Fever

We talk of fever when the rectal temperature is more than 37.30 C (99.10 F) in the morning, 37.80 C (1000 F) in the evening. The temperature should be taken at rest, over several minutes, at some time before or after meals. Fever is mostly due to an infectious process, and is often the main symptom, but sometimes it may also indicate another illness. It may be accompanied by shivering, sweating, headache, occasionally agitation, pain in the joints or muscles, skin eruptions... all signs that will narrow and clarify the diagnosis.

A rise in body temperature, a fever, is a natural defence reaction. It helps resist infection by killing the bacteria responsible or impeding their reproduction with body heat. When you have an infection, very often the first reaction is to take aspirin or paracetamol to lower the body temperature, and you will soon feel better, for a while... but you are suppressing your best means of natural defence:As long as the temperature is not too high and you are not running the risk of convulsions, you should try to resist this temptation, however legitimate it may seem.

Standard anti-infective tretment

To be started as quickly as possible at the first abnormal symptom.

• Start with Aconitum-Homac cord@(Heel) which contains Aconitum D2,D10,D30,D200, Eucalyptus D4, D10,D30 and Ipecacuanha D2,D10, D30, D200:
  - available in drop bottles containing 30 and 100ml
  - Generally 10 drops three times daily. Initially 10 drops every 15 minutes
• Add copper as a trace element with silver or gold in colloidal form
• Six tablets of Pyrogenium 5c once a day in a single dose for a few days.
• Twenty drops of Lehning@ L52 in a little water, three or four times per day.
• Vitamin C: one gram per day for adults, 0.5 gram for children, for a fortnight.

Some foods rich in vitamin C

Citrus fruits (lemon, orange, grapefruit), green vegetables (celery, green cabbage++, cress, spinach, sorrel. parsley, horseradish), fruit, particularly red fruit (strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants), and also others (pineapple, blackcurrant++, guava, kiwi++), potatoes, green peppers, tomatoes...

Some foods rich in copper

Seaweed, almonds, avocado, cocoa, cereals (especially whole wheat and whole rice), mushrooms, shellfish, oysshy;ters, crustaceans, calf and sheep liver ++, dried fruits, green vegetables, nuts, fish roe, plums, tea...

Silver

Silver, which has no known function in the body, has a general bactericidal and local antiseptic action (silver nitrate) which explains its use as an anti-infective.

• You can also use silver liquid SILV-LQ (Vitamin Research Products) 400ppm:
  - Available in bottles of 4 fluid ounces
  - Mix half a teaspoon with I ounce of water, rinse in mouth for 15 seconds before swallowing
• To this standard treatment composed of three homeopathic remedies, one to three trace elements, and a vitamin, the homeopath may add remedies that are specific to each illness and fundamental to each personality.

Dietary advice

To be strictly followed:

• Stop all heavy, fatty food, particularly dairy products, fried food, and dishes with sauces
• Orink plenty
• Choose foods rich in vitamin C and copper
• Supplement your diet with wheat­germ and brewer's yeast. which are rich in vitamins and trace elements
• Eat plenty of garlic and onion
• Eat herbs such as thyme, cinnamon, and oregano, known for their anti-infective action

Garlic/Onion

Garlic has been cultivated for millennia and has long been taken for its stimulant and antiseptic qualities. Through out history the onion has been a food beyond compare, a symbol of longevity, even eternity These two foods played a large part in combating the great epidemics of the Middle Ages.

• You can take Garlic-Chili Flax seed oil (larrow) to improve resistance to infection: - Sold in 12 floz bottles
  - Take one to three teaspoons daily (may be used as salad dressing)
• You can take natural vitamin C in, for example, Weleda@ Argousier (sea buckthorn) juice:
  - Available in 200ml bottles
  - One tablespoonful to be taken in the morning, providing about 30mg of the vitamin.

Specific homeopathic treatment for fever

Aconite, Belladonna, Ferrum phosphoricum
- Four tablets of one or more of these remedies at 5c, to be sucked like sweets between meals, three or four times a day.

Aconitum napellus

Vegetable in origin: the plant aconite was also called wolf's bane because the poison it contains was formerly used in hunting.
A homeopathic remedy for use in infections that are sudden in onset.

Belladonna

Vegetable in origin: the leaves and fresh flowers of belladonna, deadly nightshade.
A homeopathic remedy for infections with high fever, agitation, and intense thirst.

Ferrum phosphoricum

- Chemical in origin: iron phosphate - Homeopathic remedy for slight fever with a very weakened state.

• You can take Traumeel@,(Heel) which contains Aconite 03 and Belladonna 04, among other ingredients:
  - Available in containers of 50 or 250 tablets
  - In general. one tablet to be dissolved under the tongue three times daily...

Herbal treatment

Anti-infective Echinacea, very stimulating ginseng.

Prescription: Ask your herbalist to prepare a 30ml bottle of a mother tincture of each of these two plants; take 25 drops of the first in a little water, three times a day, and 25 drops twice a day of the second.

Echinacea

Echinacea is a plant native to North America, where it was widely used by Native American tribes for its antiseptic properties.

• You can use Echinaforce (BioforceJ, a tincture of Echinacea purpurea:
  - Available in 50ml and 100mi bottles of oral drops
  - Fifteen drops to be taken in a little water, three times a day by adults, seven drops three times a day by chil. dren (6-12 years old)...

You may also take infusions of thyme, and of lime and camomile flowers.

Lime

The flowers of the lime tree, best known for their sedative action, have always been widely used in illnesses involving a chill: the infusion can be sweetened with a little honey.