homeopathy
2. Consider how homeopathic ingredients differ
from allopathic medicines with evidence-based
biological mechanisms
3. Compare the purported mechanisms of homeopathy with approved allopathic medicines
Allopathic Medicine - CORRECT ANSWERS -difficult treatments with little success
- treatments could produce additional harm to the patients
- bloodletting, purging, mercury solution
- cures could sometimes kill patients
Samuel Hahnemann - CORRECT ANSWERS -german physician; 1755-1843
- recognizing the conventional medicine of the time harmed patients, sought to find safe,
effective cures
- developed hypothesis of similia similibus curentur (like cures like)
Iastrogensis - CORRECT ANSWERS - outcomes caused by whatever healthcare the patient
is receiving, often specifically referring to unintended negative consequences
- includes: medication side effects, complications, medical error, negligence, misdiagnosis,
psychosocial factors related to healthcare
1st Law: like cures like - CORRECT ANSWERS - cinchona bark: used to treat malaria
- hahnemann noted cinchona produced malaria- like symptoms
, 1st Law of homeopathy - CORRECT ANSWERS - if the substance produces symptoms in
healthy people, then it will alleviate symptoms in sick people
2nd law of homeopathy - CORRECT ANSWERS - law of infinitesimals
- the treatments were diluted so that they would no longer cause symptoms
- belief that dilution increases the potency of the treatment
- "succession": vigorous shaking (not stirring) of the treatment
- hahnemann found that the treatments seemed to work best when he made house calls
- believed it was a result of the treatments being shaken in his saddle bag
Process of dilution - CORRECT ANSWERS - see diagram
- each dilution would see 1 part of the original substance diluted with 100 parts water or alcohol
- by 13th dilution (13c), no molecules of the original substance would remain
Dilution and Active Content - CORRECT ANSWERS - at 30c: the solution would have to be
thirty million times the size of the earth to find a single molecule of the original substance
- most popular flu solution: 200C
- some solution have a dilution 1000C
Testing Homeopathy - CORRECT ANSWERS - to asses the effectiveness, homeopathy relies
on "provings"
- treatment is taken by healthy individuals and they report their experiences/outcomes
- for example: itchiness toes, feelings of anger
- the experiences are recorded in a catalog
- practitioners access the catalog to see what outcomes are associated with the substance
